Coinmap: A Visual Explanation for U.S. Bitcoin's Fail so far

[keepdoing]

www.Coinmap.org

Log in and look at the businesses that use/offer bitcoin.  There are entire states that don't have a single business.  Most states have 1 or 2.  "Hot" pockets have maybe a dozen in huge metrolpolis cities of millions.

It's laughable.  There is no one spending bitcoin in the general population because no one is accepting it.

If you support Bitcoin.... integrate its acceptance into your business.  I am in the process of integrating Bitcoin acceptance into a Beach Vacation Rental Business I own.

Your turn.  How can you integrate Bitcoin acceptance into YOUR business activities?

Peace,
- david

[pedrog]

Well, it's no secret bitcoin is not yet widely adopted, but it is not mandatory to register your business in that website.

There are many places that do accept bitcoin but are not registered at coinmap.

Plus bitcoin is more suitable to be used online, even with mobile payments I'm not seeing bitcoin taking a substantial market share to make almost a 'mandatory' payment system to have in a shop.

[NorrisK]

It is more likely that the businesses that accept bitcoin are just not on that map than that they are not there...

In most major cities in the Netherlands we have at least 10 shops accepting it, so it is very unlikely that 0 businesses accept it in certain US states..

[XCASH]

Cex accepts Bitcoin payments, and I assumed it has stores in every US state until I checked its store locator link.

https://us.webuy.com/stores/

There are about 15 US stores and they are mostly clustered in big cities. I'm a little disappointed about that, but Starbucks must have shops in all US states, and you can pay using Bitcoin at them using a third party app. That must mean every US state has at least a Starbucks Bitcoin business.

[keepdoing]

..... it is not mandatory to register your business in that website.
There are many places that do accept bitcoin but are not registered at coinmap.

It is more likely that the businesses that accept bitcoin are just not on that map than that they are not there...

I get all of this.... but I also wonder at the intelligence behind a person running a business that accepts bitcoin if they don't put themselves "on the map".  Marketing expense is a huge expense for most customers.  When I bought my first bitcoin, the very first thing I did was find that map and look around.  NOTHING!  As a matter of fact, it was a year before I made another bitcoin purchase - and in all honesty it was because of www.coinmap.org.  Anyone with a business, and is not marketing that fact is simply put... a dumb businessperson not taking advantage of free marketing.  Bitcoiners WANT to spend their bitcoins.  But where?

I think the problem with the bitcoin community is that most people don't "put their money where their mouth is" so to speak.  They talk about bitcoin, but don't actually integrate it's use into their lives.

And I totally disagree with the suggestion that bitcoin is primarily for internet based transactions.  I can assure you I have never munched down on a tasty "cyber burger", nor vacationed at a "Cyber Resort" (although I do understand VR may one day be a form of vacation - albeit a stupid fake one).  My whole view of the argument that bitcoin isn't intended for "Normal" purchases, but belongs in a primarily "cyber economy" is to me nonsense, and a sort of fox and sour grapes excuse.

If you believe in bitcoin..... use bitcoin.  Or at least have the honesty to admit you are just capitolizing on the possibility you'll get rich and are just a petty bitcoin hoarder.  (NOTE:  by the use of of hte term "YOU" I do not intend to negatively refer to the OP's, but more like bitcoiners in general)

Peace,
- david

[btcbug]

I agree. If you have a brick and mortar business and are tech savvy enough to have an interest in BTC then you should understand the importance of accepting it and making it easier for people to find you by using coinmap or other websites.

[HabBear]

Getting businesses to accept bitcoin is one half of the equation, the other half is getting people to use bitcoin.

Is it possible to help get Bitcoin ATMs installed in our locations to help breakthrough the "people don't see it so they don't know about it" challenge? I'd  be psyched to help get one or more established in my town!

As for the map, when you zoom out it looks like there are tons of merchants, it's the scale (# of merchants to color) that put things out of perspective.

[coinpr0n]

I would expect Bitcoin to be accepted much more with online retailers than brick and mortar stores for now. When it is more widespread online it will naturally start being more accepted on the streets.

[mayax]

I would expect Bitcoin to be accepted much more with online retailers than brick and mortar stores for now. When it is more widespread online it will naturally start being more accepted on the streets.

Why would a store accept Bitcoin? It doesn't have any advantage. Slow transactions, the store needs cash not BTC to pay its taxes, suppliers and so on.
Credit card and the mobile payments are the key and the future. Also, as client, I have debit/credit card which means instant and free transaction. BTC is good for if you want to "play" for short time.It has a huge volatility, that's why you can earn/lose a lot of money in a short period of time.
The merchants/stores prefer stability.

 BTC is just an e-currency which is used by 1 mil users worldwide. It's only an illusion that there are SO many BTC users because you are reading the BTC media. BTC media is owned by few people(who already owns BIG exchanges) who have interests in this biz.

[simplyxbt]

Plus bitcoin is more suitable to be used online, even with mobile payments I'm not seeing bitcoin taking a substantial market share to make almost a 'mandatory' payment system to have in a shop.

I fully agree. At this state Bitcoin is a good and viable online payment option, but it's not acting well as a mobile payment system.
Maybe it will change in the future with sidechain projects and instant payments, but now I wouldn't pay with Bitcoins in a local shop.

[keepdoing]

I would expect Bitcoin to be accepted much more with online retailers than brick and mortar stores for now. When it is more widespread online it will naturally start being more accepted on the streets.

Why would a store accept Bitcoin? It doesn't have any advantage. Slow transactions, the store needs cash not BTC to pay its taxes, suppliers and so on. Credit card and the mobile payments are the key and the future. Also, as client, I have debit/credit card which means instant and free transaction. BTC is good for if you want to "play" for short time.It has a huge volatility, that's why you can earn/lose a lot of money in a short period of time.
The merchants/stores prefer stability.

Well, lets go ahead and get the obvious - "You are a bitcoin hater so everything you say is probably slanted" - out of the way.

Now lets explain the flaws in your argument.

#1 - I agree that with high-transaction merchant stores (Walmart, Grocery, Gas Stations, Fast Food etc...) it is still very early to expect them to "Accept Bitcoin".  Although it is worth noting that as of the other day - they in a way ALL ACCEPT BITCOIN like it or not due to the fact that Bitcoin Debit Cards are coming out.  So that will most likely address that issue, but since a Walmart or local grocer probably won't be accepting actual direct bitcoin in the checkout line - it really isn't expected that we will find them on Coinmap.

#2 - However, there are more businesses that could accept bitcoin than not.  These are Service Sector businesses.  Vacation Rentals, Accountants, Electricians, Web Designers, Builders & Remodelers, Graphic Artists, or basically any other "Business" that runs on an Invoice System.  That is how I plan on integrating it into my Vacation Rental Business.  I reckon it will take me an hour on the actual technical part.  Currently I provide a Mailing Address, or an electronic page link for people who want to use Paypal or a Credit Card.  How hard will it be to provide a Bitcoin Address, and mention that as an option?  I can even create a bitcoin address specific to a specific invoice.  So simple.  And when you put that on your invoice, then you are going to get people that say, "Huhhh?  Whats Bitcoin??  And you just became a Bitcoin Pitchman.  I plan on developing a 1 or 2 page "Cheatsheet/Educational brochure for Dummies" that I can reply with to that question - and explain why they should look into bitcoin, and how they can buy some, and use it to pay their invoice to me.

We've got the Bitcoin Debit Cards rolling out.  That means I can SPEND my bitcoins.  But ultimately bitcoin needs to be accepted as Standalone Bitcoin.  That means people need to promote the fact they accept bitcoin.  And they need to implement it. 

Use it or lose it.  Fiatcoin IS coming.  Whether or not it knocks bitcoin out of top slot will depend on how entrenched bitcoin is at the time.  We are all salespeople in this little boat.  Some are doing a better job at it than others.

Peace,
- david

[keepdoing]

Just did a quick review of Coinmapped users.  It looks like on average the Coinmap only increases between 20 - 40 mapped Users per week on a global scale.  That is really bad. 

I do have one issue with the map (also owned by Satoshi Labs - as is the new Coinbase Shift Card).  It is a similar issue that you find with the Shift Card.  No web portal.  It is 100% app.

Creating a web portal is such an easy thing.  You have an enormous percentage (much greater than 50%) who will still always pay pills, shop, and interact through the web, as opposed to an app. 

Satoshi Labs should rethink this strategy.  Just like a person not announcing they accept Bitcoin is a foolish/bad marketing strategy, ignoring an enormous untapped marketing base - so is ignoring account access via web portal.  I know the argument you would use, and it might be valid in 3 or 4 years - but not today.

Clock is ticking.  Fiat coin is coming.  All bitcoin hands on deck.  Grow the user base.  Expand the Bitcoin Acceptance and Spending network.  Grow. Grow GROW!

Use it or lose it.

Peace,
- david 

[bearex]

Yes, you cant really spend them anywhere. I thought about opening a service like bitpay and implementing it around my country.

[Blind Legs Parker]

I agree that with high-transaction merchant stores (Walmart, Grocery, Gas Stations, Fast Food etc...) it is still very early to expect them to "Accept Bitcoin".

In Taiwan, Family Mart is accepting it. And that means something like 1000 convenience stores, throughout an island the size of Maryland, where everyone goes at least once every day to buy all kind of stuff.
Thing is I'm actually not sure so many people pay there with bitcoins now. But if it works I'm expecting 7 eleven to follow suit anytime. And maybe in time set an example for the world.

[saturn643]

There are many more maps other than coinmap. A business could have been registered in another map like http://bitcoinmaps.info/

[keepdoing]

I agree that with high-transaction merchant stores (Walmart, Grocery, Gas Stations, Fast Food etc...) it is still very early to expect them to "Accept Bitcoin".

In Taiwan, Family Mart is accepting it. And that means something like 1000 convenience stores, throughout an island the size of Maryland, where everyone goes at least once every day to buy all kind of stuff.
Thing is I'm actually not sure so many people pay there with bitcoins now. But if it works I'm expecting 7 eleven to follow suit anytime. And maybe in time set an example for the world.

Actually, this is only partially true - but it IS a pretty big success story all the same.  Here is a link.....

http://realmoneyasia.com/how-to-spend-bitcoin-at-taiwanese-convenience-stores-with-bitoex/

EXCERPT:
"A BitoEx representative said current Taiwanese law on official currencies makes it difficult for major corporations like FamilyMart to accept direct bitcoin payments. So the startup has created a solution for users to purchase coupons with bitcoin, and use those coupons to buy everyday items."

SO AGAIN, this is a Bridge System, similar to a Bitcoin Debit Card, only this uses "coupons".  Bridging the Gap from Bitcoin to the mainstream Retail Market.  And nowhere could I find Family Mart on the Coinmap - BUT the interesting thing is that Taiwan has a higher density of CoinMap participants than just about anywhere - a perfect example of how getting into just a single mainstream retail system can spawn growth ll around it.

[dothebeats]

Bitcoin fail? I don't think so. Bitcoin is in its infancy, though the reason why it isn't that much accepted or used is because businesses are afraid of accepting it or integrating it on a large scale. :/ Let's see in a couple of years where bitcoin would be.

[Blind Legs Parker]

You got it with the coupons, keepdoing! That's the problem with this system and, I think, the reason why few people are willing to use bitcoins at Family Mart.

Family Mart isn't on the map, that's right. Otherwise Taiwan would be one big red spot on the map. That said I have two acquaintances (that I met before getting into bitcoin, under other circumstances) who accept direct payments in bitcoins, though. One of them is owns a bar and the other a hostel. Both are foreigners (= not Taiwanese). And actually these two businesses make out for something like one third of all the businesses accepting bitcoins here.

I also noticed something funny about the EU, according to this map: Belgium and the Netherlands are two rather dynamic spots (together with Northern Italy and England), and in Belgium only the Dutch-speaking part is. The French-speaking part is a black spot on the map where no-one seems interested in the technology. Just the same as in France: very few people seem interested in bitcoin there. Apart from Eastern Europe, no one seems less interested in bitcoin than French-speakers (not talking about Switzerland here, as their situation is very different). Talk about cultural impact on bitcoin acceptance

[jaberwock]

But you can buy gift cards to buy in some USA stores that are all over USA.

And I think if a business accepts BTC to online shopping but deliver USD-wide, they won't show at a specific location.

[keepdoing]

Bitcoin fail? I don't think so. Bitcoin is in its infancy, though the reason why it isn't that much accepted or used is because businesses are afraid of accepting it or integrating it on a large scale. :/ Let's see in a couple of years where bitcoin would be.

I disagree.... my original point is not that Bitcoin is failing, but that YOU are.  Again, YOU being the bitcoin community as a whole.  The majority mindset is to buy, hold and watch what happens and hope we all become bitcoin millionaires.  That's a bad attitude.

Bitcoin is at a crossroads.... Bitcoin Holders are reaching a fork (not THAT fork either) in the road.  

One road leads to "Continue Holding Your Bitcoin".

The other road leads to "Use Your Bitcoin".  Use is divided into 3 categories.... Saving (holders); Spending, and Accepting.

Saving (Holder/Hoarders) is already there.  Spending is being enabled by better Apps, Debit Cards, Creative Finance like the aforementioned large scale Coupon System in Taiwan, etc...

ACCEPTING BITCOIN is the fail.  Not saying Bitcoin will fail.  Just saying that on the Bitcoin Evolutionary Scale, overall promotion of Bitcoin Acceptance needs to increase.  It is where we are in the evolutionary cycle, and currently graded at "fail" because in the time sequence of things the Bitcoin Community, News Networks, Discussion etc is behind the curve.

The statement "the reason why it isn't that much accepted or used is because businesses are afraid of accepting it" is rapidly becoming invalid as an excuse/explanation.  It isn't the time to offer explanations because things are moving rapidly.  It is the time to promote Acceptance - WIDELY AND LOUDLY!

We want YOU to start accepting Bitcoin!

Disclaimer: "YOU" is not directd at an individual, but the community.  It is the greater "WE" talking to ourselves and encouraging participation.