Bitcoin user adoption is horrible - here is why:

[johnyj]

There are far too many people providing solutions to problems that don't really exist and this is why there'll be very few Bitcoin focused businesses that survive long term.

It could also be argued that Bitcoin itself doesn't really solve many day to day problems for first world folks however you want to frame it. It's those who are slightly outside that world who should be the ones driving it.

The biggest problem it solves is saving. Fiat money obviously can not do that due to the inflative mandate of all central banks. Before, no one really save in an inflative monetary policy, they all take loans instead. But now new generations realized that no one need to work because the over production of almost everything, so they plan for early retirement instead, so saving becomes a new trend among young people

[franky1]

You get TV from Japan and Korea, cars from Germany, Computer from US, Airbus from France, get almost everything else cheaply from china, but Switzerland? A couple of clocks filled with diamonds selling for millions, not interested for majority of the new generation except people who have nowhere to throw their money

computers from US??
ummmmm.. apple although american offices, they make their products in china, dells consumer computing is done in asia and mexico,

so what do the swiss give the world
watches, knives, pharmaceuticals, precision engineering.

put it this way if CERN was built in america it would be made of paper-mache from McDonalds packaging, definitely wouldn't of been made using dell or apple. or made using precision engineering

[johnyj]

You get TV from Japan and Korea, cars from Germany, Computer from US, Airbus from France, get almost everything else cheaply from china, but Switzerland? A couple of clocks filled with diamonds selling for millions, not interested for majority of the new generation except people who have nowhere to throw their money

computers from US??
ummmmm.. apple although american offices, they make their products in china, dells consumer computing is done in asia and mexico,

so what do the swiss give the world
watches, knives, pharmaceuticals, precision engineering.

put it this way if CERN was built in america it would be made of paper-mache from McDonalds packaging, definitely wouldn't of been made using dell or apple. or made using precision engineering

Remember that Swiss central bank suddenly cut its peg with Euro this spring? They know they really don't have so many things corresponding to their money

Anyway the backing is the least to worry, none of the currency's value is decided by a country's economy, it is all decided at exchange by that country's central bank with their foreign  currency reserve. And to protect the exchange rate, you need to have lots of foreign currency reserve. Soros could wipe out small country's currency like Thailand and Malaysia, even Sweden, but he was defeated at HongKong, simply because huge amount of USD reserve of China

And when someone attacking bitcoin's exchange rate, the currency reserve of all the bitcoin users are stand to protect its value

[Rubberduckie]

Its definitely can be confusing and alot of steps to get and
use bitcoin. Its usually why i can't get new people into it cause
it can be very confusing to people who dont use / understand
computers and such. That coffee example definitely hurts the
cause

[Mr. Forum]

I do think that this might be the right move. All am seeing this is the customers being introduced to the notion of the bitcoins. It will not take too long before you see them giving the customers an option to pay using bitcoins for the services thy get. In such like statements, marketing of the bitcoins is said to be successful. I am just thinking, if the whole CEO is aware that bitcoin is there and doing well, what will hinder the juniors from finding out more.

[BillyBobJoe]

I too agree that these are too many steps between being thirsty and having a coffee. But if we don't go through this, we probably won't have sellers/retailers accepting Bitcoin soon... So this is a necessary evil, I think.

... it is easier to purchase goods or make a donation over the web using bitcoin than any other method of payment and it's less risky, too....

Ha, no way is any of that true. Nope, not, NO.

[Bitcoinpro]

I too agree that these are too many steps between being thirsty and having a coffee. But if we don't go through this, we probably won't have sellers/retailers accepting Bitcoin soon... So this is a necessary evil, I think.

... it is easier to purchase goods or make a donation over the web using bitcoin than any other method of payment and it's less risky, too....

Ha, no way is any of that true. Nope, not, NO.

well your hopelessly inconclusive

[RobbieRoor]

I actually read about this on a news article last night. Yes it does seem to be a hassle, but thinking of it in a different way, its just one more thing that people can buy with BTC. I if you truly wanted and had the means you could BTC on a target card and buy a sweet 4K TV. Or you could even buy a delicious steak. I think this is actually a good step in the right direction.

[aizzaku]

man. just buy a coffee..why do peple even need bitcoins to buy a cup of coffee... phffff....

and even so they want it.. shouldnt it be just pay bitcoins get coffee

pathetic

[Sir_lagsalot]

I actually disagree. The current users are people who are money savvy - they always look for great ways to increase their wealth. But what if bitcoin attracted users a different way? Through their everyday lives? If shopkeepers provided some sort of small discount for bitcoin, bitcoin would shoot up. As in really, shoot up. We need another source of new users, and I think there are already a few that come naturally to mind.

*Coffeeeeeee...*

[btckold24]

im kind of glad its not super easy to spend bitcoin cause it keeps me from spending them. I know
I would blow a lot of btc if I could pay for everything with it. But of course the more adoption the
better

[johnyj]

I am more interested seeing that some pension funds allow people to select bitcoin as one of their investment option. Those useless bank issued funds, mostly just bring loss over time, and fund manager took a big cut in fee

[stoat]

I actually disagree. The current users are people who are money savvy - they always look for great ways to increase their wealth. But what if bitcoin attracted users a different way? Through their everyday lives? If shopkeepers provided some sort of small discount for bitcoin, bitcoin would shoot up. As in really, shoot up. We need another source of new users, and I think there are already a few that come naturally to mind.

*Coffeeeeeee...*

Yes more bitcoin retailers should be offering a discount for bitcoin spenders.  It is the only way bitcoin will be adopted by the masses.  USE BITCOIN GET 10% DISCOUNT this way millions of women will start using btc

[greBit]

im kind of glad its not super easy to spend bitcoin cause it keeps me from spending them. I know
I would blow a lot of btc if I could pay for everything with it. But of course the more adoption the
better

Great thinking even I am glad because if it was so easy then I wouldn't have saved any Bitcoin and I would have spent all the BTC when the value was I around $300 but happy that I have saved it now the value have shoot up I am considering to trade it bore its value slips down

[zetaray]

Bitcoin adoption is slow, not horrible. We have more merchants accepting bitcoin than a couple of years ago. There is nothing you can't buy with cash, credit card and PayPal. Bitcoin need to penetrate those markets. It takes time.

[bitmarket.net]

Im hoping user adoption will happen due to btc being a store of value now more than as an everyday currency.

True - you can't pay for your coffee with gold, either, and nobody is complaining about it.

[Gatotare]

The adoption of bitcoin is slow, but it will be faster as many more people know the bitcoin. I expect several companies will pay staff salary with bitcoin soon.

[Karartma1]

In buying a coffee with BTC my main concern will be to have to pay at least 5 cents for a transaction fee.
By paying with card the merchant pays the fee while paying with BTC we pay the fees. I think that's the main adoption problem in buying a coffee with my bitcoin

[Magnr]

"Paul Puey, CEO of Airbitz, said in a blog post: "We are excited to announce that we've integrated Fold into our app! Now, you can buy gift cards for Starbucks and Target within the app in the same tab where you can buy and sell bitcoin through Glidera."

So, Fold is now integrated into Airbitz.  Use Glidera, to buy bitcoin to buy a gift card to use via Fold through your AirBitz wallet - to get a coffee! 

Get it?!  Neither do I.  The more ridiculous steps between being thirsty and getting a coffee - the less likely users will adopt the system.  This is just freaking horrible.  I am convinced that major players like AirBitz inability to see this will ultimately cause alienation of end users.  Even a hard core bitcoin nerd couldn't enjoy this transaction.  Real people would laugh their head off if you told them they should buy a coffee this way.  More steps and more middlemen?  = sure death. 

 you > Glidera > Fold > Airbitz > Starbucks 

forgetaboutit

The user experience can do with some work, but think about what was possible three years ago with bitcoin. Not much. We've come a long way in a few short years and what interests and motivates us at Magnr is the fact that there is so much room for improvement.

Purse.io is another example of one of these companies, their discounts incentivise people to learn their process which can take some getting used to, but will improve in the future.

[Amph]

The adoption of bitcoin is slow, but it will be faster as many more people know the bitcoin. I expect several companies will pay staff salary with bitcoin soon.

i don't think so, it's not about knowing or not, it's about incentivate them to use bitcoin in some way

one is a discount the other is regualtion, another one is security, another one is merchants accept bitcoin

it's a common misconception that adoption should start from average joe as i see it...