Expedia Accepting Bitcoins

[666uazan]

While this is good for bitcoin it's mostly because Expedia knows that they will never have to give a refund to anyone paying with the coins. Ever.

[Ron~Popeil]

The key now is to get the next level of penetration. Hotels accepting bit coin directly would be huge. It would be a nice role for escrow services as well to hold reservations and release funds once the cut off time is reached or release them back to the originator if they cancel.

[tspacepilot]

Another Brand name merchant joins the fray.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-switch/wp/2014/06/11/expedia-wants-you-to-book-your-next-hotel-stay-with-bitcoin/

Really great news, I actually may use this service.  Thanks for the news!

[666uazan]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

[tspacepilot]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

[sumantso]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

I guess the ability to chargeback on your card is what he meant. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible but I guess they will still issue refunds.

[tspacepilot]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

I guess the ability to chargeback on your card is what he meant. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible but I guess they will still issue refunds.

Aha, yes that seems like it might be what was meant.  However, if I was negotiating in good faith with expedia and they owed me a refund, I'm sure they can find some way to do it (either by sending my BTC back or by generating a payment in fiat).

[ShakyhandsBTCer]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

I guess the ability to chargeback on your card is what he meant. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible but I guess they will still issue refunds.

Aha, yes that seems like it might be what was meant.  However, if I was negotiating in good faith with expedia and they owed me a refund, I'm sure they can find some way to do it (either by sending my BTC back or by generating a payment in fiat).

I think that overstock will only issue bitcoin refunds for people that buy with bitcoin, and if you buy with bitcoin you cannot get a fiat refund. AFAIK the items are priced in fiat and refunds are given in terms of fiat, so if for example you buy something for $600 and the price of one BTC is $600, you would send 1 btc for your purchase. A few days later you request a refund and when the refund is processed the price of BTC $550, you would receive 1.09090909 BTC ($600 worth of bitcoin based on the price when refund is issued).

I would imagine that expedia would have similar policies for refunds.

[DannyElfman]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

I guess the ability to chargeback on your card is what he meant. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible but I guess they will still issue refunds.

Aha, yes that seems like it might be what was meant.  However, if I was negotiating in good faith with expedia and they owed me a refund, I'm sure they can find some way to do it (either by sending my BTC back or by generating a payment in fiat).

Companies like expedia have their reputation on the line so they have an incentive to issue a refund when one is due as people would not do business with them if they have this kind of reputation

[tspacepilot]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

I guess the ability to chargeback on your card is what he meant. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible but I guess they will still issue refunds.

Aha, yes that seems like it might be what was meant.  However, if I was negotiating in good faith with expedia and they owed me a refund, I'm sure they can find some way to do it (either by sending my BTC back or by generating a payment in fiat).

Companies like expedia have their reputation on the line so they have an incentive to issue a refund when one is due as people would not do business with them if they have this kind of reputation

Yes, Danny Elfman with a David Spade face, I couldn't agree more.  For large, well established companies, reputation is crucial.

[Denise520]

Maybe this showed Bitcoin was accepted by more and more people.

[Keyara]

Now that bad news is gone with the auction. We can finally focus on good news such as this.

[tspacepilot]

Now that bad news is gone with the auction. We can finally focus on good news such as this.

I agree that this is good news.  However, I'm not sure that the auction was actually bad news.  I mean, in some sense, it seemed to me to be a legitimization of bitcoin by the us gov't.  A pragmatic one perhaps, but a validation nonetheless.

[ThomasCrowne]

The key now is to get the next level of penetration. Hotels accepting bit coin directly would be huge. It would be a nice role for escrow services as well to hold reservations and release funds once the cut off time is reached or release them back to the originator if they cancel.

I agree.  Hotel reservation/booking as well as car rental's the obvious next step for the travel-based industries.

[Nerazzura]

Wow all these new merchants, it really is like online merchants are interested in BTC.  I think everyone has started accepting it  since it's come down in price, right?  I wonder what would happen if Bitcoin went down to like $100/BTC? 

hmm, if the price of bitcoin down like that. I really hate it and I hope it does not happen, but if all online merchants interested and accept bitcoin. let's massive shopping: D

[beetcoin]

Now that bad news is gone with the auction. We can finally focus on good news such as this.

wrong. the auction was good news - it was a litmus test to see how big and interested the whales are. i am pretty sure the coins sold at over spot value.

[DannyElfman]

So celebrate this, what are we calling it? Victory? This 'victory' for bitcoin, but know that it is a victory that can, and will, bite some of you in the ass.

Why is it going to 'bite some of us in the ass'.  I've booked a hotel with expedia in the past and didn't have a problem.  I used a visa card.  Next time I use expedia I may get to pay with BTC.  I think that would be wonderfully convenient.  Can you be a little more clear?

I guess the ability to chargeback on your card is what he meant. Bitcoin transactions are irreversible but I guess they will still issue refunds.

Aha, yes that seems like it might be what was meant.  However, if I was negotiating in good faith with expedia and they owed me a refund, I'm sure they can find some way to do it (either by sending my BTC back or by generating a payment in fiat).

Companies like expedia have their reputation on the line so they have an incentive to issue a refund when one is due as people would not do business with them if they have this kind of reputation

Yes, Danny Elfman with a David Spade face, I couldn't agree more.  For large, well established companies, reputation is crucial.

So larger companies do not really need to worry about credit card charge backs as much as their reputation. Credit card processors still need to price in chargebacks and related expenses. This is why bitcoin is so advantageous for large companies. 

[NotAtOld]

This is huge! This Washington Post article is totally endorsing Bitcoin!

[wordman267645]

Wow!! that's really a good news.Everyone just start accepting bitcoin..

[oceans]

This is brilliant to see the more and more big top online merchants come forward and start accepting the more bitcoin may become accepted and possibly accepted by those who are reluctant to accept at the moment. Seeing these accept only goes to show that bitcoin is becoming more popular it's just a slow process.