Petco does not accept Bitcoin

[GrandMasterB]

Me: How much would it cost to trim a cat's claws?
Petco: About $12 and we need evidence of rabies shots
Me: Do you accept Bitcoin?
(Girlfriend starts making wierd noises)
Petco: What's that?
Me: (keeping brief because gf is still sounds like she's choking) It's like a Visa...or Cash.
Petco: Oh. I've never heard of Bitcoin but I guess if it has a Visa logo...
Me: Its cool. We have cash.


This isnt to make fun of the Petco guy. The way I see it, I'm doing him and Bitcoin a favor. Some day he'll hear it again, and maybe on the third or fifth time he'll look it up. I plan to ask at every business now.

[blatchcorn]

You could have done a much better job explaining what Bitcoin is haha.  But who am I to criticize?  At least you are talking to merchants about Bitcoin

[GrandMasterB]

I draw a lot of blank stares when I talk about bitcoin. I figure the last thing a guy working his job wants to hear about is a stranger droning on about some new kind money. Awareness promotes familiarity, familiarity promotes trust..or assuages fear at least. Advertising 101.

[franky1]

You could have done a much better job explaining what Bitcoin is haha.  But who am I to criticize?  At least you are talking to merchants about Bitcoin

actually, spending 10 minutes explaining the details ruins it at first contact. more success has been found just by mentioning it briefly and subconsciously the merchant gets intrigued.

but forcing large amount of info upon them makes them think its alot of hassle, alot to remember and too much work, so they ignore it.. at first contact keep it short. especially if its the wrong time to ask.

"are you accepting bitcoin yet"
"do you accept bitcoin"

the op is very correct in his assessment that by the x'th customer the merchant will see there is a demand, and will look into it.
its the same as cold calling. if you try persuading a stranger to accept something instantly your success rate is under 1%. but if you subtly hint it to them by letting them know something exists, in small bursts via different methods. and THEN gently steer them in the direction of bitpay/coinbase. you have greater success.

try not to aim to get merchant adoption within 2 minutes of the merchant ever hearing of bitcoin, it just wont work.


also in petco's, asking the cashier about bitcoin is futile, they dont have the authority to make decisions. its the guy at head office that needs the subtle nudges

[arklan]

i gotta agree with franky. i've occasionally brought it up at retail, usually cause i'm spending a bitcoin purchased giftcard. i've been surprised how often they have heard of it, honestly. but yea, point being: no ten minute explination at first blush. casual mention, then "no, what's that?" eh, nevermind.

[GrandMasterB]

Thanks Franky. I do disagree about asking the cashier. Many organizations solicit bottom up ideas. The grooming guy could be the next store manager, an executive's nephew etc. The guy could also be starting his own company or moving to a new organization.

Executive example:
Lets say an executive asks his group "what's this bitcoin I read about?"

In scenario "A" everyone gives a blank stare and the issue dies.

In scenario "B" eveeyone shrugs but a couple say "You know I had a few customers asking about that."

In scenario A you need a lot more luck or a tech savy executive to adopt BTC. In scenario B, any exec looking to increase revenues will take interest.

+ the investment on my (our?) Part is minimal... "Do you accept Bitcoin? No? Ok."

Not to mention second hand listeners in line hearing an exchange about bitcoin.

[franky1]

Thanks Franky. I do disagree about asking the cashier. Many organizations solicit bottom up ideas. The grooming guy could be the next store manager, an executive's nephew etc. The guy could also be starting his own company or moving to a new organization.

Executive example:
Lets say an executive asks his group "what's this bitcoin I read about?"

In scenario "A" everyone gives a blank stare and the issue dies.

In scenario "B" eveeyone shrugs but a couple say "You know I had a few customers asking about that."

In scenario A you need a lot more luck or a tech savy executive to adopt BTC. In scenario B, any exec looking to increase revenues will take interest.

+ the investment on my (our?) Part is minimal... "Do you accept Bitcoin? No? Ok."

Not to mention second hand listeners in line hearing an exchange about bitcoin.

lets take 100 companies, lets say there are 5% that seek opinion from their minimum wage minions.
now a cashier serves a few hundred customers a day-week, and may get 1 customer ask about bitcoin.

so the success odds of asking a cashier about bitcoin is 0.05% due to mundane tasks and amount of customers, making it not on the top of their mind. but lets say you ask to speak to a manager instead of explaining it to the cashier. the manager speaks to less customers directly and has more time to listen/care about customers long detailed speech. so the success may now be close to 0.1%.

but if you contacted the companies head office there maybe a 1-5% chance and if you do it so its not hardsale, longwinded, sounding complex manner. than the odds rise. but even then dont accept 100% success at first contact.

i have seen some people send insulting and bark-raving mad emails to company CEO's telling the CEO how idiotic (a true facepalm moment) the company must be to not accept it, after the person has been told that the company is not currently considering bitcoin.

be patient, practical, professional and be polite!

[jbreher]

but lets say you ask to speak to a manager instead of explaining it to the cashier. the manager speaks to less customers directly and has more time to listen/care about customers long detailed speech. so the success may now be close to 0.1%.

but if you contacted the companies head office there maybe a 1-5% chance and if you do it so its not hardsale,

Valid points. On the flipside, how many cashiers do you think a typical bitcoiner cones in contact with each month? Fine - but now, how many managers? How many execs?

We can only plant the seed of discovery within those with which we come into contact.

[GrandMasterB]

Your audience certainly matters but I'm not to set about cold calling businesses in my free time, which means my casual interactions with people will be much more frequent and that .05% is going to add up.

[Envrin]

Valid points. On the flipside, how many cashiers do you think a typical bitcoiner cones in contact with each month? Fine - but now, how many managers? How many execs?

Most companies, especially the larger / franchised ones have suggestion boxes.  Print out little double-sided notes, around the size of a Post-It note that contain a request to accept bitcoin, and some basic details and URLs on how to get more information.

When you're in a store, drop one in the box.  It's usually the store manager that reads those.  Hell, you're in McDonalds to pickup a Big Mac even?  Drop a note into their suggestion box.

[arklan]

i just realized - i'm about to start driving with Uber... i bet a well placed window or bumper sticker of the bitcoin logo or such would go a long way tp starting conversations of my favorite topic. hmm.

[franky1]

i just realized - i'm about to start driving with Uber... i bet a well placed window or bumper sticker of the bitcoin logo or such would go a long way tp starting conversations of my favorite topic. hmm.

i know you love bitcoins. but to most people, it is on the same level of interest/desire as ..... travellers cheques, be careful having too many conversations about the same subject, or people will start ignoring your calls, or start telling you they have to rush home to take care of their pet dog.

[arklan]

i just realized - i'm about to start driving with Uber... i bet a well placed window or bumper sticker of the bitcoin logo or such would go a long way tp starting conversations of my favorite topic. hmm.

i know you love bitcoins. but to most people, it is on the same level of interest/desire as ..... travellers cheques, be careful having too many conversations about the same subject, or people will start ignoring your calls, or start telling you they have to rush home to take care of their pet dog.

of course! i meant simply if they saw the sticker and asked about it.

[beetcoin]

damn, i just checked if petco.in was owned, and it is indeed owned by petco. maybe they will come out with their own cryptocurrency petcoin.

[Ringumbau]

Trying to explain how accepting Bitcoin is a benefit to retailers is like trying to explain how to send an email to my grandparents.

[beetcoin]

i don't know how you can put this on a regular retail employee. it's not his decision, it's upper managements'.

[franky1]

i don't know how you can put this on a regular retail employee. it's not his decision, it's upper managements'.

yep, this guy gets it.

and thinking that its then left for that employee to tell his boss what customers want (usually you find managers pretend they know better), to think that this will then escalate up and become a success...pfft

i guess grandmasterB has never heard of chinese whispers.
basically its a game you whisper something into a persons ear, they whisper it into someone else's ear and it follows along for a few people. imagine it like the kids game pass the parcel. but at the end the last person has to shout out what they heard. 9 times out of 10 its nothing like the original message.

so imagine this scenario how one small comment can be misinterpreted and become a whole different topic by the time it reaches HQ

a cashier hearing a 10 minute speech about bitcoin. then goes to their boss,
"a customer was talking about this new internet money going around that isnt legal tender but thousands of people use it..its called bitcoin" (as their summary version)
the manager goes to his regional manager and says "customers are approaching our store asking us to accept these non legal tender bitcoin things"
the regional manager to hq "customers are asking us to accept some coins that are not legal"

HQ replies "well if its not a quarter/dime or looks obvious that its homemade cheap metal punched together with a poor quality etching, then staff should know not to accept it. its in the employee's hand book, but warn them anyway that any counterfeit bank notes or coins being accepted, will come out of their pay. that will deter them"

[GrandMasterB]

Not to get too personal but im guessing you guys dont have business degrees or any marketing experience? You can think Im wasting my time but Im confident Im not. Fortunately we could all reap the benefits from word of mouth.

[Ektra]

Keep sowing those seeds man, good work.

[immagirl]

You could have done a much better job explaining what Bitcoin is haha.  But who am I to criticize?  At least you are talking to merchants about Bitcoin

I would argue it would be more effective if the person were to look it up himself instead of forcing him to hear about it when he probably has a line of people to "ring up"

With that being said I would find it very unlikely that the cashier at a retail outlet will have any influence as to what payment methods the store chain accepts.

[GrandMasterB]

You could have done a much better job explaining what Bitcoin is haha.  But who am I to criticize?  At least you are talking to merchants about Bitcoin

actually, spending 10 minutes explaining the details ruins it at first contact. more success has been found just by mentioning it briefly and subconsciously the merchant gets intrigued.

+1 ^^ THIS

Suggestion leaves the the entrepreneur questioning whether or not they are missing an opportunity. Not all humans are entrepreneurs but most seem to have the spirit of an opportunist.

[Mobius]

You could have done a much better job explaining what Bitcoin is haha.  But who am I to criticize?  At least you are talking to merchants about Bitcoin

I would argue it would be more effective if the person were to look it up himself instead of forcing him to hear about it when he probably has a line of people to "ring up"

With that being said I would find it very unlikely that the cashier at a retail outlet will have any influence as to what payment methods the store chain accepts.

I agree. I don't think that you are going to get any company to accept bitcoin by talking to one of their front line employees. There is a good chance however that you may have gotten someone with the resources of a minimum wage job to start using bitcoin.