Online exchanges are much better.
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I'm glad that worked out for you, I forgot to mention before but there is also Bitinstant https://www.bitinstant.com/ that is a fairly quick way to get money into a Mt. Gox account (though watch out for the fees and it does require visiting a moneygram location like CVS if you're in the U.S.
As I wait for my wallet to finish syncing, I'm trying to decide how I'll purchase my first bitcoins. I'm planning on buying 2-3 BTC. Since I have no experience I could use some advice from the bitcoin vets around here about which of these 2 options is best for buying this amount. I've been checking out the big online exchanges and looking at some of the sites that list local traders offering to sell bitcoins for cash.
My instinct is that buying local will bring me the best price and the least hassle, assuming I can avoid scammers and thieves. I'm wondering what the reality is with local merchants. Do a lot of people deal with them, do the transactions tend to go smoothly. Do they charge fees above the prices they list?
Any other options I should be considering, besides these 2?
My instinct is that buying local will bring me the best price and the least hassle, assuming I can avoid scammers and thieves. I'm wondering what the reality is with local merchants. Do a lot of people deal with them, do the transactions tend to go smoothly. Do they charge fees above the prices they list?
Any other options I should be considering, besides these 2?
I'm not a vet to this forum but I have been buying bitcoins for about a year now. The fastest method I have found is something like https://localbitcoins.com/ and using their escrow system you should be protected from scammers. There are options like Coinbase https://coinbase.com/signin that take longer (you have to connect a bank account to them and then wait a few days after your order is placed to receive the bitcoins) but it is easier to do from the comfort of your laptop.
I hope this helps, welcome to the world of bitcoin!
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