What if someone were to create bitcoin ATMs? Then I could just get some cash and go to starbucks! Clearly this would be a challenge to implement but if you want bitcoin to compete with alternative payment systems, emphasizing its cashlike attributes could be successful.
Topic: Bitcoin at Starbucks (or anywhere) - page 2. (Read 5452 times)
I think Peter Schiff in his radio show said they have a gold credit card that operates like above for people overseas. Even with a paypal card it could work with a lot of scripts to automatically maintain a $20 balance on your paypal or debit card.
Actually, what we need is for someone like Paxum, bit-pay or even mtgox itself to make the process of conversion transparent, on demand and instantaneous.
For example, say I have 342.45 BTC in my mtgox account and I'm at Starbucks. I swipe my mtgox debit card, pay $24 USD (or whatever the bastards are charging for coffee these days) and it gets debited from my mtgox BTC account.
Replace mtgox with Paxum, who already have a MasterCard system in place, or bit-pay, who are the best at making things happen, and suddenly we can start living our lives in BTC instead of dollars, euros or pesos.
For example, say I have 342.45 BTC in my mtgox account and I'm at Starbucks. I swipe my mtgox debit card, pay $24 USD (or whatever the bastards are charging for coffee these days) and it gets debited from my mtgox BTC account.
Replace mtgox with Paxum, who already have a MasterCard system in place, or bit-pay, who are the best at making things happen, and suddenly we can start living our lives in BTC instead of dollars, euros or pesos.
If someone created a service where you could purchase starbucks gift cards with bitcoin, this becomes possible.
Sorry for the downer
Now, I'm imagining some weird old guy who hangs out by the liquor store. His wife divorced him and family disowned him because all he would do was sit at the computer all day, neglecting his hygiene and obligations. Nowadays, he'll buy booze for the underagers but only if they pay him in bitcoins, then he uses his own cash to buy it. The whole time hes mumbling something about being rich one day.
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Actually, it's doing what bitcoins were meant to be used for--- as a tool for transferring value.
This is exactly what everyone should be doing, just like if someone handed you a rare coin or gold.
This is exactly what everyone should be doing, just like if someone handed you a rare coin or gold.
Today, I stopped by my local Starbucks for my regular Sunday morning coffee and pondered "When will I be able to do this with Bitcoins" and it struck me... There's only one simple thing keeping this from happening - The Barista's willingness to accept my Bitcoins, and pay my tab with their own Bernankies. How awesome would that be if everyone started doing this? How many service workers could instantly expand the currency's reach? Taxi drivers, waiters/waitresses, anyone working a cash register at any merchant. If you know someone in this type of position and they have been curious about Bitcoin - this could be their perfect way to start getting some.
Well, in that regard, if anyone at Starbucks (including customers) would swap currencies with you, it would be equivalent. This is different then the establishment actually taking bitcoins, which would mean no fiat involved. If before your transaction, mtgox funded your checking account, you could pay with your debt card.
Doing the two-step isn't paying for something with bitcoins. It is just two separate transactions.
But I do like the approach, I am just nit-picking semantics.
Today, I stopped by my local Starbucks for my regular Sunday morning coffee and pondered "When will I be able to do this with Bitcoins" and it struck me... There's only one simple thing keeping this from happening - The Barista's willingness to accept my Bitcoins, and pay my tab with their own Bernankies. How awesome would that be if everyone started doing this? How many service workers could instantly expand the currency's reach? Taxi drivers, waiters/waitresses, anyone working a cash register at any merchant. If you know someone in this type of position and they have been curious about Bitcoin - this could be their perfect way to start getting some.
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