Bitcoin is not at all a competitor to paypal because it doesn't offer chargebacks. Paypal is all about buyer safety, same with credit cards. Bitcoin is maybe a competitor to Western Union/MoneyGram/Ukash/PSC

They might not always need to use it but it's still there should something go wrong and that's the reason they are the #1 online payment methods in the world. If it was so unimportant these companies would ditch buyer protection but of course they never will that would be suicide for them.

Paypal is growing (unfortunately) they just put out press releases on how huge their international traffic is getting. http://www.internetretailing.net/2012/01/paypals-international-business-overtakes-its-home-market-for-the-first-time/

That said bitcoins are perfect for countries like India/Pak where paypal is banned. If you want to promote bitcoin concentrate on those countries merchants there would love a decentralized money system their corrupt governments can't get at that has no rules

Anyone else contact Amazon, ThinkGeek, Etsy, or anywhere?

The more the merrier!

Oh, the irony.  That's killer.   

Is the rumor of a new site design and browser extension true?

Haha, and I fell for it too!  Glad to hear you're continuing to work on improving the site/service though.

My guess is that folk living in countries that have have more corruption than ours will love Bitcoin since their currencies are often devalued due to local scandal. It would be no surprise to me if companies like Amazon start using Bitcoin to circumvent local mob control and drive more revenue because Bitcoiners will have more spending power.

Agreed!

This is a great idea for a thread. The importance of Amazon accepting bitcoins just can't be overstated.

Here is how my conversation went*:

You are now connected to Alan from Amazon.co.uk.
Me:
Hi, do you accept bitcoins and if not will you consider accepting them?
Alan:
Hi David,
Bitcoin? I'm sorry but I've never heard of that.
Is that like a temporary visa card or does it relate to virtual coins like on facebook?
Me:
it's an e-currency, at the moment one is worth roughly £3.40 but that fluctuates by supply and demand
there are no transaction costs
which should make it reasonably attractive to you I should have thoguht
Alan:
Ah, currently we do not accept e-currencies like this. What is your domestic currency?
Me:
sterling
bitcoin is very different to any other e-currency for a variety of reasons
you can find a bunch of info on it using google
Alan:
Thanks for that, any charges you incur placing an order on our website using a sterling account would relate to your bank, we have no control over that.
Me:
I am talking from your perspective
in that when you accept credit cards and so on at the moment
you have to pay a fee
where as you wouldn't if you used bitcoin
there is no company behind bitcoin, it's all open source
Alan:
thanks for the suggestion, I didn't relaise you were just chatting from our point of view just there.
I can pass on your suggestion to our business team for review.
Me:
I would be pleased if you could, yes
Alan:
I have just looked up bitcoin as we have spoken.
Me:
a good site for learning more about bitcoins with a video they could look at is http://www.weusecoins.com/
Alan:
If the payments are irreversible as far as I can see.
Interesting.
The official bitcoin site als says the process is experimental
http://bitcoin.org/
Either way I'll pass on your feedback, if it proves secure and convenient for customers it will be considered in due course.
Can I help with anything else?
Me:
the client is experimental, but the network itself is running and other merchants are using it
nothing else other than bitcoin - although would you be able to get whatever committee it is that you are passing it on to to respond to me after they have looked at it?
Alan:
The internal teams generally don't do that. If it was something we would take up it would be announced publicly.
Me:
ok, fair does
have a good weekend!
Alan:
you too.


*I'm aware the thing about transaction costs is not strictly correct, but I was out to sell it!

Expected this to be done late last month, but I'm assured we are getting very close.

Having worked support, I must deflate you a bit. All your phone call did was add your information and "Call Reason -> Other" to a database in Hyderabad, India, that will never be looked at again.

These are sad times. See, about 20 years ago, I was able to call ATI and actually talked to one of their engineers at length about my problems with their card and they were able to identify the bug with their card (ATI Graphics Ultra Pro - I found a link). I had his extension number. When I did support myself for another unnamed PC component manufacturer, I was one phone call away from engineers, and was able find, identify, and resolve compatibility problems, and turn them over to QA and deployment. Nowadays, support is an outsourced cost center who's only goal is placating the customer by reading a script and hanging up on them as fast as possible. Of course, computer users on the whole are a lot dumber now, too.