PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Scan Computers has become what looks like the UK’s first PC retailer to accept popular virtual currency Bitcoin.
The retailer, etailer, distributor and system integrator has partnered with online merchant BitPay to accept payments from its customers.
Scan’s James Gorbold stressed that it’s a soft launch for now and not a trial, but that Scan is ‘evaluating’ other virtual currencies like Litecoin, which it could potentially accept in the future.
"Scan likes to think of itself as a big innovator, and I believe we’re the first retailer in the IT segment to offer this. We’re excited about the potential of it," he told PCR. "We don’t want to follow the crowd, we want to push forward and offer new ideas.
"Scan has partnered with a respectable trading company in BitPay to offer refunds and everything like that, so there is no difference for a customer [between pounds sterling and Bitcoin].
"Currencies came about thousands of years ago to enable people to trade in a better way, and Bitcoin is another logical step forward in that direction."
Scan also said it has been selling systems to customers specifically for mining Bitcoins, and described it as ‘significant business’.
"Our customers want to spend Bitcoins, we want to embrace that and allow our customers to pay how they want to," added Gorbold.
"It’s the next logical step forward, from cash to cheque and payment cards."
More information can be found on Scan’s Bitcoin FAQ page.
Virtual currencies have grown massively over the past 12 months – you can read more about Bitcoin, Dogecoin and even Coinye here.
