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Multinational computer technology specialist Dell has announced it is now accepting bitcoin through a partnership with Coinbase.
With annual revenue approaching $57bn, Dell is roughly four times the size of DISH Network – the previous biggest bitcoin-accepting business.
Following today's announcement, consumers and small business owners are able to purchase all items on Dell.comusing bitcoin. To promote the news, the company offers a 10% reduction on all alien ware brand products to bitcoin buyers. Dell also sells PCs, servers, data storage peripherals, cameras and printers.
blog post on the announcement, COINBASE indicated that Dell is seeking to provide customers with greater payment flexibility. Once the decision to accept bitcoin had been made, the company acted quickly – making payments on the site in just two weeks. Dell Commerce Services, Intellectual Property. Paul Walsh said:
The official announcement was tweeted by the President and Chief Executive Officer and the President of Dell's Board of Directors.
Dell founded the company at the age of 19 and rapidly transformed it into a Fortune 500 company, becoming one of the youngest CEOs on the list at the time. Dell is now the third largest private enterprise in the United States.
To date, Dell officials have confirmed that the offer is only available to American customers.
For sale with Dell.com.
Notably, the decision coincided with the launch of Dell.com/bitcoin, a dedicated portion of the company's website for bitcoin users.
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The page contains answers to common questions like 'What is Bitcoin? ', 'Why Dell Accepts Bitcoin' and 'How do I Get Bitcoin? '
Additional questions centered on the security of bitcoin, with the company noting:
Dell further released a 'Terms and Conditions' page detailing its policies for bitcoin buyers. The company pointed out that if a purchase is eligible for a rebate, "any refund due will be delivered to the buyer by cheque in USD for the total amount of the purchase price paid at the time of the initial transaction, minus applicable replenishment charges".
Reimbursements for incorrect payments will be sent to the user's basic currency accounts. Those who are not able to access a basic currency account will not be able to get a refund for missed payment, the company said.
Coinbase continues hot streak
Dell's announcement comes amid a boom in the number of major businesses that have opted to accept bitcoin through . Notably, Dell is now the largest merchant in the bitcoin space by annual revenue.
Coinbase added the previous largest merchant to the bitcoin ecosystem in late May, when it announced that Colorado-based satellite TV provider DISH Network would add bitcoin payments. The antenna has an annual turnover of nearly 14 billion dollars a year.
The California-based company followed up this announcement by revealing that online travel booking giant and gift e-tailer 1-800-Flowers.com would accept bitcoin in June and July, respectively.
Publicity boost
Given the company's sizable annual revenue, word that Dell had joined the bitcoin ecosystem reverberated throughout the media, with notably publications such as PCWorld, the Los Angeles TimesThe New York Times issuing stories on the company's announcement.
Reaction on reddit was just as strong on reddit with a number of users reacting rapidly to post news from the popular bitcoin forum r/bitcoin community.
Enthusiasm was similarly high internationally with the move garnering coverage from The Netherland's De Telegraaf, among others.
Correction: A previous version of this article referred to Paul Walsh as Dell's CIO. Walsh is the CIO of Dell Commerce services, the company subsidiary that powers Dell.com.
Dell image via Shutterstock.com
