Dell embraces Bitcoin

Dell has put its weight behind Bitcoin by accepting the digital currency for payments on its US site.

The pilot allows customers to buy "any" product on Dell's consumer, EPP or small/medium business sites in the US. Dell is also planning a promotion where customers get a 10 percent discount on new Alienware computers by using Bitcoin.

While Dell has previously issued a security warning about Bitcoin mining botnets it now encourages users to take security precautions. The vendor has partnered with secure Bitcoin wallet provider Coinbase, as reported by CRN UK.

The vendor has chosen Bitcoin because it offers "more flexibility for customers", according to a statement on the Dell web site. The Dell site points out that Bitcoin payments can be "made easily from anywhere in the world, and offer reduced payment processing costs."

Dell also points out that Bitcoin account "isn’t tied to any financial institutions, can’t be frozen and carries lower transaction fees than most major credit cards."

The Dell website refers users to the Bitcoin terms and conditions when it comes to information about charges, cancellation and refund policies for Bitcoin purchases, as opposed to general order support.

Customers pay by selecting Bitcoin as the payment method when paying for their shopping cart. Bitcoin will only be accepted online at the point of sale, not on existing invoices, according to Dell's web site.

Other companies using Coinbase for Bitcoin payments include Overstock and Expedia, while CRN reported earlier this year that a Sydney real estate agent was accepting Bitcoins.

Brisbane company Diamond Circle also earned international attention after Gartner recommended IT leaders looking at Bitcoin investigate its wallet technology.

A Dell spokesperson told CRN at the time of publication that Bitcoin was only an option for Dell's US customers.