Newegg expands BTC buying option to Canada

Online tech retailer Newegg announced today that it will be bringing its popular pay-by-bitcoin option to customers in Canada. The company integrated BitPay’s payment platform to their U.S. checkout system in July, becoming the then-largest online store to accept digital currency. (This status was short lived, as Dell, DISH and Expedia adopted bitcoin payments in the weeks after the Newegg announcement.)

Newegg’s Chief Marketing Officer, Soren Mills, said in a press release about the new Canadian offering that the company is “deeply committed to growing its business internationally. … Extending bitcoin acceptance to our Canadian customers is yet another important milestone as we build the company’s international presence.”

It’s not yet known if bitcoin payments have had a substantial effect on Newegg’s bottom line, or what the total volume of bitcoin purchases have been for the company. With Overstock.com reporting around $2 million in total BTC-backed sales since the launch of their bitcoin payment option in February, it’s likely that Newegg’s results have been similarly humble relative to their overall sales volume. As a method for generating cheap publicity and industry buzz, however, bitcoin adoption has already proven to be effective for Newegg.

The company is offering a special promotion to Canadian bitcoin users, offering discounts of $75 off (for purchases over $300) and $150 off (for purchases over $500) on August 26 and 27. The company is offering the same discount to U.S. bitcoin users, with rebates available on August 30 and September 1.