Merchant Howto

This page is intended as a guide to assist merchants learn how to accept bitcoins for payment.

Manual

1. Download a bitcoin client
2. When a customer wants to buy something issue them with a bitcoin address
   • You can do this by clicking "New.." next to your address in the bitcoin client and sending that address to the customer
3. When payment comes in from that address send the goods to your customer. Depending on your risk tolerance and the value of the purchase, you may wish to wait until the payment shows enough confirmations to protect against [How_bitcoin_works#Double_spending double spending]].
4. If you ever need to refund a customer send the bitcoins they sent back to the from address you recieved the bitcoins from.

Automated

Setup a system (pointers to easy-to-use packaged systems should be added) that:

1. When a customers orders something on your website it records
   • Bitcoin address that payment should be sent to
   • Order details (delivery address etc.)
   • Payment amount
2. When payment arrives, checks that they have paid the correct amount (and refunds the from address otherwise) and informs you
   • You dispach the goods to the customer and mark the order as fulfilled
   • If you cannot dispach the goods you mark the order as denied and the system sends the customer a refund
3. Pays money made to your bitcoin address