New Post has been published on Bitcoin:Views
Bitmit is still the eBay of bitcoin despite setbacks
28 October 2013 | By Jon Southurst | Coindesk.com
You might have heard of Bitmit before. One of the bitcoin community’s favorite legal trading posts has been online for over two years, and despite its share of uncertainty it still appears to be going strong.
Imagine an eBay that took payments exclusively in bitcoin, or a clean version of the Silk Road, and you can picture Bitmit. The Hong Kong-based marketplace even has a colorful eBay-esque logo to help newcomers feel at home.
Sellers may list their items in BTC or their preferred local currency, which is then converted to BTC at checkout. The system also lists price equivalents in a buyer’s local currency based on their registered shipping address.
There’s also the expected rating system, ID verification, options to sell via auction or a ‘buy now’ price, and a default bitcoin escrow system in which buyers must notify upon receipt of goods for the seller to receive payment.
Bitmit charges a flat fee of 1.9% for each successful sale. Unlike eBay, it does not apply the fee to shipping costs as well.
As of 28 October 2013, Bitmit has almost 14,000 items listed for sale. Perhaps reflecting bitcoin enthusiasts’ interests, the most popular categories are PC/video games, computer equipment, and money.