Google Checkout has been around for a while, and Google’s been trying to encourage merchants to use their payment processing service instead of the far more established PayPal and other third party processors. My one gripe with Google Checkout is that its API isn’t nearly as powerful as PayPal’s so it’s harder to tie shopping cart systems and the like to it. But Google’s latest move might encourage more folks to use it or try to use it:
As you may know, for every $1 you spend on AdWords, you can process $10 of Google Checkout sales for free. Just in time for the holidays, we’re giving you even more by processing all of your Google Checkout sales for free through the end of 2006! Here’s how it works:
* From November 8 through December 31, 2006, we’ll process all of your Checkout transactions for free, even if you aren’t an AdWords advertiser. If you’re already an AdWords advertiser, we’ll process your Checkout transactions for free regardless of what you spend on AdWords.
* Valid Checkout orders you receive during the promotion will automatically qualify.
* There’s no limit: we’re processing all of your Checkout sales for free.
* You can take full advantage of this promotion by encouraging your buyers to use Google Checkout on your site.
Anybody using Google Checkout on their site? Anybody know of a automated Web host billing/management software that will work with it?
Comments
ZeFrank had a problem with Google Checkout on his “Gimme some candy!” site; for one thing, they apparently don’t work in Canada (?) (I haven’t confirmed this myself) and they shut him down because they don’t allow Checkout to be used with “donations” or somesuch… you have to be selling actual goods or services. YMMV.
Yeah, it is a known fact that google checkout only works for US transactions, which is just plain silly.
I installed it on my wife’s store, and then promptly uninstalled it. Google provided the plugin for zen cart, but it caused other problems. The main problems seem to be with the fact that it wants to be an entire checkout system, rather than just a payment system. It would cause orders to get locked into a state where customer’s couldn’t download without manual approval.
Until they are willing to just process my payments, and leave the checkout part to the store, Ill be skipping it.