Google Checkout??

[Harley Goldman]

Anybody using Google Checkout, either as a merchant or a customer?

I am redoing my website with the purpose of adding a shopping cart. The software I am using to building the site, Rapidweaver, has a cool Google Checkout plug-in with a lot of pricing options, etc. The PayPal plug-in is far less robust. I want to use the plug-ins to minimize time when adding new images, etc. I therefore don't want to use PayPal buttons for each print size, matted, no mat, etc. I don't do enough volume to have my own credit card merchant account.

Any input or advice would be appreciated.

[Ash]

It's been around a couple years directed as a paypal-killer. But I think people are as wary to put even more money in Google as they are in strengthening Paypal's monopoly.

[ASRafferty]

I vaguely remember my husband having used it once, about a year ago, to pay for something without giving it much thought. He found that Google had invaded all kinds of places on his computer afterward, put him on thousands of junk mailing lists, etc. I can't remember the details beyond his vowing never to use it again.

The same thing happened to me several years ago when they introduced their Google Desktop, and I'd already made my decision to use Google as long as I could do so at arm's length, but never to let it too near my hardware.

I don't know how isolated our experiences were, so this is no basis for your making a decision... just sharing "close encounters" we had.

[AutumnJazz]

I vaguely remember my husband having used it once, about a year ago, to pay for something without giving it much thought. He found that Google had invaded all kinds of places on his computer afterward, put him on thousands of junk mailing lists, etc. I can't remember the details beyond his vowing never to use it again.

The same thing happened to me several years ago when they introduced their Google Desktop, and I'd already made my decision to use Google as long as I could do so at arm's length, but never to let it too near my hardware.

I don't know how isolated our experiences were, so this is no basis for your making a decision... just sharing "close encounters" we had.

Google-checkout is entirely web-based, so it could not have done that. I've used Google Desktop in the past and it doesn't do that either.

It sounds to me like you got some spyware or adware at the same time, or after, you used the google stuff.

Remember, correlation does not equal causation.

I've used google checkout before, and it worked as well as Paypal. (Then again, I was buying using Google checkout, not selling.) If I were you, I'd simply offer people as many ways to pay as possible.

[fuegocito]

I have used it once to buy some films from a fellow member here and it worked well enough for me, he issued me an invoice and I followed the cookie crumbs to pay for it...and I didn't encounter any undesirable issues afterward. I don't know if being on a Mac has anything to do with it.

A little while ago I looked(not very hard) into perhaps using it as an alternative to paypal but I can't seem to find how exactly it works or whether if it's still in operation.

As with everything google, I don't necessary find them invasive unless one is inviting them to be part of their web experience. Though it is a scary how they are moving into every arenas of the web function these days.

[fergus]

My impression on google checkout is positive.

As an international customer (Australia) I am unable to use it on many websites, who insist on cumbersome c-card approval procedures for non-usa customers.

[mccormickstudio]

I like Google Checkout better than paypal, and I believe the fee they charge is a bit lower. I have purchased with it many times on 20x200.com and might add it to my own website. I might add both though, to give purchasers some options. Paypal can be nice if you have sold something on ebay and want to use the money you made to purchase something else.

[sfgp]

and I believe the fee they charge is a bit lower.

I was researching this last night.

PP charges 2.9% + .30/transaction

Google checkout charges 2.0% + .20

Not a great diff - it would depend on volume and if you could fold the fees back into the price.