Google Checkout

Who has tried it...any feedback or reviews?

[oldpro]

I noticed on my adwords account, Google checkout is now being offered. The incentives espcially for advertisers is appealing, but this is not the focus of my inquiry. We currently run a regular full service credit card checkout in addtion to Paypal to catch the ebayers. For those who have incorporated Google Checkout into their payment options, what reception have you recieved from your customers? What advantages and disadvantages have you encountered so far?

[lorax]

FYI - Google Checkout [webmasterworld.com]

[leadegroot]

No feedback, but I am looking at using it too.
In reading the TOS, I note that it says:

A Payment Transaction may not be submitted for processing through the Service until Seller has: (i) completed the purchase transaction; (ii) shipped or otherwise provided the purchased goods to the Buyer; or (iii) performed the purchased service.

Now I have to be wrong, because this makes no sense - doesnt this mean payment can't happen until after the goods are shipped or the service performed? How can that work? What if the credit card is no good and the work is done?
Obviously I must be misreading this - anyone?

[shri]

Not sure how the google checkout works, but usually you would do a pre-authentication, which means, make sure the credit card is good for the amount being charged.

When the product is ready to ship, commit the transaction.

From what I gather the pre-auth period varies depending on the provider / processor you use.

[tootalldave]

I have been using Google.Checkout for 2-weeks.

So far so good, I have saved quite a bit in free processing fees as I have an adwords account.
They process $10 for free for every $1 I spend in adwords.

* The way it works is when someone places an order through Google.Checkout one of three things will happen.

1. Automatic approval
2. Reviewed by Google
3. Cancelled

Most orders are approved instantly and a few are reviewed, I have had only one cancelled so far.

* Now it's up to you to charge the card if you decide to keep the order by clicking the charge button ( Google suggest that you charge the card within 3 days).

* Once you charge your customers card you must ship the order within the time frame that you have posted on your website and on Google.Checkout.

* Google will review your account often before payments are made, we have had a day or two of delays during this process but the average pay time is about 3-4 days from the order to your account.

We have had an increase in sales, not really quite sure if this is due to using Google,Checkout

So far we are happy with the service and hope that things will get better as the system developes.

There is one problem we're having, there is not a thank you page that we can access so we are having some problems tracking conversions.

[leadegroot]

Hmmm, its quite different to paypal, eh? :(

[jwolthuis]

A comment to tootalls posting; the Cancelled outcome is due to a customer's request, and a merchant performing the cancellation.

Google Checkout doesn't cancel an order as a "normal outcome" of a processed order. Just my 2-cents worth...

[ChildeRoland]

I've heard mixed things about it. I've heard that it works well and all, but that the support for it is limited as are the tools for incorporating at this point.

[oldpro]

Okay, to those of you who have started using Google Checkout and have been or are still using your normal virtual terminal.

How does your Google Checkout sales compare to your regular credit card sales?

[pp_rb]

Hmmm, its quite different to paypal, eh? :(

Yes. PayPal does allow you to Authorize payments and then Capture them later, but you're not required to process them that way. (If you use PayPal to Authorize payments, you can Capture them through an API, or online using the Capture button for an individual payment or Batch Capture for multiple payments.)

[tootalldave]

Hi,
To jwolthuis comment.
The order that which Google cancelled was due to:

* the customer placing an order then they cancelled their first order through us.

*Then they came back the next day and replaced their order for a different product.

* At that point Google reveiwed the order for 1 day and then cancelled the order.

-- We had this customer replace their order through 2Checkout which passed the order. the address verified as well as all the other little things we all look out for.--

* Terminal vs Google

We have used a virtual terminal before and found no difference in sales compared to Google, but we had to spend a lot of time on fraud control.

With Google they have chargeback protection where if someone is approved and you ship their order they will pay for the loss if it turns out to be fraudulant.

[ispy]

Thats not really chargeback protection. Most chargebacks are from dissatisfied customers, not fraud. Anybody can protect themselves from fraud chargebacks by simply using an AVS terminal, thats probably what Google is doing.

[julesn]

Anybody can protect themselves from fraud chargebacks by simply using an AVS terminal

Please please please don't think (or suggest to others) that AVS alone provides complete protection from fraud, it most definately doesn't.

[openmind]

Hi think Google Checkout is very good but so far it's available to US citizens only. Does anyone have an idea how to use Google Checkout even if you don't live in the US? What about opening a DBA (Do Business As) -- would that be feasible for a person who is located in Europe?
Thanks in advance

[Daffy528]

Guys, you need more than AVS to check orders, seriously. You need to check IP, Geo targeting, BIN number, negative chargeback history....A lot of things to protect yourself.

But anyways, yeah, I feel like Goo Checkout is just a ploy to get everyone to use AdWords and Adsense more. I doesnt seem as if it will ever be a better processing system, for merchants or consumers.

just my 2 pesos