Google Checkout must have a new cancelation policy.

And it includes no notification.

[limoshawn]

Anyone using Google Checkout should be aware that Google appears to be allowing the buyer to cancel their orders with no reason or notification. I have seen a large number of cancelations this week in my account and have been notified of NONE of them nor has there been a reason given for any of them.

[bwnbwn]

Have seen it as well the only way to know is check in the mechant account for the cancell. I am not sure it can be cancelled after it has been shipped or not as our was cancelled before ship.

It was also done by a Google employee as we had a product on our site that violated policy.

got an email on this after and removed the product.

[limoshawn]

It's gotten to the point that I will be removing G Checkout from all my sites until I get, at least a policy regarding cancelations from Google.

I have not tested yet but it seems like Google is sending out a verification email when the order is placed that has a "click here to cancel this order" button. One of my sites offers digital products and it is getting hit the hardest. Customers are ordering, downloading, and canceling within 4 - 5 minutes. I simply can't hire somebody to watch the merchant control panel and click the ship button as soon as the order comes in.

The real shame of it is that I really like have the Google Checkout icon on the AdWords ads.

[ByronM]

hmm... sounds like the fraudsters are loving google. Great way to buy eBooks and get'em for free. way to blow it google.

I sell entirely physical goods, but a one sided process is entirely unacceptable.

[bwnbwn]

limoshawn I can't blame you for that I would as well do the same till Google fixed this or at least offer a way to recoup them stealing your services.

I am sure if it was happening to Goggle a fix would be in the works.

Have you sent the Google Checkout team an email with this issue, or a delay in download till you can process the order and put as shipped..

[Tonearm]

So there is no way to automate the "Shipped" status in Google Checkout? No way to communicate with Google in an automated way to update the order's status?

[limoshawn]

So there is no way to automate the "Shipped" status in Google Checkout? No way to communicate with Google in an automated way to update the order's status?

Not that I have found. You can use the api to integrate but it's still the same backend as the "buy now buttons". There’s no way to automate the "status" of the order via the api or buy now buttons.

I suppose one could build a bot that goes in to the account and updates but I’m sure that your ip would be banned in short order.

[ispy]

Customers are ordering, downloading, and canceling within 4 - 5 minutes.

LOL

[Tonearm]

I'm going to forget about integrating with Google Checkout until this is changed. I don't sell downloadables but I'm not going to manually manage an order's status in both my own system and Google's.

[jpman]

Actually, I just read it today somewhere on checkout about this new feature....that you can cancel your order within 15 minutes after you have placed the order. Its purpose was to let the buyers cancel their orders within 15 minutes if they change their minds after placing the order. For example, if you dont like a color you ordered or if you think you need a different size shirt, then you can cancel your orders. Of course, google didnt think about system abuse.

[limoshawn]

Tonearm, This has even caused problems for our sites that sell physical goods. In order to mark a purchased item as shipped in the Google control panel it is recommended that you enter the tracking number. We have had instances where we have printed the shipping label only to find that the order had been canceled. Not a big deal, just a hassle having to cancel the shipping, especially with the USPS.

I really get the feeling that this is another of Google's products that will end up like Google Answers [answers.google.com] or Google Video Store, done away with in the night, leaving store owners dangling in the wind.

[vincevincevince]

Using the XML API you can automate the shipping status and even cancel an order. You need to read further in the manual. It's a very powerful system and for non-physical products you could very easily automatically mark it as shipped.

[Tonearm]

Thanks vince, good to know that the API can handle that.

limoshawn, that only happens when you ship within 15 minutes of the order's placement right?

[limoshawn]

Vince, you’re probably right, I've not spent much (none) time on the XML side of it, strictly the html API.

Tonearm, As far as I can tell yes, it's within the first 15 minutes and its NOT very common at all, I'm was just pointing out that it's a pain in the butt. It's almost as if they’re inviting people to cancel orders.

[vincevincevince]

Just a note that the XML API allows you to duplicate pretty-much everything both ways. You get XML notifications on every change, and you can make changes and send them via XML. In terms of capability it is far better than the HTML API and I would suggest anyone who is using this for more than a small or test site intergrate the XML.