Google is offering credit card to advertisers

Vendor financing for ads, or data mining for business financial data?

[bw100]

(Reuters) - Google Inc is introducing a credit card for its advertising customers, offering its clients a credit line to try and drum up business as competition in the online ad market heats up.

Claire Johnson, vice president of global online sales at Google, said the credit card was designed to help small and medium-sized businesses that advertise on Google but who often don't have the funds to support a heavy ad campaign ahead of a big sales season, such as Valentine's day or Halloween.

Brent Callinicos, Google's Treasurer, said that the credit card will be offered to a "statistically significant" number of people as Google examines the results of how availability of the card affects customer spending behavior.

Google will evaluate customers' creditworthiness through a combination of internal efforts and with the help of a financial partner, he said.
[in.reuters.com ]

On the surface, this appears to be a company offering credit to customers to make it easier to buy their product. However, since credit approvals require access to the credit reports of the individual or company, there may be a valid concern about the sharing of applicant / cardholder credit history data between the issuing bank (World Financial Capital Bank, an Alliance Data company - an interesting choice) and Google. Probably wise to read all the terms, conditions and all the other fine print.

[Staffa]

Besides the points already stated above why does this remind me of "the company store" ?
You work for the company - in this case you buy adwords which is just another way of making money for the company
you can only buy from the company store, result you are forever chained to the company.

With all the other changes going on lately, G areas renamed, free areas removed, bypassing small adwords consultants and contacting advertisers directly, giving away free domains and hosting with adwords, etc, etc it won't be long before G truly is a paid link directory. Yet for Joe and Jane Bloggs who use G for search because they don't know anything else, they won't know either that every result presented to them has been paid for nor that sites which would correspond better to their search are no longer included (Panda, any version)

[RhinoFish]

since they can only use it for AdWords, i see it as a good thing from G - G can see whether you're selling, and control their risk, at the same time, they can extend credit to small and medium businesses who might not otherwise have the lines to add ppc. seems like a natural, synergy to me.

[vididong]

later we will have Google Bank

[Leosghost]

Will you walk into my parlour ? said the spider..

Not often the same comment is relevant for more than one thread..But then we are taking about Google :)

[Cancellara]

Getting calls and emails from Google regarding this.

======================

Hello from Google! In the world of small business, opportunities come fast -- and vanish just as quickly. Here’s one that we think you won’t want to miss.

Google is inviting you to be one of the first advertisers to benefit from the new AdWords Business Vendor Credit Program: a dedicated vendor credit line for your company's AdWords account, which will give you the control and purchasing power you need to grow your business online.

This option will give you the flexibility to expand your business at the pace that’s right for you and is easy to use.

I think this is a great opportunity for COMPANY NAME to help further grow and positively impact the business with uninterrupted AdWords spend.

With AdWords Business Credit you'll get:

- No annual fee
- No setup fee
- An monthly billing invoiced statement
- An 8.99% fixed APR* Credit Line for balances that are carried
over 30 days
- Can be used as a in-place backup payment Option
- 24/7 access to online account services

===============

Anybody actually signed up for this?

[Tropical Island]

I did but as I live in South America & don't have a US social security number (I used my Canadian one) or a US phone number it's unlikely to be approved.

I do have a US address (mail forwarding service) that I use for AdWords & a US bank.

I did it as a joke & haven't heard anything so far however as they mail the confirmation it may take awhile to arrive.