I am setting up an e-commerce site, and am quite attracted to the idea of using google checkout because google is a trusted brand, and they seem quite nice for a massive corporation.

However, not many merchants seem to have much positive to say about google checkout at all.

Is it really that bad, or is it just that the majority of users don't post to say how well it works?

Does anyone have any first hand experience of it?

Cheers.

I am setting up an e-commerce site, and am quite attracted to the idea of using google checkout because google is a trusted brand, and they seem quite nice for a massive corporation.

However, not many merchants seem to have much positive to say about google checkout at all.

Is it really that bad, or is it just that the majority of users don't post to say how well it works?

Does anyone have any first hand experience of it?

Cheers.

The only issue I've got with it is that currencies are limited still, and unlike PayPal your customer HAS to have a Google Checkout account. With PayPal, you can just enter your details and pay without having an account.

Thanks Paul2412 - do you use PayPal as well then? Suppose there is no harm in offering a choice is there?

I wouldn't use Google if I had a choice - a case of supporting the smaller fish - even though PayPal are hardly minnows. (The same applies with Bing in the search engine battle.) Still, it depends on the ease of use and in the case of taking money PayPal seems to have the edge as mentioned above.

I wouldn't use Google if I had a choice - a case of supporting the smaller fish - even though PayPal are hardly minnows. (The same applies with Bing in the search engine battle.) Still, it depends on the ease of use and in the case of taking money PayPal seems to have the edge as mentioned above.

Paypal has an income of over $2 billion and Bing are owned by Microsoft. as you say, they're hardly minnows! My other option is to take payments via my banks own service, but then HSBC are quite large too :-)

I'm just interested in finding the best - if being the best has made the company big then so be it.

I think I might start with Paypal and add google later. Just a bit disturbing how many bad experiences are out there to be, er, googled for!

I am setting up an e-commerce site, and am quite attracted to the idea of using google checkout because google is a trusted brand, and they seem quite nice for a massive corporation.

However, not many merchants seem to have much positive to say about google checkout at all.

Is it really that bad, or is it just that the majority of users don't post to say how well it works?

Does anyone have any first hand experience of it?

Cheers.

I wont touch google checkout anymore, I once bought something from ebuyer with it, and it linked my ebuyer account to an old one which I no longer use and so my delivery's went to another address, because my google account is registered under 1 username and my ebuyer account is now registered under another and the google checkout linked to my old ebuyer account with the same username as my google account!!.

Never again.

Paypal has an income of over $2 billion and Bing are owned by Microsoft. as you say, they're hardly minnows! My other option is to take payments via my banks own service, but then HSBC are quite large too :-)

I'm just interested in finding the best - if being the best has made the company big then so be it.

I think I might start with Paypal and add google later. Just a bit disturbing how many bad experiences are out there to be, er, googled for!

What about using a credit/debit card processor? I think paypal do it now as I will rarely buy from sites that only use paypal (I think it makes them look a bit dodgy).

I used it to buy a couple of second hand cameras. Had no problems.

What about using a credit/debit card processor? I think paypal do it now as I will rarely buy from sites that only use paypal (I think it makes them look a bit dodgy).

I have got a quote off HSBC, who do my business banking, but it includes a monthly fixed charge for having the facility, which I don't really want to pay at the beginning because I have no idea what the traffic will be. They get enough out of me paying for my terminals!

That and the fact that PayPal and google checkout are much, much easier to integrate with the software I am using.

I know what you mean about PayPal only sites though, but I think it is becoming more acceptable?

I used it to buy a couple of second hand cameras. Had no problems.

I've bought with it a few times and found it fine, but I've read reports that it's not so great from the sellers perspective.

I find peace of mind buying through paypal because both the seller and buyer are protected :)

As a consumer I don't use google checkout after needing to return something that I'd bought that way. Google doesn't offer a return service and the merchant (ebuyer I think) didn't have a record of the transaction in it's automated returns procedure, it was a big hassle getting them to take it back.

Paypal has an income of over $2 billion and Bing are owned by Microsoft. as you say, they're hardly minnows! My other option is to take payments via my banks own service, but then HSBC are quite large too :-)

I'm just interested in finding the best - if being the best has made the company big then so be it.

I think I might start with Paypal and add google later. Just a bit disturbing how many bad experiences are out there to be, er, googled for!

If you want to support a smaller company, try www.nochex.com

There ARE issues with PayPal don't get me wrong. At the risk of putting you off, here are the issues I've had (bear in mind I've been using it to process transactions since 2002, so problems are still rare):

When reaching a certain limit of fees received, they put a stop on your account until you provide them with more information about you (there doesn't seem to be much warning off this)

Randomly, PayPal asked me for identification in addition to other documentation. They insisted that I faxed them and wouldn't entertain the idea of post or email (scanned). I informed them that I don't have a fax machine, and at the time was nursing a broken leg. They just said "if you cant fax it then we cant progress"

After coming home from holiday, I found my HSBC account to be in the red. On closer inspection it seems that some kind gentleman had hacked into my PayPal account and paid himself £400. PayPal stopped the first transaction of £200 on suspicious activity grounds, but then let the £400 go out without question 1 minute later. I had to threaten to take PayPal to court before they finally gave me the money back in full.

If a buyer disputes a purchase, I've found that the general rule of thumb is protect the buyer and sod the seller even if it means the seller is out of pocket, which is odd as PayPal gets money from sellers and not from buyers.

HOWEVER, it's simple to integrate and the IPN that they provide is very reliable and secure. They also do loads of currencies, just about everyone knows who they are and if you're serious you can use PayPal Direct which allows you to take payment without your customer leaving your website.

I'm a fan of Paypoint.net myself.

There's a £125 setup charge, but all other charges rival Paypal. Customers can also pay by cash at any Paypoint terminal.

Paypoint is also pretty good at stopping fraudulent transactions, unlike Paypal which at times I think actively encourage them.

To say that most of the top ecommerce packages have all got Google Checkout integration facilities they can't be bad.

It is worth offering as many options as possible although all accounts cost something to run. Worldpay and the major banks are easier to use as the money goes straight into your business bank account without the third party transfers.

Have you looked at World Pay? they are very good imho...