Google has come up with another innovative but disruptive concept that is going to impact how we pay for our online purchases. Initially, available only in US, Google Checkout service will allow users to make online purchases with the information they store with Google. To incent the eCommerce sites to use its service, Google is providing discounts on advertising and transaction fees for those who use its checkout service.
To be sure, Microsoft, Yahoo and Paypal had similar or pieces of this service for a while. Paypal seems to be only survivor with its unique link to Banks. But, Google's service looks to be a comprehensive one. With Google Checkout, once a customer is ready to checkout, they can simply click the Google Checkout button and use the payment and shipping details stored with Google. This eliminates the need to enter financial and shipping information at several places. I played around with this service today (didn't buy anything though) and observed several innovations:
- Combining shipping & payment details: This seems to be only service that helps you manage shipping and payment details in one place. Also, it maintains a history of all purchases done by in place.
- Incentive for vendors to use the service: By providing discounts to eCommerce vendors for their advertisements and transactions, there is strong financial motivation for the vendors to use this service besides the Google brand.
- Promoting companies that do Google Checkout: Google is also planning to promote the users of Google Checkout out putting a unique icon in their advertisements. This is bound to generate more traffic to the site.
Ram, I am not sure if Checkout is available on in the US.
ReplyDeleteAs long as you have an international credit card, you can apply for the Checkout program. It actually depends on the merchant whether he is willing to ship to India or not.
For now you have to be resident of US. Atleast that's what I remember.But this product from Google is truly a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteCheck this out. I signed up for checkout and used their googlepages to create my own website
http://karthikseetharaman.googlepages.com/laptops%22r%22us
And if I used their adsense then u can be sure that any emails having words like laptops or searches for laptops will surreptiously show my website (if I had one) with the google checkout icon. Isn't that wonderful.
Hi Ram,
ReplyDeleteWell, I have to admit this is really an interesting ploy from Google. This is where some of the big money lies. I have the habit of buying stuff from E-Bay and I hold a Paypal account to do many purchases. I can imagine how many will be using paypal everyday to simply purchase through Ebay. Paypal gets its bit and trust me that will really be huge.
One thing is for sure..time will tell how this war will turn out to be...Interesting times ahead
Amit
ReplyDeleteAs Karthik says, my understanding is that it is limited to US for now. I registered and played around.. it is asking for a US address..
Karthik
I will check your stuff out..
Balaji
Yes.. only time will tell.. but I must say, this concept is new.. to be able to keep track of all items / shipping stuff in one place..
This is getting interesting.
ReplyDeleteYou guys are absolutely correct, Google does accept an international credit card but the purchases won't be shipped to an international address ( I mean outside the US)
Can I ship things internationally? - No at this moment.
Sathish
ReplyDeleteI see your point.. but don't we have that challenge now ?