Google Checkout A Ghost Town
In line with our prediction that nearly 90% of the transaction activity decreased from Google (NASDAQ GOOG) Checkout from a holiday high a year ago, The Google Checkout Merchant Forum is proof positive that the program is all but dead.
As Google struggles on many fronts, including its ailing stock price, there are many causalities including the now overstaffed Google Checkout team, which continues to look for ways to drive new merchants to the program. Seems nothing really could beat free processing.
As Google Checkout continues to see merchants jump ship, it’s forum questions continue to go unanswered. While at its peak, the forum would see responses within minutes and dozens of new posts a day, today it’s lucky to see two posts a day with responses taking several days.
I guess even the almighty Google has learned that Payment Processing is a hard, hard space to compete in. When you have an open checkbook with Google on the signature line, it’s easy to look successful but when you have to go it alone, progress can slow to a virtual halt.
Sorry guys, I was rooting for you but looks like 2008 is the year for Google Checkout to join the deadpool. Let’s hope Corporate comes to the rescue with a few hundred million more to burn through…Here’s an idea, $25.00 free for new members, worked before ;)
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As long as Merchant Services do not get hurt by the actions of criminals and only pass the buck on ...
First of all, this is a great forum...so thanks.
I would have been betting on someone from the financial services industry ...
Only time will tell. but for my take, I found it fascinating how merchant account providers are continuing to find ...
Good post. You make some great points that most people do not fully understand.
"Ultimately, with the banks fitting the bill ...
Merchant Warehouse is an ISO (Independent Sales Office). Paypal is not even in the same realm. Paypal is like western ...
You have to make at list $2 mil a year!!! that's what they told me so this thing you wrote ...
Google is trying to be a jack of all trades, their only success is their search and their advertising program. ...
Comment by pcking on 11 February 2008:
Bahaha, that blows, seems like google is taking one right in the arse, doesnt surprise me you cant be king for life
Comment by larrybyrd on 11 February 2008:
Come on, this isn’t legit, seems like the statisticians raised the bar on this one, yahoo will be dominating soon! YAHOOO!!
Comment by Suyash on 11 February 2008:
i won’t say that i’m surprised or even remotely sad for google as i knew this was going to happen at some point of time.. the sooner the better cos when google thinks that they can beat everyone they gotta think twice..
Comment by Himanshu on 11 February 2008:
I donno what google was playing at!! getting into online payment processing sector?? must be mental.. seems like their plans to take over the world are finally going to subside…
Comment by pc on 11 February 2008:
That was bound to happen! Other services like PayPal are so common, that there is just no room for other services!
Comment by James on 12 February 2008:
Google checkout has to be more transparent with the buyers, as still many of them don’t know how to transact with google checkout, unlike other payment processors like paypal, which is very easy to use and transact even without credit card for some time, at least!
Comment by Amrit on 12 February 2008:
I don’t think that Google Checkout was ever used by anyone at some high scale. All merchants liked to go out with other available option rather then Google Checkout.
Comment by Money on 12 February 2008:
I never liked Google Checkout and more over i don’t think that it ever because popular. People always used other payment option then this one. Google is only leader in two things and that are search engine and advertisement network … and all of its other products had not been that much of success.
Comment by MyRedz on 12 February 2008:
well just admit it in this time of paypal having troubles,i don’t know why google checkout is facing problems.I guess limits to us residents only lifted to include worldwide is a better strategy!
Comment by bud on 13 February 2008:
It is better for Google to close down checkout and start sending the exisiting traffic to paypal for some referral fees. This is really bad from Google’s side. This is what happens when you have lot of Ivy League college guys who lack innovation .
Comment by daryll on 13 February 2008:
I had a account with Google checkout, i don’t use it anymore. I had joined long back when it had no fees. I am more than happy with my paypal now, it works great for me.
Comment by thinktank on 24 February 2008:
I think eventually Google will somehow turn its checkout service around.. If they can find a way to appeal to e-tailers using their system exclusively, I think that is all they would need.
Comment by swap on 24 February 2008:
Google checkout was only popular because they offered 10$ for new users on their first checkout but it was abused my people and now no one cares about Google checkout.
Paypal still remains the choice of most users.
Comment by zhar on 29 February 2008:
Google is trying to be a jack of all trades, their only success is their search and their advertising program. Beyond that, they have not made any impact on other industries. They need to learn something from this and stop trying to do lot of things Instead just improve their search which is by the way 6 or 7 years old.