Comments on: Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/ All about e-Commerce, ShopSite, and Web Hosting Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:35:41 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jace http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-439 Jace Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:03:53 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-439 I was wondering why there hasn't been many additional features added to Google Checkout. I had been looking at adding it when it was first released, but was frustrated by the lack of features. I have since revisited it and was surprised to find not much had changed. That isn't what I expected from Google. I was wondering why there hasn’t been many additional features added to Google Checkout. I had been looking at adding it when it was first released, but was frustrated by the lack of features. I have since revisited it and was surprised to find not much had changed. That isn’t what I expected from Google.

]]> By: Rob Mangiafico http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-318 Rob Mangiafico Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:38:26 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-318 Janice, thanks for the details on your experience with Google Checkout. I did not know that Google doesn't give you a chance to confirm a refund amount. That sounds like a horrible idea. Hopefully your painful lessons can help other merchants decide if Google Checkout is worth it for their online store. Janice, thanks for the details on your experience with Google Checkout. I did not know that Google doesn’t give you a chance to confirm a refund amount. That sounds like a horrible idea.

Hopefully your painful lessons can help other merchants decide if Google Checkout is worth it for their online store.

]]> By: Janice Dortch http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-316 Janice Dortch Thu, 22 Oct 2009 03:54:31 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-316 I offered Google Checkout as a payment option for over a year, got in when the fees were waived for a while. I turned it off about 6 weeks ago, so far no one has asked that I reinstate it or refuse to purchase my goods because I don't offer it. The number one thing I didn't like was having to have a pre-Checkout page in ShopSite, this totally confused my customers as to why they had to press the button twice just to see shipping charges. Initially I had the BIG Google Checkout button placed before my regular checkout button, sure I got lots of Google Checkout orders and I suspect many customers who gave up and went away as my other payment methods were not being used at all. I quickly added text clarifying the buttons and sales picked up. Second, I didn't like having to enter tracking information in Google as well as Order Status, if I didn't, I could lose a battle of not shipping in a timely manner. One time I forgot, then entered the tracking number after the customer received the goods, took a few emails and phone calls to calm that confused customer down. I learned to be very careful after that one. I wished there was some way to check orders as closed or shipped without notifying the customer, but there wasn't the last time I checked. Third, I found out when you do a return, you had better have the right amount typed in before you press the button because there is no verification and chance to take a second look. You guessed it, I had a typo and a lucky customer got a bonus. We live and we learn. When I looked at my stats, Google Checkout was my least used payment method...well that is after I got the button issue clarified. I also offer Pay Pay and have a merchant account for Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover. Considering the amount of extra work it caused, I decided to lighten my workload and don't miss it one bit. BTW, my sales have drastically increased since I turned Google Checkout off. I just figured I was getting lucky, but could it be it Google Checkout was turning my customers off with the pre-checkout page and confusion? I'll never know as I don't have stats to verify this one. Janice I offered Google Checkout as a payment option for over a year, got in when the fees were waived for a while. I turned it off about 6 weeks ago, so far no one has asked that I reinstate it or refuse to purchase my goods because I don’t offer it.

The number one thing I didn’t like was having to have a pre-Checkout page in ShopSite, this totally confused my customers as to why they had to press the button twice just to see shipping charges. Initially I had the BIG Google Checkout button placed before my regular checkout button, sure I got lots of Google Checkout orders and I suspect many customers who gave up and went away as my other payment methods were not being used at all. I quickly added text clarifying the buttons and sales picked up.

Second, I didn’t like having to enter tracking information in Google as well as Order Status, if I didn’t, I could lose a battle of not shipping in a timely manner. One time I forgot, then entered the tracking number after the customer received the goods, took a few emails and phone calls to calm that confused customer down. I learned to be very careful after that one. I wished there was some way to check orders as closed or shipped without notifying the customer, but there wasn’t the last time I checked.

Third, I found out when you do a return, you had better have the right amount typed in before you press the button because there is no verification and chance to take a second look. You guessed it, I had a typo and a lucky customer got a bonus. We live and we learn.

When I looked at my stats, Google Checkout was my least used payment method…well that is after I got the button issue clarified. I also offer Pay Pay and have a merchant account for Visa, Master Card, American Express, and Discover. Considering the amount of extra work it caused, I decided to lighten my workload and don’t miss it one bit.

BTW, my sales have drastically increased since I turned Google Checkout off. I just figured I was getting lucky, but could it be it Google Checkout was turning my customers off with the pre-checkout page and confusion? I’ll never know as I don’t have stats to verify this one.

Janice

]]> By: Rob Mangiafico http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-196 Rob Mangiafico Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:21:36 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-196 Phil, Thanks for providing more details on how Google is using gCheckout. I doubt Google will abandon the service, but innovation with regards to checkout has been slow as of late. Per the conversion boost (and CTR), it's important to note the statement is "for existing Google Checkout users" which is a small group overall. There is no data available that I know of that analyzes overall CTR and ROI for Google Checkout merchants. I just wish Google would loosen their policies a bit so merchants can more easily integrate the service seamlessly, and add a simple "Return to Cart" link on the checkout page. ;) Phil,

Thanks for providing more details on how Google is using gCheckout. I doubt Google will abandon the service, but innovation with regards to checkout has been slow as of late.

Per the conversion boost (and CTR), it’s important to note the statement is “for existing Google Checkout users” which is a small group overall. There is no data available that I know of that analyzes overall CTR and ROI for Google Checkout merchants.

I just wish Google would loosen their policies a bit so merchants can more easily integrate the service seamlessly, and add a simple “Return to Cart” link on the checkout page. ;)

]]> By: Phil http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-195 Phil Sun, 20 Sep 2009 14:08:10 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-195 The big benefit to Google of using gCheckout, is that the last-click wins converted words are recorded. You will see that Google web search drops a tracking pixel with the parameters "action=" and "tran=" I suspect these are linked up to the google checkout cookie. http://www.google.com/csi v=3 s=web action= tran=undefined e=21480,21486,21766,21771 ei=Vy2uSvrKG5T6-AarndW0Bg rt=prt.72,xjs.109,ol.606 Also the advent of the plusbox and finalisation of the DoubleClick / GoogleAffiliate network integration with Adsense mean that Google is moving towards a CPA model (rather than CPC) model. Thus gCheckout forms am important method of confirming a conversion has taken place and awarding the affiliate commission. It will even handle canceled commission from refunds. There is "0" possibility Google will abandon gCheckout! Google gain valuable trend information is from checkout sales: http://googlecheckout.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-on-hot-list-google-checkout-trends.html Also gCheckout increases CTR from Search and Google Products (which even has a filter for only show Retailers who uses gCheckout). Also conversion rates are increased for existing Google users, as users only enter billing details once & then they are remembered on google servers: http://searchengineland.com/google-says-google-checkout-increases-conversion-by-40-clicks-by-10-16012 Thanks Phil. The big benefit to Google of using gCheckout, is that the last-click wins converted words are recorded.

You will see that Google web search drops a tracking pixel with the parameters “action=” and “tran=” I suspect these are linked up to the google checkout cookie.

http://www.google.com/csi
v=3
s=web
action=
tran=undefined
e=21480,21486,21766,21771
ei=Vy2uSvrKG5T6-AarndW0Bg
rt=prt.72,xjs.109,ol.606

Also the advent of the plusbox and finalisation of the DoubleClick / GoogleAffiliate network integration with Adsense mean that Google is moving towards a CPA model (rather than CPC) model.

Thus gCheckout forms am important method of confirming a conversion has taken place and awarding the affiliate commission. It will even handle canceled commission from refunds. There is “0″ possibility Google will abandon gCheckout!

Google gain valuable trend information is from checkout sales:
http://googlecheckout.blogspot.com/2008/01/new-on-hot-list-google-checkout-trends.html

Also gCheckout increases CTR from Search and Google Products (which even has a filter for only show Retailers who uses gCheckout). Also conversion rates are increased for existing Google users, as users only enter billing details once & then they are remembered on google servers:
http://searchengineland.com/google-says-google-checkout-increases-conversion-by-40-clicks-by-10-16012

Thanks

Phil.

]]> By: Rob Mangiafico http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-17 Rob Mangiafico Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:40:58 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-17 Yes, Google Checkout can cause confusion for first time users, so it's definitely something you want to consider before implementing it in your ecommerce store. Yes, Google Checkout can cause confusion for first time users, so it’s definitely something you want to consider before implementing it in your ecommerce store.

]]> By: Twitter Trackbacks for Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn Blog [lexiconn.com] on Topsy.com http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-15 Twitter Trackbacks for Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn Blog [lexiconn.com] on Topsy.com Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:48:41 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-15 [...] Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn Blog www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe – view page – cached There are many things to consider when deciding to use Google Checkout for your ecommerce store. Here is an analysis of Google Checkout. — From the page [...] [...] Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn Blog http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe – view page – cached There are many things to consider when deciding to use Google Checkout for your ecommerce store. Here is an analysis of Google Checkout. — From the page [...]

]]> By: Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn … « Site2Next http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-10 Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn … « Site2Next Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:14:57 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-10 [...] the original post:  Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn … Enjoyed reading this post? Subscribe to the RSS feed and have all new posts delivered straight to [...] [...] the original post:  Google Checkout – Ecommerce Friend or Foe? | The Official LexiConn … Enjoyed reading this post? Subscribe to the RSS feed and have all new posts delivered straight to [...]

]]> By: AlgoZone http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/2009/08/google-checkout-ecommerce-friend-or-foe/#comment-8 AlgoZone Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:54:39 +0000 http://www.lexiconn.com/blog/?p=142#comment-8 I think paypal has done a good of giving customer the ease of paying online. It has already been in the business for quite a long time that's why most people likes using paypal than any other payment options available. As for google checkout, I have never tried using it and with your description of how it works it seems that a first time user like me will definitely be confused. I think paypal has done a good of giving customer the ease of paying online. It has already been in the business for quite a long time that’s why most people likes using paypal than any other payment options available. As for google checkout, I have never tried using it and with your description of how it works it seems that a first time user like me will definitely be confused.

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