Google Checkout

[george]

Some people would like GC as they dont like the hold of eBay/Paypal. Oh hold on a minute...

[pinbrook]

Whilst i understand that some people are desparate to have GC, I also think these people are also a little optimistic in the effect it will have on their sites.
They should be looking at the wider picture of where sales come from and not be looking to pin all their hopes on GC.

A well thought out venture will suceed regardless of GC.

If you feel your site won't suceed without GC then it probably won't suceed with it either.

[leehack]

Exactly Pinny - perfectly put. People are putting so much focus on the 0.5% increase GC might offer and totally forgetting the other 50-60% they have yet to do. Some of the sites asking for GC wouldn't make a sale if their products were chuffing free!

[parklifeclothes]

I would still like to implement Google Checkout even though I agree that sales are not going to jump up just because of it, I would just rather have this over Paypal what in my opinion many associate with eBay and in doing so drags your site down in many peoples mind.
Personally I have little problem buying say light bulbs (couple of quid) off a site using Paypal but I just wouldn't buy a Diesel tee shirt (£30+) off a site offering Paypal.
Maybe its just a Snobbery thing?

[parklifeclothes]

I would like an update on the status of this from Actinic, the absence of such is just making matters worse.

Agree, it certainly would tell us all where they are with it and what their future ideas concerning GC might be. Is it false hope to think it will at some point come to fruition?

[Jan]

www.topsleep.co.uk

I couldn't see Google checkout on here - these were the options offered

SECURE CREDIT/DEBIT CARD
PAYPAL SECURE PAYMENTS
CHEQUE/BANK TRANSFER
BUY NOW PAY LATER CREDIT OPTION

... and secure credit/debit card went to Worldpay.

Regards,

[Duncan Rounding]

It appears to have been removed, I saw it there the other day. It was just a GC checkout button on the cart page - not an integrated selection. I even followed it through to the GC page.

Why is it no longer there Peter?

[Mike Hughes]

After three attempts to write a nice, non-inflamatory post for those who got caught up in the Google Checkout hype I've given up.

How can you tell people who are getting upset over nothing that there's better things to focus on?

Mike

[Mark H]

This whole thing has moved on (since Mal first asked for GC.....). The issue now is Actinic's credibililty and customer service. It would be nice to think that Actinic responded to those who provide its free help desk service, but we're simply getting the mushroom treatment time after time. Regardless of the rights and wrongs of the situation, I have now committed my company to moving to another shopping cart solution at the first suitable opportunity. This won't be soon as we have another V7 shop in the pipeline, but my faith in Actinic as a company has been damaged beyond repair

[pinbrook]

How can you tell people who are getting upset over nothing that there's better things to focus on?

I must admit I wrote my last post abit with tongue in cheek and stood back to watch (in amusement) the resultant flaming.

There are far more important things to concentrate on, in time Actinic will integrate it, but i think they are taking the sensible approach and not integrating in a hurry, PPP is still not yet complete and we don't want the same fiasco.

Another important factor is the demands made by GC and PP to prominantly place their checkout buttons, this seems to be causing shopper confusion resulting in abandoned baskets.

[RuralWeb]

this seems to be causing shopper confusion resulting in abandoned baskets.

Exactly why I am removing it from the site I built - GC is a white elephant as far as I am concerned.

[pinbrook]

The issue now is Actinic's credibililty and customer service.

Not really they've said they will implement it and said the time scale will be long.

The only reason people are discontented is they want it know and can't understand why it isn't going to be forthcoming this week or next. Whereas most experienced developers have said, Great let have it, but lets have it when its ready and robust.

You can't expect to bully Actinic into doing dropping everything else they already have on their list of things to do which have been scheduled and prioritised just to produce GC to keep a minority who are throwing their toys out of the pram happy.

[PeterM]

Gc

It appears to have been removed, I saw it there the other day. It was just a GC checkout button on the cart page - not an integrated selection. I even followed it through to the GC page.

Why is it no longer there Peter?

We have a small adjustment to make so it's not available right now . . Nothing major just a tweek . . Will be back on as an option soon.
We spend a lot of money with Adwords and of course the cost of transactions are off set against the adwords spend . . The transaction costs using GC for us are zero because of the amount we spend with adwords.
The other nice marketing thing is the GC logo shown on the adwords adverts, this makes the advert stand out and gets noticed creating more traffic. More traffic = more orders, so even if they don't use GC to pay for goods it still has it's benefits in the marketing side of the business.

[Mark H]

Jo - I'm sorry I don't agree with any of that. It is clear to me that Actinic's response and timescale is at best incompetent and at worst deceitful. This whole issue could have been dealt with very quickly by a company more in tune with even a minority of its customers (and I don't agree with the "minority" tag - you have no way of telling, but the length of this discussion suggests otherwise). It's not a question of bullying, simply good customer service - sometimes you have to respond to the people who pay your wages even if it doesn't particularly suit you. The response in this case has been a laughable excuse that it will take 600-800 man days. I resent being treated like that.

[pinbrook]

It is clear to me that Actinic's response and timescale is at best incompetent and at worst deceitful.

Thats the point I'm making: it is merely your interpretation.

You think they are dragging their heels because you want it now, I am glad they are being slow as i want it integrated properly.