AuctionBytes discovered that eBay bans sellers from using Google Checkout to request payment. One of their official reasons is that Google Checkout doesn't have a "substantial historical track record of providing safe and reliable financial and/or banking related services." Google says they had a lot of experience from AdWords and Video Store payments. It's interesting to note that eBay accepts "PayPal, credit cards including MasterCard/Visa /Amex/Discover, debit cards and bank electronic payments online for eBay purchases". Google Checkout is just like using the credit card, but through a Google proxy (that removes personal information and helps you if you don't trust an online store).In a related note, Reuters reports that PayPal President Jeff Jordan will leave the company in the following months "to spend more time with his family". He must've come with a better reason than that.
While eBay tries to face the increasing competition with anti-competitive practices, Google has a much more relaxed attitude and says "We want to work with everybody".
Related:
Google Checkout review
Former PayPal engineer predicts Google's end
this ban won't last long. all google has to do is file suit claiming ebay holds an unfair market share and is practicing monopolistic actions by only allowing paypal is the only method of electronic payment. won't fly. fair competition. like it or not, google is the new microsoft, well, sort of.
ReplyDeleteI hope the ban doesn't last long.
ReplyDeletePaypal needs a competitive response to their high fees. But then so does the rest of eBay. What we need now is Google Auctions.
Google Auctions? That souns like a plan to me. Ebay & Paypal have made their fortune by raising fees. Time for someone else to step up to the plate.
ReplyDeleteAn alternate auction platform would be great, eBay and PayPal are predatory and need competition. Unfotunately Yahoos attempt seems rather weak even after a full year of operations. Relating to the orginal subject; I concur that Google Checkout WILL be added to eBay and until then I am personally boycotting further eBay sales or purchases.
ReplyDeleteGoogle Checkout will surely be added to eBay. Alternatively, and way cooler to me though, is Google Base. This could be the "new eBay" if Google cleans it up a bit and people start flocking.
ReplyDeleteWe have great success with Google Base. It accounts for 20% of non paid traffic. For some of our retail e-commerce clients it accounts equally as well for sales and conversions.
ReplyDelete