I am so fed up with PayPal and have been for so long that I almost can't stand to use them anymore. The only other alternative that I have come close to switching to is Google Checkout. (I have a Moneybookers account but rarely use it) Google checkout charges 2% + $0.20 per transaction while PayPal is charging me 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, which means that over time, Google checkout could save me a substancial amount of money. The reason I'm really looking at Google Checkout is that anyone can pay with a credit card without going through the long processes of opening an account (such as Moneybookers), although the buyer does have to enter their email address and create a password. I also think that using Google checkout would be a great alternative to PayPal because they seem to have a little more protection against all the "automatic" chargebacks you see with PayPal all the time. Being processed by Google with such a huge brand for itself, I also think that buyers would feel more comfortable submitting their credit card information with Google Checkout as opposed to Moneybookers or possibly even PayPal. As I do not know the complete details of how Google Checkout works, maybe we could get some feedback of users who use Google Checkout and how they feel about it. Also for those of you selling digital goods, which has worked best for you? PayPal or Google Checkout, and why?
For a vendor google checkout is cheaper than paypal. PayPal 1.9% to 2.9% + .30$. Google checkout 2% + .20$. As I know still google checkout doesn't accept a payment from paypal, its a disadvantage.
UK charges are; 3.4% + £0.20 GBP (PAYPAL) 1.5% + £0.15 per transaction (GC) I'm just about to introduce Google Checkout, as it will increase capital earnings for me, however its not as popular in my opinion as PayPal.
Agreed, I have used them from start, had no issues to speak of, until recently. Unbelievable, but as a customer, I got screwed out of $600.00 on a return item dispute which was damaged, they did little for me as consumer other than get 50% back, but I ended up out $600.00 and all they did was post they were trying to get balance, never heard a word, not one update in a year. Now as a merchant, can you believe it, they allowed a chargeback which was over 6 months old. Obviously, it was an attempt to scam me as a merchant, for there was no doubt the buyer got what the payed for or they would have complained sooner the six months? Well, Paypal deducted the amount, and it has been over a month and nothing. They are blaming the buyers credit card bank and they say they have up to 75 days to jerk around, how pathetic is that? I am not talking a small amount, and here someone is enjoying my money for now over one month with nothing but excuses from Paypal as it is not their fault. Simply put, no merchant is safe when a chargeback can hit you out of the blue six months later. How can anyone do business with a company which allows a credit card bank to get away with this? It appears consumer has more protection than merchant, unless you are a consumer using Paypal, then niether has any protection. I have read all these similar complaints about Paypal for years, but until you get screwed as a consumer and merchant, it doesn't mean much, but beware, with eBay sucking wind on steep decline, and similar customer complaints, the handwriting is on the wall, bye bye eBay and Paypal, and good riddance. Disgusted,
I can totally understand your frustration. A certain percentage of my software sales have to be refunded because someone will make a fraud complaint, or say they aren't satisfied with the product. In spite of proving the customer downloaded and used it they will still give the money back. There are a lot of people out there enjoying free software because of it. Now with my updates and all new projects I have a server controlled login system, so if I give their money back, I yank their access as well. The problems I have had with customers and google checkout is, they don't even want to enter an email address and password. They don't want to do anything extra and get confused and frustrated creating the google account. They like paypal, and feel comfy with paypal so even a big name like google isn't enough to sway them away from it. For a while I was getting so many complaints I just switched it all back to paypal. I may offer both in the future, but I found a lot of people who just refused to use google checkout. Ironically enough, people call or email me and ask me to use paypal because they didnt want to take the time to create a GC account. They probably spend 3x longer just making that request than they would have if they just signed up for google checkout!
Even I am frustrated with the relatively higher fees charged by paypal.... If google does become aggressive and push its usage, google checkout can truly checkmate paypal.... Regards, RightMan
I hope Google does it one day when they become big..but first they need to have some mechanism so a person from Google checkout can transfer money to paypal account and vice versa without any hindrance.. if this works out then google checkout may be the king..