Google Checkout - Sales not being tracked

[befuddle]

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I have had confirmation that sales made via Google Checkout are not being tracked, albeit for the short term.

I asked a merchant on Affiliate Window and one on TradeDoubler.

"Unfortunately at present affiliate sales are not being tracked when customers use Google Checkout - but I am hopeful this will be resolved within the next few days."

Google need to contact the affiliate networks to approve them as a tracking provider. I don't know what the terms or requirements are of that.

Networks, have you been approved yet?

Currently, customers are being incentivised to use Google Checkout. Until 20th June they'll receive a £10 discount for orders over £30. I've been told that affiliates will still receive commission on the full sale amount and not the discounted price, when tracking goes ahead.

I don't know if this is the case for all merchants or networks. Any merchants care to enlighten?

Regards,
Ray

[befuddle]

Affiliate Window and TradeDoubler are two of the networks not being tracked so far. Can't comment on others cos I've not asked. I gather that there's an approved list that all approved sites can access.

As for merchants, ebuyer.com (which are closing on TradeDoubler) sent out a mail shot just to promote the £10 discount, which got passed onto me.

As ebuyer are leaving the network shortly I don't know if they're typical of the merchants I promote and if GC will become the norm.

As I've said in another thread, I'm happy to promote the £10 customer discount. It's a good offer. Though, I'd like to know when or if we will get commission for sales made.

[JulesGadgets]

Ray,

I know I've been in contact with you directly, but thought I would pop in here to clarify our position on this.

Gadgets.co.uk have been working on the integration of Google Checkout for some months now, so that we could be one of the launch merchants in the UK.

With our affiliates in mind, four weeks before Google Checkout launched in the UK, Google contacted Affiliate Window (at our request) so that they could verify Affiliate Window as an "approved" tracking provider.

Affiliate Window failed to provide Google the required information before Google Checkout launched, despite being regularly chased by me reminding them of the urgency and the consequences of their delay.

I understand that Affiliate Window eventually responded to Google after they launched Checkout on Friday.

I am hopeful that Google will "approve" them within the next few days (providing Affiliate Window were able to give the data privacy assurances required).

I am disappointed that Affiliate Window let us and its affiliates down on this, especially as they were aware that the consequences of their delay would affect commission tracking.

For anyone already sending us traffic, we will look at how to compensate them on an individual basis.

I am hopeful that this will be resolved within the next few days, and will update this thread as soon as I have any updates myself.

Feel free to contact me directly to discuss any questions or concerns.

Regards,

jules.

jules@gadgets.co.uk

[Supercod]

A short term solution could be for Merchants not to offer a route for customers to buy stuff from if they came via Affiliate traffic if it's not tracking. Any Merchant offering Google Checkout without making sure it works for Affiliates might as well just remove tracking full stop as they clearly don’t care about checking no leakage happens for the Affiliates to add a new checkout without testing it works and commission is tracked.

[JulesGadgets]

Unfortunately our agreement with Google does not permit us to restrict offering Google Checkout for a proportion of our customers, else of course we would have done that.

To say we don't care is unreasonable, unfair, and simply wrong.

jules.

[Rich]

Here's the list of approved 3rd party tracking providers.

That page links to details of what is needed to integrate tracking. It looks very simple for merchants and networks - though you will lose some features like cookieless tracking, product reports etc from some networks. So, other than any privacy hoops Google needs you to jump through, it shouldn't be a big issue for networks - and they only have to do it once to cover all merchants.

[Supercod]

Hi Jules, not saying that about you guys directly, my post was getting written as you done yours other wise mine would be above yours and would be in the context of everyone and more to the wider point of leakage and this is just another form of leakage regardless of fault.

I accept Google not allowing you to do the solution even for a short time I didn't know they had rules in place telling web site owner how they should run there own site, I will need to read up on them as all starting to sound very restrictive and if your not Google Approved it would seem you not allowed to do very much. Why don't you say to Google, Affiliate Networks have these rules and they want all orders tracked so until you guys sort it out (Google and Networks) I need to for the short term hide the Google Checkout from Affiliate traffic as we had an agreement with them that our Affiliates would get paid when they make a sale. I guess it all boils down to what is more important Google Checkout or your Affiliates, we only talking about a few days so why do your Affiliates need to be the ones losing out?

[Qui Gon Jinn]

I have decided to move this thread into "Affiliate Marketing - Moderators Choice" and stick. Hopefully any networks & merchants will be forthcoming on how this will affect affiliates & networks short term or long term.

Depending on the uptake from merchants, how much effort did Google make to actually contact the networks & how helpful were they really, and do they even care? And if contact was made did Google resort to communicating via slow responding emails or was getting open dialogue over the telephone a battle.

[Frostie]

Unfortunately our agreement with Google does not permit us to restrict offering Google Checkout for a proportion of our customers, else of course we would have done that.

Jules can you tell me if your contract with Affiliate Window stipulates that its acceptable to be passed sales via an Affiliate, and not pay for the lead? I suspect it doesn't so which ever route your choose, you will be breaking one of the contracts.

I'd personaly not choose to side with Google in this instance, but each to their own. I think maybe a few too many merchants have jumped on board the GC without truely thinking about how it was to be integrated with networks and affiliates. I appreciate Gagdets have taken a pro-active approach and in this instance, it appears AWin have let you, and us affiliates, down.

Is Google getting to big for its boots? Personally I think so, as Clarke has pointed out, if a 3rd party who is offering a tool, TELLS you how to manage and run your website, I'd be tempted to remind them who owns the site!

[FeFiFoFum]

We aren't currently integrated but we are in the process of getting approval although I have no firm dates yet. We have had a couple of clients tell us they are interested but they haven't moved forward yet.

We are finding out from our clients if they are currently / going to be using the checkout facility. Off the top of my head I don't think any of our clients use it but I will post to confirm shortly as I could well be wrong.

Does anyone have a directory of UK clients? I have this but looks mostly US based http://www.google.com/checkout/m.html

[Rich]

I wouldn't relly on that page, or a UK version, as it doesn't look like it is comprehensive - http://checkout.google.com/support/s...63&topic=11278

[adamski]

The roll out of Google Checkout left a lot to be desired. With a mere handful of networks to communicate with, we were surprised and frustrated that no one from Google tried to contact us to discuss things in greater detail, preferring to communicate by a set of standard emails.

Our main concern was Google's desire to track sales off the merchant site. Whilst other payment gateways can operate this way, it is a bigger concern with Google, because of the sheer volume of valuable data this makes available to them.

Other payment gateways such as PayPal still allow tracking to occur once the vistor has been redirected back to a confirmation page on the merchant site.

Whenever we make a decision to partner with an organisation and hence endorse a product, we take great care in ensuring it is the correct route for our affiliates, merchants and the affiliate marketing industry as a whole. We needed time to investigate the nature of Google Checkout, the impact this would have on our clients and furthermore, if this operating in conjunction with their proposed launch into the CPA market, would give Google too much control and influence.

The decision making process was at board level and required some in depth investigation. It was unfortunately interrupted by a seperate issue with our internal email server which further delayed proceedings. We agreed to integrate with Google but only on the proviso that they do not initially advertise us as a partner.

The ball is now in Google's court and we are awaiting their response. We apologise to any affiliates affected by leakage on gadgets.co.uk. I'm sure you can appreciate the requirement to tread carefully in this situation.

Jules made every effort to expedite this and it was unfortunate that it took so long to secure direct contact with Google to establish answers to some of our questions. In future, some of this can be avoided if we keep the merchant better informed of progress.

[BFG 9000]

Here's the list of UK Merchants.


TTFN

BFG

[hmc]

how about trade doubler? -does it track well?

[OMG Network]

Hi all,

Just wanted to jump in and to give OMG's view on this issue.

Google, as far as we are aware, have not been forthcoming in communicating with any network in order to make the transition to this new platform smooth.

OMG, as a network, have been and are proactively seeking approval from Google.

Our portfolio of retail clients are largely unaffected at the moment, with Find Me A Gift being the exception. We are taking steps to notify affiliates promoting this program through us and to ensure that sales are remunerated accordingly.

Carla Arrindell
Publisher Team Manager