Merchants Seen Using Google Checkout

[Qui Gon Jinn]

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If "some" networks or merchants are not going to be forthcoming, then it can only be deemed fair that as a collective we list merchants in this thread together with any merchants we see advertised in Adwords with the Google Checkout logo. Together with which networks they appear on.

Some of those listed may probably be news to the network too, if the merchant hasn't informed them.

Until we can ascertain what scale of effect, how minimal or large, whether short or long term, this may have on affiliates & networks then at least we have a list to make our own decisions & inferences from.

[Qui Gon Jinn]

To Get the list going. At first there might not be many.

Empire Direct - Keyword: DVD Player - Networks TD & AW

[hpops]

Gadgets.co.uk
Find-me-a-gift

In fact heres a handy list
https://checkout.google.com/buyer/me....html?hl=en_GB
Seems to be complete

[monkeyman]

If anyone is unsure what the results look like with the Google Checkout logo next to the Adwords, search for 'radley' and you'll see the logo next to Bagsdirect.com

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourc...LG:en&q=radley

[Qui Gon Jinn]

Also if it appears in the first two listings directly above the "natural results" the logo looks slightly different, being more subtle & all grey.

[hirschnathan]

Do we know for sure that google checkout will delete network cookies?

[hpops]

Yup - fraid so, sales untracked until network approved.
Also Paul, I've been seeing flashier logo appearing in top two today rather than the greyed out version I saw yesterday.

[Supercod]

Do we know for sure that google checkout will delete network cookies?

Just to be clear it’s not deleting the cookie. At the checkout stage because it’s not showing the Network call back code it means that we have no way to know what has sold and how much without first being approved by Google to allow your call back code to be added to the end process. Once all the Networks in the UK are approved, I would then see no problem at that point if Merchants wanted to sign up and use Google Checkout, but if you have an Affiliate program you should not integrate it until ALL the Networks your work with are approved, otherwise your Affiliates will be losing out in sales. I can only imagine the issues this will cause cash-back sites promoting Merchants who have Google Checkout and don’t track.

[getvisible]

I've missed the whole "Google checkout" thing. I take it that if a merchant is using it then sales aren't tracked?

Also if a merchant is using it do they get preference in the "quality score" so they'll get shown for the same display url and the affiliate won't?

If this is the case it's one sure way of limiting (yet again) the earning potential of affiliates.

[Supercod]

I've missed the whole "Google checkout" thing. I take it that if a merchant is using it then sales aren't tracked?

Yes correct, and with them giving out £10 off your order if you spend more then £30 if you use Google Checkout, guess what way the customer will purchase.

Also if a merchant is using it do they get preference in the "quality score" so they'll get shown for the same display url and the affiliate won't?

No idea.

[jess1]

I assume all UK networks are working on this?
Clarke any advice for merchants what they can be doing?

[Supercod]

I assume all UK networks are working on this?

I will make a post shortly based on the Information that I know and then any Network that wishes to correct this can and I will update it.

Clarke any advice for merchants what they can be doing?

Yes, if your thinking of adding Google Checkout, don't actually go live with it until your Network is approved and you have checked the tracking is working and please let Google know that you really need them to approve your Network before you can go live with this, never know might speed things up.

[jess1]

Got ya... do me a favour, can you add this to your blog and Ill link to it from mine to yours, we need to get this message out ;0)
Cheers Clarke

[Supercod]

Page made http://www.a4uforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=58308 will be doing a blog posting about it later on today, Fraser has already done one this morning.

[Spreader]

Hi folks,

I'm like most people - caught out by the whole Google Checkout thingy (is it just me or has it come from nowhere all of a sudden ).

I actually saw it for the first time when I used it the other day whilst buying a sound card.

From a consumers point of view it was easy to use and the added benefit was that I got a tenner off coz I was spending more than £30.

As I understand the workings of it, all transactions are free for merchants until 2008 (where as at the minute merchants will either pay their PSP a fixed or % fee for every transaction). Going forward a merchant will get transactions for 10 x their adwords spend for free. I can therefore see the attraction for merchants - especially as (correct me if I'm wrong) it will be displayed on google that you have a google checkout.

But (and it's a big but) I think it's pretty darn important to integrate it so affiliate cookies are tracked and the affiliates earn the commission they deserve.

As I say - for me - it's something I've really only been looking at since this week. I'd therefore maybe give some of the merchants who have implemented it already the benefit of the doubt... Potentially it may be that they don't actually know the full implications of integrating the google checkout and the effect it has on network cookies.

Anyway. I'll get off my soap box.

Zak.