Is Google Checkout a Gateway?

Payment gateways offer a safe method for payment transactions.

Google Checkout is a payment gateway, which allows secure payment transactions between sellers and shoppers. Unlike some payment gateways, there are no monthly gateway fees. Google Checkout takes a percentage of the transaction, based on the total number of sales from that particular seller. Transaction fees decrease as your sales increase, giving incentives for small businesses to grow.

Advantages of Gateways

Gateways save companies time because they can begin selling right away, rather than having to program their own payment system for their website. Google's large team of programmers keep their gateway from crashing, and they fix any glitches quickly. Companies that create their own gateways sometimes have to delay product launches or even take their site offline briefly for integration and testing. Other advantages of Google Checkout include security and fraud protection.

Secure Transactions

Google Checkout's payment gateway is completely secure. This gives both the seller and the shopper added safety and the knowledge that information is not being stolen or used incorrectly. For many internet shoppers, secure checkouts are a must, and they will not use any kind of shopping site that doesn't offer it. All payment gateways are designed to be secure, but an unknown gateway may not seem as reliable to customers unaccustomed to making internet purchases. One of the advantages to a big name, such as Google, is that it has some level of brand recognition and built in trust.

Fraud Protection

Google Checkout has built-in fraud protection to protect both sellers and shoppers. Sellers are guaranteed to receive payment in most cases, even if a shopper does a chargeback on his or her credit card. Shoppers know that in cases of fraud, they will receive a refund. Fraud protection is especially crucial for any online sales community that has multiple sellers that produce products independently. Without fraud protection in the gateway itself, the business or website becomes culpable, if not always legally than certainly in the eyes of the buyer. This system reduces risk and allows a more free shopping environment.

Other Gateways

There are other payment gateways besides Google Checkout. If your business is looking to sell through a payment gateway, research your options before committing to one. Integration with your website is usually easy, but it can be annoying and time-consuming to switch payment gateways after integration. Google Checkout's size is a plus in many ways, but can also have a downside. Small businesses looking for a more personalized product or personalized customer service may find what they're looking for in a mid-sized gateway.

References

• Google Checkout: Merchants