Apr 19 2007

Bad News - Google Checkout UK

Google Checkout has launched in the UK but it seems there have been no lessons learned from the US launch. More about that over at the 5 Star Affiliate Blog.

At the moment it seems that customers who complete their transaction by paying using Google Checkout are not going to be tracked by most of the affiliate networks so affiliates will lose out. Debate is already running about who is to blame here but it looks like various merchants have rushed to work with Google before thinking about their affiliates and fully testing tracking.

The approval process doesn’t seem to be a fast process so the affiliate networks will now be trying to catch up and get the approval needed. My advice to merchants? If you care about your affiliates at all then simply make sure you never introduce any new payment method that breaks your network tracking.

UPDATE Clarke has summarised the current situation over at a4uforum

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Google Checkout - Warning UK Affiliates

UK affiliates need to read Fraser’s blog which links out to lots more info.
Basically if your merchant use Google Checkout your sales may not track.

Bad News - Google Checkout UK - Fraser…

Trackback by 5 Star Affiliate Marketing Forums — April 19, 2007 @ 6:34 pm
Google Drops Froogle - Plans to Drop Performics - CheckOut UK Watch Out

There is so much going on in Google base camp that affects affiliates and retailers today, that I’m just going to lump it all together into one post and link out to the sources in case anyone missed some of this news.

…

Trackback by 5 Star Affiliate Marketing Blogs, Google and SEO Blog — April 19, 2007 @ 7:55 pm
[…] Other people reporting about Google Checkout UK are Fraser Edwards and Jess Luthi, to keep up with the current state of play for UK Network you will find a thread I have made over at A4U plus other threads highlighting the current issues. […]

Pingback by Affiliate Marketing Blog » Blog Archive » Google Checkout UK - is commission being tracked? — April 20, 2007 @ 12:51 pm
[…] Fraser Edwards posts “Bad News - Google Checkout UK” in Fraser’s Affiliate Marketing Blog, where he observes… The approval process doesn’t seem to be a fast process so the affiliate networks will now be trying to catch up and get the approval needed. My advice to merchants? If you care about your affiliates at all then simply make sure you never introduce any new payment method that breaks your network tracking. […]

Pingback by Google Checkout Ruckus in the UK at Affiliate Tip Blog by Shawn Collins — April 21, 2007 @ 4:18 pm

Comments

11 comments | Leave your comment | Feed for this Entry

Linda Buquet
Apr 19th, 2007 at 3:44 pm | #

Hi Fraser and all. I wrote several other blogs about the Google issue including one where Matt Cutts resonded to me that he was getting the G team working on a solution.

They did come up with one for the US, so here are all the details in case this solution will work for you guys across the pond.

Google Checkout Affiliate Tracking Now Works - Here’s How
http://affiliate-blogs.5staraffiliateprograms.com/2006/12/10/checkout-affiliate-tracking-now-works/

Hope this helps and best of luck!

Fraser
Apr 20th, 2007 at 10:49 am | #

Thanks for your comments Linda - it’s great to get the benefit of your experience having gone through something like this already!

Richard
Apr 22nd, 2007 at 5:01 pm | #

Interesting that you should only accentuate the negative…

How about “Good News - Google Checkout UK gives customers £10 each, conversion rates expected to rise”

Yes, the affiliate networks and merchants should work with Google to ensure that all sales are tracked properly.

But it’s not relentlessly bad news. Generally, Google does a good.

With tracking in place, shouldn’t affiliates be pleased to see Google Checkout and its potential positive effect on conversion rates…

Fraser
Apr 22nd, 2007 at 7:17 pm | #

Fair point Richard but until it’s tracking all affiliate sales I see it as bad news.

I’ll agree that I’m quite likely to be calling it good news given a couple of weeks or so to get everything to get fixed but not before then!

thanks for your comment.

Simon
Apr 23rd, 2007 at 11:15 am | #

Hi all. Simon from the Checkout UK team here. Affiliate tracking is a core part of the product and we are working hard on getting all the networks supported on the Checkout platform. If you are not already working with us in this regard, please contact: checkout-api-support@google.com to get yourself setup.

thanks!
S…

Fraser
Apr 23rd, 2007 at 1:38 pm | #

Simon - thanks for taking the time to post. Is there anything the affiliate networks can do to speed up the process? i.e. any common mistake being made in the application etc or just any advice for the networks?

Classic Movie Store
Oct 12th, 2007 at 7:42 pm | #

Yes I agree with above comments, don’t be too negative on google checkout. Anyone that has used Paypal will tell you how bad things can get when someone has the monopoly, I think it’s best to support google in their efforts.

We at ClassicMovieStore have a google checkout merchant account and it has the brilliant bonus if you use adwords of the google checkout badge, which makes your ad stand out from the crowd.

I wish google all the best with this.