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Google Checkout FAQs

Q. What is Google Checkout?

A: Google Checkout (http://checkout.google.com) is a service for Internet shoppers which allows them to better-control their Internet shopping experience. Specifically, Google Checkout gives your customers a single account where they can store their common billing and shipping addresses and credit card information, then make purchases at participating websites using that information.

Q. What are the advantages of Google Checkout for the Internet Shopper?

A:  - They create one account and password at Google Checkout, rather than individual accounts and passwords at each website they shop at.

 - Credit card and e-mail information is not shared with the merchant, allowing them to better-control their credit card numbers and turn-off unwanted emails from merchants.

 - It centralizes Internet purchases, creating a single purchase-history list.

Q. What is the impact to the merchant?

A: Google Checkout is not a payment system. It doesn't compare with PayPal or Authorize.Net, for example. Instead, it totally replaces your six-step checkout procedure. Google Checkout is initiated from your shopping cart page, and controls the entire checkout procedure; receiving payment information, authorizing the credit card, collecting a shipping address, and finalizing the transaction.

Q. Can customers really remain anonymous?

A: Customers using Google Checkout don't necessarily need to log-in to your website to make a purchase. They do need to provide a shipping address when they use Google Checkout, but that's the only personally-identifiable information you'll receive. Google Checkout will even provide the customer with a unique email address for the order, upon request, and forward emails from you on the customers' behalf. They can opt-out of your emails at any time.

Q. How do I enable my storefront to offer Google Checkout as a checkout option?

A: Google Checkout is built-in to AspDotNetStorefront v6.1.4 and beyond. It's configured using a dozen AppConfig variables, allowing you to set-up your storefront to accept orders from Google Checkout. It's very simple to configure.  Once you open a Google Checkout account, you can configure your storefront in under ten minutes.

Q. What information do I need from Google?

A: You'll need to open a Google Checkout account here: http://checkout.google.com/sell. Actually, it's useful to open up two accounts; one account for accepting orders from customers, and another account to place "test" orders from, to ensure everything is working right. Please note that Google Checkout doesn't allow a merchant to buy from his own store; that's why a second account is recommended.

Q. Is Verified by Visa or MasterCard SecureCode supported?

A: Since Google Checkout handles all of the payment details, these security features (if installed on your website) are not used.

Q. How do I know if I receive a new order from Google Checkout?

A: When a new order is received, Google Checkout will send you (the merchant) an email, and the order will appear on your Google Checkout orders page. The order is also assigned an Order Number within AspDotNetStorefront, and will appear along with orders placed at your website on the Admin>Orders page.

Q. How do I process an order placed with Google Checkout?

A: Your order-fulfillment process-flow doesn't change. Orders placed with Google Checkout appear on your Admin>Orders page. From there, you can "Capture" the purchase, and send the customer a Tracking Number. You can also Void and order, or Refund the customer.

Q. My product pricing varies, based on the assigned Customer Level of my customers. Will this work with Google Checkout?

A: Yes. The operation of Customer Levels remains unchanged. Obviously, your customer needs to be signed-in to your website to know his customer level, and to see his products and pricing. Since Google Checkout only affects the way a customer checks out, the operation of you storefront prior to checkout remains unchanged.

Q. I have customers that are tax-exempt. Will Google Checkout collect sales tax on their order?

A: Any tax-exempt status that you've assigned to your customers will be respected by Google Checkout.

Q. What about "Buy Now" buttons? Does Google Checkout have them?

A: Google Checkout has them, but they are not supported by AspDotNetStorefront. Why not? Because "Buy Now" buttons do not support the addition of sales tax or shipping costs, and don't have SKU's. We aren't preventing you from using a "Buy Now" button, but a customer's order placed via a "Buy Now" button will not appear on the Admin>Orders page.

Q. What about coupons and gift cards that I defined in AspDotNetStorefront?

A: AspDotNetStorefront Coupons and Gift Cards are fully accepted at Google Checkout. Coupons are verified against the contents of the cart during checkout, to ensure that they are valid. Gift Cards are checked to ensure that they are valid, and their monetary balance can be applied against the order total within Google Checkout. Customer may use only one coupon or gift card at a time, to maintain compatibility with AspDotNetStorefront.

Q. What about quantity discounts? Does Google Checkout know about these?

A: Yes, Google Checkout will respect any quantity discount you've offered your customers.

Q. I collect sales tax based on a customer's ZIP code. How will I collect the proper tax, if I'm not handling the checkout process?

A: Google Checkout fully supports the sales tax tables you've defined in AspDotNetStorefront, including tax rates defined by Country, State, or ZIP code.

Q. My state requires that I collect sales tax on the cost of shipping, too. Will Google Checkout know this?

A: Yes, simply select "Yes" in the "Tax Shipping" column on Taxes>Edit States on the Admin Site, and AspDotNetStorefront will pass this information along to Google Checkout.

Q. I sell some items that do not get charged sales tax. Will Google Checkout know this?

A: Any items where the IsTaxable flag is false will not be charged sales tax by Google Checkout.

Q. How much does Google Checkout cost?

A: Read the details at the Google Checkout website. In a nutshell, Google offers you a credit if you are an AdWords customer. For every $1 you spend with AdWords, you'll receive $10 in free Google Checkout processing. Beyond that, costs are 2% plus 20-cents per transaction. There are no monthly charges, minimums, or service fees.

Q. What about kits, packs, downloadable items, and subscriptions?

A: Kits, Packs, Download-only Items, and Subscription Items are all supported by Google Checkout.

Q. My site has a Gift Registry. Can I specify a different shipping address for these items in Google Checkout? or I allow my customers to specify multiple shipping addresses for the items in their shopping cart. Will Google Checkout support multiple shipping addresses within the same order?

A: No. Although Google Checkout stores several shipping addresses for a customer, only one may be used to complete the Google Checkout process.

Q. I ship my products worldwide. Can all of my customers use Google Checkout?

A: Google Checkout supports international buyers with billing addresses in over 150 countries!  Orders may be shipped internationally wherever Google Checkout is available.

Q. My AspDotNetStorefront shopping cart displays the image of each item in the cart. Is that available with Google Checkout?

A: No, item images are not supported.

Q. I want my company logo to appear on the Google Checkout screen, instead of their Google Checkout logo. How do I do this?

A: At this time, co-branding of the Google Checkout screen is not generally available.