Five Reasons to Avoid Using Google Checkout

Google Checkout got quite a bit of attention when it first launched in June 2006. There was speculation initially that they would be a major competitor for Paypal and eBay banned sellers from using it as a payment method. The purpose of Google Checkout is to simplify the online shopping process. Users set up an account and then link their credit card and a shipping address. They add items from various sites to their shopping cart and when they are finished shopping, they only have to complete one transaction. They claim to offer added privacy and fraud protection.

Many people have been drawn to use the Google Checkout feature due to lucrative promotional offers such as $10 off any $10 purchase and $20 off any $50 purchase. I'm a bargain hunter, and so I figured it was worth trying. To say that I was disappointed with the experience is an understatement. When I searched online for "Google Checkout" I found numerous complaints from others whose experiences were similar to mine. Common words used to describe the service included abysmal, terrible, and poor.

Here are five reasons to avoid using Google Checkout:

Delay in processing orders

When you visit a site and use Google Checkout, there is a delay between the time when you place your order and the time when they actually communicate with the vendor. You may think that this is reasonable, but in this case, the delays are excessive. Many have reported that they paid additional money for expedited shipping, but it took three or four days on average just for the order to be transferred from Google to the vendor. Some customers have reported that it has taken them two to three weeks to receive merchandise even though they requested "expedited handling." Google Checkout is definitely not the way to go if you need something on a timeline or for a gift.

Frequent cancellation of orders

Due to the delay in processing, orders are frequently cancelled because the product is no longer available. For example, I ordered an item from ToysRus.com that was listed as being "in stock." I later received an e-mail indicating that my order had been cancelled because the item was out of stock. The message indicated that inventory is based on projections from the manufacturer and that they continue to accept orders even though they are not available because they anticipate future shipments. When I read through complaints and reviews posted by others online, it appeared that cancellation due to a lack of availability was a common occurrence. Unfortunately, the item I ordered was for a gift and by the time I was notified of the cancellation, I was in a real time crunch.

Difficulty getting refunds

Google processes payments immediately, but it is very difficult and time consuming to get a refund. For example, the order that I placed was cancelled, but my credit card had already been charged. When I visited my Google Checkout account, it indicated that my order was still "in process." When I tried to contact the vendor (Toys 'R Us) directly, they told me that they had no record of the transaction. I contacted Google customer service multiple times to no avail. I finally disputed the charge with my credit card company. In reading through feedback posted by others online, it appears that I am not the only one who has had this experience.

No follow through on promotional offers

To encourage users to try their service, Google has offered a number of promotional offers for first time users. Although users enter the promotional code or follow the instructions to take advantage of the offer, they find when they are charged that the promotion was not applied. I experienced this with my order and never received a response even though I contacted customer service several times.

No phone support and terrible customer service

One of the biggest problems with Google Checkout is their lack of customer support. The only way that customers can contact them is via e-mail. I initially attempted to contact them to change the shipping address on my order. I had attempted to change the address following the instructions online, but the change did not go through. I received an e-mail response indicating that my concerns deserved "personal attention." The e-mail suggested that I contact the vendor directly. The phone number for the vendor was provided. Of course, when I contacted the vendor, they directed me back to Google. When I asked for a contact phone number rather than an e-mail address, I was told that Google Checkout does not offer phone support. I e-mailed their customer support team a total of twelve times using different subject lines and regarding different issues and received the same form response message directing me to contact the vendor. Based on the reports I read online, it appears that I was lucky I got any response at all.

I think that the concept of Google Checkout is a good one, but they seem to have a number of issues that they have yet to address. For me, the entire experience was incredibly frustrating and a huge waste of time. I will not use their service ever again and I definitely wouldn't recommend it to others.