Web Design Book - Google Checkout launches in Blighty

There are many ways to pay for things online, but up until now the most popular options have been PayPal and online credit card processing, especially in the UK.

But things could be set for a shake-up, as Google has just launched it’s own payment service, Google Checkout, in the UK. The service has been running in the US for a few months, but until now British website owners and users couldn’t take advantage of the it.

What makes Google Checkout special?

Well, for a start it’s run by Google, one of the largest companies in the world and the most visited website in the Internet’s short history.

Like Paypal, Google Checkout will allow people to shop easily on different websites, with a single username and password.

However, unlike Paypal, Google Checkout will be tied into the search engine results, meaning website owners could see much better returns by using it.

One of the coolest things about Google checkout is the price. At the moment it’s free! (by contrast Paypal charge up to 3.5%)

Ofter 2007 it’s going to stop being free, but they’re offering some very impressive incentives. “For every £1 you spend on AdWords, you can process £10 in sales for free through Google Checkout. For example, if you spent £1,000 on AdWords last month, this month you can process £10,000 in sales at no cost.” Otherwise the cost will be 1.5% + 15p per transaction, which is very competitive.

Whether Google Checkout takes over the world like so many of Google’s other offerings remains to be seen. But for now, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on.

A ship wreck in Devon has lead all sorts to wash up on a local beach. But who would have thought this would end up on eBay?

Check this out:

Loot from the Devon shipwreck

Some people have no shame ;o)