I was browsing through the Google Blogs using my Yahoo Pipe and noticed that there have been a couple pieces of cool news item floating around at the the Gmail and Google Checkout blogs.
Google Checkout Lost Tracking Data
Google has begun to notify merchants using Google Checkout that Google Checkout pixel tracking was temporarily disabled from July 10 to July 18 due to an issue associated with system maintenance earlier in the month. Pixel tracking allows internet retailers to send Google Checkout conversion data to third parties. While disabled, the feature was unable to report conversions. Many online merchants have worked hard to integrate Google Checkout data with comparison shopping engines, affiliate networks, analytics vendors, third party bid management firms and others.
Google Checkout Migrates To Mobiles
I occasionally use my cell phone to talk, and on still rarer occasions, to snap a photo. It mostly serves as a pocket-born paperweight. But for those of you who are a little more in touch with the mobile market, Google has just the thing: Google Checkout for mobile.
PayPal and the Google Checkout Threat
CNET has an interview with PayPal Chief Technology Officer Scott Thompson. It’s mostly about PayPal’s technology and anti-phishing tactics, but does have one question on Google Checkout.
Google Offering Checkout Referral Bonuses
AdSense advertisers have even more incentive to use Google Checkout for payment processing. Each time a new buyer signs up for a Checkout account and makes a new purchase, the referring party will receive a monetary bonus.
Google Checkout Promotions Cost $58 Million Last Year
Nathan has uncovered the dollar amount Google spent in promoting Google Checkout in 2006 – $58 million. As Nathan points out, that’s the amount spent in promotions and $10-$30 coupons by Google, in an attempt to take some market share from PayPal.
Nathan adds…
Which Sites Have $10 Free Google Checkout Promo?
Download Squad’s Jordan Running took upon the task of discovering which stores, beyond the 15 listed on the promo page, are participating in Google Checkout’s deal that gives ten dollars off the first purchase a new Google Checkout user makes.
Google Checkout Promo A Cause For Concern?
Google Checkout appears to be branching out, and not everyone is happy about it. Google purists are annoyed that product information is taking up an increasing amount of space on the main results page; other observers are concerned that the search engine company is no longer being fair to competitors.
Google Offering Checkout-optimized Results
Google once more might have crossed the fine line between delivering the most neutral search results, and doing self-promotion in disfavor of such neutrality.
No Answer to Google Checkout from PayPal
The NYT takes a look at Google efforts to take market share away from eBay’s PayPal. The two are in a battle for the right to process credit card payments of companies looking for an alternative to merchant accounts.