Google Checkout - too good to be true?

The old adage has it - if it is too good to be true - then it probably isn’t.

Google came pushing it’s google checkout. Free payment gateway! Too good to be true?

Well it appears that it is.

Firstly we have the absolute disaster as it is poorly compatible with a number of affiliate networks. Well my first response is that the tracking is the responsibility of the merchant - not the payment gateway or the network.

But the big problem is that google checkout does NOT redirect the customer back to the merchant website once the transaction has ended. This is bad for the merchant - no second chance for a second impulse buy, and secondly the affiliate - as more often than not the tracking script is placed on the ‘checkout success’ page, so if there is no user visiting the success page - there is no tracking of the sale.

Google has its own solution for this, but it requires the merchant or affiliate network to be approved. This is basically a pain to all involved. More info on this see a4u forum

Also something to remember - google is not a bank! Just because google is the biggest internet company doesn’t mean that it’s payment solution will do everything and do it free. Paypal has only just really been accepted as being a bonified payment gateway and not just an ebay payment system.

I was originally tempted by GC but I am now treading with caution.

There are also alot of people worried about the amount of information that google is collecting - just in time for launch of its own CPA / CPS affiliate style model. Not sure if this worry is just or not.

I am sure that time will tell

April 30th, 2007 Posted by scifind | affiliate marketing, paypal, google, Networks | one comment

PrimeQ Release CPM and CPC advertising Solutions

Primeq have just announced their CPM and CPC banner network:

 ”PrimeQ has launched a CPM and CPC banner network that gives businesses the opportunity to advertise on the global online network’s range of proprietary websites and syndicated SORT paths which attract over a million unique visitors a month.

Using banners, buttons and text ads, advertisers can get their messages across to very specific demographic groups. Segmentation is available by tightly defined categories and this considerably increases the value to marketers. The sophisticated targeting technology has resulted in click through rates as high as 25% on some spots for one of the first advertisers.

Jason McClain, CEO of PrimeQ, said the new banner network would be an ideal vehicle for businesses to acquire customers: “Because of the nature of the sites in our portfolio and their highly focussed nature, surfers are more likely than average to make a purchase or express an interest in a product or service. I am delighted PrimeQ has been able to respond to our clients’ requests for increased exposure on our web properties and am looking forward to the CPM network becoming as successful as other recent initiatives.”

This gives more options and flexability for advertisers with this quickly developing network. It would be interesting to see what they pull from their hat next.

April 30th, 2007 Posted by scifind | affiliate marketing, Networks | no comments