Buy.com’s New Google Checkout Banners
Buy.com is leveraging its relationship with the Google Checkout platform in its newest set of banner and web placement creatives.
The newest newsletter from the Buy.com affiliate program (managed through Commission Junction) includes the following banners…
The embedded link in the creatives take you to a landing page which explains the Google Checkout and Buy.com relationship…
“In an effort to provide our customers the broadest selection of checkout options, Buy.com has implemented Google’s new checkout service ‘Google Checkout’. The Google Checkout service assists customers in two distinct ways. First, it shows Google Checkout customers more relevant information in Google search results by displaying the Google Checkout badge on the sponsored links of merchants that offer Google Checkout. Second, it helps simplify the buying process.”
What follows is a graphical set of instructions on how to use Google Checkout from the consumer point of view.
Many argue that eBay’s PayPal is the undisputed champion in the consumer pay service platform, but I’ve argued in the comments here that PayPal is hampered by its close knit association with eBay and it’s inability to reach its customer base via email because of the severity of phishing scams.
Google Checkout stands to broaden the idea of an “online wallet” (though I wouldn’t use those terms because that idea is so tainted with history and baggage) with participating merchants. These co-branding campaigns, along with the placement of the Google Checkout feature on the front page of Google points towards an immenent Checkout/PayPal showdown.
Interesting stats about Google Checkout’s adoption rate in ’06 (around 6% of market) from Steve Bryant of Google Watch here…
Well Google has not other choise but to become friendlier to affiliates, I guess…
You go, Google!
2007: Year of search industry backlash on Google. Led by Danny Sullivan, the industry will go into further convulsions. It will not be limited to wondering how the hell they should and shouldn’t be paid, ethics and all… nor the realization that SEO is not an industry but a practice. Oh no… it will extend further : The (relative) weaklings in the search industry itself will realize they are being marginalized as companies like Google transform from cutsie little companies into blood-thirsty bullies. The words “anti trust” will again find their way into our conversations.
“We have a relationship with Google” will move from lead marketing tactic and deal closer to DIRT!
Google is an ad company, not a search company.
There is already a little Google-lag going around the blogosphere, but it hasn’t trickled down past the fickle a listers. I don’t see the same sort of “backlash” as you allude to, especially in terms of Google’s search platform.
As I’ve said here numerous times, search will continue to evolve (think Sidekiq or the wiki search thing Jimmy Wales is hopefully putting together), and that will take away market share in the search world from Google. But, Google is no where near a monopoly on search. Yahoo, MSN (not to mention international search portals) have large volumes of traffic.
Google has positioned themselves nicely with offerings such as GMail, Calendar, Jotspot, Docs/Spreadsheet, etc. In other words, Google is well aware of the nature of the search market and are continually expanding our ideas of what an “internet company” means.
Our previous large examples (MSN, AOL, eBay, Pets.com… oh wait…) were one trick ponies. Google is building something else all together, and I expect the GDrive to be the ultimate bringing together of that “something else.”
Release GooBuntu, Google!
How does Amazon factor in to the GDrive? 🙂
Them ‘er some big brands. Clash of the Titans? Amazon has proven ability to provide serious Web-based tech and supply chain services to big retailers (including themselves). G? Not to mention the “not putting all one’s eggs in one G basket” factor.
Should MSFT fear Google or Amazon?