Strictly Google Checkout! Please Help Me!

[Woodymon]

Frustrating to say the least is the fact that google checkout prides itself on bypassing Zen Cart's create an account feature. This means that the customer isn't placed into our database unless they actually buy something. My problem with that is that we don't have a way to contact them later unless they sign up for the newsletter.

Hi John-

That is not the case. If customer checking out of your shop with Google Checkout decides to "hide" their email address from you (via checkbox on the Google Checkout order page) Google Checkout auto generates a @checkout.l.google.com email address for your customer, and the email address is automatically used to generate a new account in your Zen Cart shop.

After a completed Zen Cart order look in the comments on a order page in ZC admin and you will observe both the email address along with a generated shop login password.

Another problem with the Google Checkout option is that it completely bypasses the checkout page. So if you are using other payment systems the customer doesn't see it unless they missed the big honking google checkout button.

Similar with PayPal Express Checkout (PPEC) or other express checkout mechanisms. It's the nature of the beast.

I'm a firm believer in not putting all your eggs in one basket.

PayPal Express Checkout (PPEC) is very similar to Google Checkout (GC) in many respects and has similar limitations. One plus of PPEC is the maintainer of the PPEC mod for ZC is also on the ZC team thus has inside knowledge of the ZC architecture. So that mod matured quickly.

However the most recent GC mod v.1.4 has also greatly matured and for the shops I support PayPal and GC are running neck and neck as the preferred choice of payment. Naturally with GC not charging processing fees until 2008, I prefer customers select GC. That is a no brainer.

Useful GC mod info and more is available at the new Google Checkout support forum (applies to current v.1.4 mod).

http://groups.google.com/group/googl...rt-mod-support

Woody

[birdoasis]

Woody,

I think I'm still using version 1.3.

So your saying that even though someone clicks on google checkout yet doesn't complete the transaction their info is sent back to ZC admin?

That's good. I thought you didn't get any info back from them unless the customer paid.

[0101101011]

Avoiding creating an account is the whole object of the GOOgle checkout!!! Read the TOS ...

How about your own marketing? It does not sound right to me: GCO is great tool to use as a payment (with no-costs-at-this-time benefits); but to give up the customer information sounds insane.
Best,

[Woodymon]

Woody,

I think I'm still using version 1.3.

So your saying that even though someone clicks on google checkout yet doesn't complete the transaction their info is sent back to ZC admin?

That's good. I thought you didn't get any info back from them unless the customer paid.

No, I didn't say that. The new account login credentials are only generated and delivered to ZC admin orders UI when the GC order is actually submitted (when order state is set to pending). And I can't tell you anymore if this works correctly in 1.3 (that is so long ago... I have all my clients converted to 1.4).

The next mod 1.4 version update will send an email message including login credentials to both the buyer and the seller, when order state changes from pending to processing.

For more info on 1.4 see the new support forum for the mod
http://groups.google.com/group/googl...rt-mod-support

Woody

[Woodymon]

How about your own marketing? It does not sound right to me: GCO is great tool to use as a payment (with no-costs-at-this-time benefits); but to give up the customer information sounds insane.
Best,

Actually avoiding requiring customer to create an account is part of the GC checkout process (as is with other express checkout services, including PPEC).

The GC mod now auto creates the ZC shop account for the customer.

But yes, with any 3rd party checkout or payments processing service, including GC and PPEC, you are "giving" customer info to the provider (even though they try to spin it as they are giving up the info to you).

The pros and cons of hitch-hiking. Insanity fuels the internet.

Woody

[Woodymon]

Looks good but is there a way to add the comment section? when I installed Google checkou and this mod I no longer have a comments section field for customers to add comments or instructions for order... Anyone know how I can fix this?

Unfortunately no. This good idea has been on the Google Checkout Developer forum wishlist for some time, without any response. The more people informing Google Checkout product team that this feature is desired, the better chance of it happening.

For current GC mod wishlist and link to Developer forum wishlist see
See http://groups.google.com/group/googl...rt-mod-support

[pinne65]

I'm getting this message when i submit an order to GC after installing GCONLY.
" Oops!
XYZ STORE has sent Google a shopping cart with errors in it. We'll contact them to ask that they fix this problem. As this could be a temporary issue, you can go back in your browser to try checking out again."

Zen Cart 1.3.7

Any1 any ideas?

[ghee22]

I don't think this is compatible with 1.4

[kelvyn]

Hello - I'm looking at implementing this now, but there MUST be a simple way to show JUST the google checkout button, and not the "proceed to checkout" button, but I can't see the simple way.

I thought I could just tweak the "shopping cart" modules/pages page, but it's trickier than I thought.

Would appreciate some guidance before I make changes to files I probably don't need to.

[kelvyn]

UPDATE! I found the way at last!

In \includes\languages\english\my_template\shopping_cart.php in the TEXT_INFORMATION define, put something explanatory, and in:

\includes\templates\my_template\templates\tpl_shopping_cart_default.php

around line 135, comment out

echo '<a href="' . zen_href_link(FILENAME_CHECKOUT_SHIPPING, '', 'SSL') . '">' . zen_image_button(BUTTON_IMAGE_CHECKOUT, BUTTON_CHECKOUT_ALT) . '</a>'; 

Et voila! Happy Customers!