I sell my used handbags and gadgets on eBay and Bonanzle. I have used both Paypal and Google Checkout for payment processing.
I had a very strange situation which has prompted me to stop using Google Checkout.
Both Paypal and Google Checkout boast “payment protection against chargebacks” in different forms.
For claims of unauthorized charges or fraud
Paypal will cover you under seller protection if you mail with a tracked method (delivery confirmation for <$250 and signature confirmation >$250) to the confirmed address on the invoice. This basically means they have verified the buyer’s address with the banking or credit card information and since this is the address the person who is footing the bill lives at, they will cover you if you deliver there and it has a chargeback for fraud.
Google uses a payment guarantee for similar restrictions (mail with tracking DC <$250 or Sig confirmation >$250 to the address listed on the invoice) with one MAJOR difference. They only have the payment guarantee for about 98% of transactions. If they do not indicate the payment guarantee is in effect, they don’t tell you why. EVEN if all the risk checks are passed (AVS and CVV) they still may not cover you.
Another MAJOR difference is if I have an issue with Paypal, I can call and speak to a live person. With Google Checkout there are no numbers for you to call. I sent an email yesterday morning and JUST got a response more than 36 hours later that recapped the same crap they state on the website.
So, while I have done my fair share of complaining about Paypal, I think I’ll stick with the devil I know and may not love over a company that won’t even give its customers a number to call in case of emergency.
