Comments on: Why Operating a Web Service in Canada Sucks – Part II: Google Checkout

By: vince jelenic

vince jelenic — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 06:06:36 +0000

google checkout not in canada?
that’s the least of worries.

Went to Elavon, had apps all filled out, ready to order, stopped dead in tracks.

When they found we sold ONLINE, they said NO.
As a category “furniture” is not accepted for online sales, period. AS A CATEGORY it is considered “high risk”.

Hell, we sell antiques, have been doing so for many years, had merchant accounts.

Our solution, simple, our customers can pay with credit card through paypal gateway. Said goodbye to the banks’ cc processors, got rid of the card readers, and switched to using Paypal online form combined with smartswipe card reader.

We no longer have leases, hidden charges, account fees, upgrades, security audits, or any of the other crap that moneris, monex, elavon, internetsecure and the others demand.

I’d love to see google checkout arrive here, just for option.

Should paypal cut off here? simple solution, cash, or cheque (or certified cheque in mail).. We are lucky, combined B&M and online sales. If ONLINE takes a dive due to the crap surrounding payments in Canada, well, we can always fall back on b&M store… worth a thought, diversify online, but also diversify offline, both with sales and payments, that’s the future.

Reminds me of Mad Max survival type of society, but that seems where we’re headed.

“TRUST NO ONE” — sheesh, kinda sucks.

By: ryan

ryan — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:34:45 +0000

Its not Google or paypals fault. Moneris is a vicous blood sucking Piece of @#$#@ that does not want to lose its energy illegal sucking hold of its monopoly. A great many years ago people that hate working and competition. We will call them accountants,lawyers, and bankers all got together and said we can make alot of money if we control a couple of brands under one umbrella. That umbrella i moneris. They are the equvalent of te NAZI party. They are ruthless and beyond evil. WAKE UP CANADA. Lets Get rid of the monopolies.

By: Bob

Bob — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 02:10:53 +0000

Sorry guys, Paypal does serve people in Canada, we have had a merchant account for at least a year. Not sure what you guys are talking about. Wanted to use Google Checkout, since it’s donations feature is better, but will stick with Paypal, since Google doesn’t want the business, and Paypal’s setup was fairly easy.

By: Google Checkout Matches Paypal Rates

Google Checkout Matches Paypal Rates — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 18:30:45 +0000

[...] has left a bad taste in many Online Canadian Entrepreneurs, just read this post titled: “Why Operating a Web Service in Canada Sucks – Part II: Google Checkout” [...]

By: Tim

Tim — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 19:00:58 +0000

Wow! There was me thinking of moving to Canada… Not until I can do business there methinks…

By: anon

anon — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 09:52:50 +0000

I disagree with the comments that Google Checkout is not offered to Canadians due to size of market. Although Canada’s population is small(roughly the same as the state of California); it’s online market is estimated at aprox. 28,000,000+ internet users (85%+ population online penetration.) Online retail sales in Canada has had double digit growth year after year and I’d be daft as a business owner to ignore or under-estimate the growing power of the Canadian market. If Canadian busines were peanuts to Google, then why offer other services such as Google Adwords, and the dedicated search engine Google.ca etc. Google.ca is #57 on the Global list of top websites (based on traffic). If there’s money to be made, Google is already all over it, or trying to be. I can’t offer knowledge as to why Google doesn’t currently offer checkout to Canadians, but I have no doubt that they are currently working on it, or that they will be in future. I suspect it is simply the logistics of dealing with the CRA that’s holding Google back. Just recently eBay was ordered by the Federal Court to disclose sellers information to the CRA (to source tax evaders): http://www.michaelgeist.ca/content/view/2262/125/ Perhaps, Google is avoiding or working around similar complications / privacy issues?

By: Georgie Boy

Georgie Boy — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 01:32:18 +0000

you guys are all wrong about your reasons for lack of CC processors. it has nothing to do with our laws , nothing to do with intergration ,,

it’s all about the cost of doing business in Canada

it just isn’t worth it , all these people complaining about no google and stuff are little tiny sellers , anyone doing real business can get a merchant account in 5 minutes.. google doesn’t need the huge headaches and overhead to service canada when the pay off is peanuts..

once you do business in canada you open yourself up to a whole bunch of crap like reaching your new customers,, supporting them ,, legal issues , a whole possibility of getting sued in Canada.

its just not worth their time , notice the only thing working with canada is paypal and they say you agree not to sue them anywhere but instead use arbitration in California.

too much hassle , not enough paper , if there was a huge demand for cc in canada you would see companies like alert pay take off and go through the roof

By: ted

ted — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:30:35 +0000

canada is sucks must place I ever live in
http://www.canadaright.com
sucks to canadian citizen ship when we do not have right to be happy here

By: Angela

Angela — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:25:51 +0000

I think you are right David. We need to get our own service going or encourage and promote Canadian payment services like Alertpay :

http://www.alertpay.com/?MuynfEhRqnyETbzyJ2PLMA%3d%3d

I also use Moneybookers which is based in the U.K

https://www.moneybookers.com/app/?rid=3402349

Google Checkout now deserves the garbage bin just like PayPal.

By: Canadian Internet Merchant Account Services

Canadian Internet Merchant Account Services — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 22:47:00 +0000

[...] Side Note: Google Checkout is currently not available to Canadians [...]