We're happy to report that Google will now be offering full refunds. From the Official Google Blog:

* We're giving a full refund — as a credit card refund — to everyone who ever bought a video. We'll need you to make sure we have your most recent credit card information, but once we know where to send the money, you'll get it.

* You can still keep the Google Checkout credit that you've received already. Think of it as an additional 'we're sorry we goofed' credit.

* We're going to continue to support playing your videos for another six months. We won't be offering the ability to buy additional videos, but what you've already downloaded will remain playable on your computer.

An update on Google Video feedback [Official Google Blog]

PREVIOUSLY: Google Taking Back All Videos You Rented or Bought From Them

First, contact the seller and try to resolve the issue.
1. Sign in to your Google Account.
2. On the Purchase History page, locate the order containing the item you'd like to cancel or have refunded, and click the link in the Item column.
3. At the top of the receipt, click Contact [Seller's Name].
4. Select an appropriate subject for your message from the Subject: drop-down menu, and enter your message in the Message: text box.
5. Click Send email once you've provided the necessary details.

If that proves fruitless, you can ask Google for mediation. *

In this instance, either "I'd like to cancel my order" or "Other" should do the trick. — BEN POPKEN

* This was also covered, in passing, in our Dec 13 post, "We Interview Google Checkout; Promises To Protect Consumers"

This is huge news for artists, writers, coders, and other small or individual merchants, especially those who'll profit from being able to sell little things for cheap. Nobody would pay $5 for a neat poem I wrote (you can get a book of poems for that!), but they might pay $0.50 to download a .pdf or $1.50 for a signed print.

You can take payments of as little as $1.00 on PayPal, but of course with PayPal you have to give them access to your bank account, and with Google, not so.

Google Checkout continues its relentless pursuit of excellence/Paypal smashing. Why haven't we bought shares in yet? Oh wait, because it's expensive, has low cash flow, and Google keeps issuing stock to employees.

Aside: Google Checkout's promotional $10 off $30+ and $20 off $50+ program ended today. — BEN POPKEN

Google Checkout Does Micropayments! [*The *Transcendental *Wildcard]

"They are really fascists. They should breathe some death gas or something," said Gallo, a filmmaker famous for having Chloe Sevigny suck a prosthetic representation of his penis in the misogynistic thrill-ride, Brown Bunny.

Paypal said Gallo violated its, "policy against facilitating meetings for sexually oriented activities."

Vincent, baby, Mr. Brown Bunny... now's a great time to switch to Google Checkout. Consider becoming an official merchant partner, and offer Google Checkout customers $20 off. — BEN POPKEN

Vincent Gallo Merchandise [Official Site]
Gawker Gift Guide Update: No Vincent Gallo Dickin' for the Credit-Limit Challenged
Gawker Gift Guide: A Vincent Gallo Dickin'

• It's a conduit, not a bank, so your money will never get stuck (something Paypal does notoriously).
• True one-click shopping.
• Doesn't share your full credit card info with anyone, not even merchants.
• Use it now and get $10 off $30 or $20 off $50, at participating stores.

Give it a shot! — BEN POPKEN

Google Checkout [Official Site]
Google Checkout: First Impressions [Fivecentnickle]

You may have to sign up first.

Perhaps this is PayPal trying to stave off Google Checkout? Competition, it's the gift that keeps on giving. — BEN POPKEN

PayPal plans $20 rebates to users [Reuters via alexmoskalyukblog]

This is helped by, in part, that Google Checkout is tied to your credit card and not your bank account.

Even then, Google Checkout will not freeze your credit card. Worse-case scenario, in the event of fraud or suspicion of, they will stop processing transactions at your request.

What Google should really do is make service called Google VC, tied to Google Checkout. That way you can conduct secure transactions when you want to easily acquire Silicon Valley flipmeats over teh internets.

"Google Checkout says they'll be Less Evil than PayPal" [*The *Transcendental *Wildcard]