Amazon launches self-cloning experiment
Amazon has officially unveiled its answer to PayPal.
Yesterday, the etail giant quietly launched Checkout by Amazon - not to be confused with Google Checkout, Google's answer to PayPal.
With this new payment service, you can buy stuff from third-party net merchants using your existing Amazon account, already populated with your …
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Posted Wednesday 30th July 2008 22:25 GMT
Anonymous Coward
for my money
#

its only a matter of time before its accepted on eBay. if amazon do this half as well as they've done shopping in general, then they'll win. it was only a matter of time before they did something like this, i assumed they would have done it sooner, so they must have been biding their time until they knew they could take over.
when google and amazon join together, we're all doomed. don't say i didn't warn you. go straight to my new amazon-checkout -powered online store (you can find it with google) and buy my special googazon-proof hats. not available on ebay.
Posted Wednesday 30th July 2008 22:25 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@"Invasion of the Checkout Snatchers"
#

Um... Better title than "Invasion of the Snatch Checker-outers" I guess...
Posted Wednesday 30th July 2008 22:25 GMT
Barry Rueger
It Has to Succeed
#

All things considered I actually trust Amazon to not screw me over. PayPal on the other hand is one long nightmare of incompetence and incomprhensible errors.
I don't think that anyone uses PayPal because they like it, but because it's the only game in town.
Posted Wednesday 30th July 2008 22:25 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Ebay isn't going to like this.
#

But it's high time ebay had some decent competition.
Posted Wednesday 30th July 2008 22:52 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Paypal ain't what it used ta be
#

Just tried ordering a book using Paypal and their rubbish eCheque small print says it takes 7-9 days before my payment to the seller clears. Add 3 -5 days for delivery and I might as well take the day off work and go downtown to buy it, have a cappucino and basically forget all this internet-shopping-malarkey.... rubbish. In fact I will send actual cash through the post and take my chances at this rate.
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 04:06 GMT
Dave
Hotel California?
#

You can check out any time but you can never leave.
Obscure Icon relevance...
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 04:06 GMT
DrewHew
Google Checkout...
#

...is actually quite good.
It really simplifies shopping to a one-click solution after adding a product to a cart, but more important is the 'TRUST' factor.
If I do a product search online, I'm more likely to select an e-tailer that offers Google Checkout, not only for speed and simplicity, but to a great extent because I feel more secure using GC - a known entitiy, even when I'm unfamiliar with the e-tailer (and my card isn't charged until the product is shipped).
Hope it doesn't go belly up any time soon.
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 08:53 GMT
Chris Hamilton
There's room in this town for both....
#

I know popular opinion is to bash the dominant market player, PayPal, but I actually quite like the eBay tentacle. I have been regularly using PP (both on and off eBay) almost since its inception, and have not had a single problem.
I have never used Google Checkout, but thats not because I don't want to, just that it's never came up. It would seem to me that most of the large e-commerce companies are reluctant to let Google get a foothold in another market.
As for Amazon, they are another company I have been using since the early days. I already liked their one account for the whole world approach, which has allowed me to purchase items from Amazon.fr and Amazon.com not otherwise available in the UK. Now the possibility of having a few more sites where I don't need to enter my payment details sounds quite appealing.
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 08:53 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@ @"Invasion of the Checkout Snatchers"
#

Excellent! Well worthy of a "I'll get my coat" icon. I'll pick Paris cos I've never been there (I should be so lucky !)
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 09:13 GMT
amanfromMars
A Time and a Place ...
#

"Um... Better title than "Invasion of the Snatch Checker-outers" I guess..." .... By Anonymous Coward Posted Wednesday 30th July 2008 21:28 GMT
:-) Common Decency prevents me from disagreeing with that guess, AC.
And Paris naturally, because of the above.
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 09:13 GMT
Anonymous Coward
@Dave (Hotel California)
#

Hey Dave, that's funnier than that - isn't there a line later on in HC that says something like "they stab it with their steely knives, but they still can't kill the beast".
Very appropriate - "the beast" = Microshaft, Crapple, Hamaszon, etc as appropriate.
(sorry, it's turning out to be one of those nights, apologies, one of those _days_. Darn Eagles and their catchy tunes....)
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 10:14 GMT
Martin
More Eagles....
#

Watch out Paypal - there's a new kid in town....
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 13:44 GMT
John Taylor
competition
#
its about time ebay caught a kick up the backside, this might be it ;)
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 13:44 GMT
Barry
I would
#

Checkout with amazon :-) Have sold a few old IT/Science books through them because I trust them. They are more expensive than eBay but I trust them so much more.
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 13:44 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Why don't you come to your senses?
#

You've been out riding fences
for so long now.
Take it easy, I'm getting my coat.
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 17:20 GMT
Barry Rueger
@ Chris Hamilton
#

"...I have been regularly using PP ... and have not had a single problem."
You are very, very lucky because there is no Hell like trying to get PayPal to fix something. http://www.threesquirrels.com/?cat=11
Posted Thursday 31st July 2008 19:51 GMT
Frumious Bandersnatch
amazon urls?
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Didn't all amazon URLs used to include "obidos"? No more, as far as I can see. Did they go the way of the dodo perhaps?
Posted Friday 1st August 2008 09:11 GMT
dave lawless
Put your hands by your pockets and step away from the bong!
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Why does buying cheap second hand books make me brainwashed and hypnotized ?
Or is the author trying to be cute. Sorry mate it's just aggravating.
Peroxide girl with a false ID
Lost and lonely she can't see
Peroxide hair and burnt out eyes
Blinded by so many lies.
Posted Friday 1st August 2008 12:31 GMT
Peter Reynolds
Not worldwide
#

"designed to leverage brainwashed online shoppers across the globe" but "checkout by Amazon is only available in the US"? There doesn't seem to be an Amazon Payments in British Pounds.
The other very strange thing about Amazon payments is there existing payments system under Amazon Marketplace is also called "Amazon Payments" and that URLs starting payments.amazon.com are used for this system, yet apparently one cannot use one's (Paypal Clone) Amazon Payments account for one's Amazon Marketplace dealings.
Kind regards
Peter
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