If I Were Queen of Google

Once again Randy Smythe has a whole jug full of blog juice over on My Blog Utopia!, his recent post Tin Hat Warning has some very interesting observations on Google vs PayPal.

I don't see what makes eBay/PayPal expect to be treated as if they were 'special', it certainly can't be the golden rule of "do as you would be done by". I notice recent press releases have a distinct whiny "why are you picking on us" quality to them. Looking at the rather long list (Table of Contents >> Item 3) of litigation in process all over the world (but most notably in Europe) with eBay as defendant it would appear that there are a lot of fleas out there of all sizes and they are biting.

eBay/PalPal routinely stomp anyone smaller and weaker than they are. Most of the time they can't even be bothered to explain why they are stomping and they certainly don't believe in any of that silly constitutional stuff like innocent until proven guilty.
Google is not smaller and weaker yet eBay has forced PayPal onto sellers using their venue while blatantly blocking Google Checkout. It is only very recently that the wording has been changed from

"This policy is designed to promote safe online shopping, and to encourage online payment methods that are safer, easier to use, and offer high levels of protection for users"

to

"eBay wants to help ensure that the marketplace offers buyers safer online payment choices".

in the Accepted Payments Policy. In fact eBay has very quietly been doing a lot of rule revision lately.

As a retailer, I want to offer my customers choices, I don't need to control them. I see no difference in customer protection if a buyer pays through Google Checkout with a credit card, or PayPal likewise. The big difference is convenience, GC will not harass (are you sure?) my customers repeatedly to pay from a bank account (are you sure you are sure?) like PayPal does (are you really sure you are sure?). GC does what they are supposed to, process the charge, inform me and deposit to my bank account, all for 30% less in fees.

If I were Queen of Google I would make a royal edict that anybody who didn't let me play at their house couldn't come and play at the palace. I am sure the Royal Lawyer could dress it up nicely in Bayspeak.


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