(16 April 2007 – UK) Google has launched a web payments processing service product in the UK.Called Google Checkout, the product will enable people to purchase goods from online retailers without needing to enter their credit card details each time.
To get the product off the ground, UK merchants offering the product will receive free credit and debit card processing for all sales made up to 2008, according to Google.
The product is seen widely as the internet search engine taking on PayPal which is owned by online auction site eBay. In fact, in a defensive move eBay does not allow users to use the Google Checkout payment service, which was launched in the US last year, when transacting.
Google has its work cut out, however, as PayPal already has more than 133 million user accounts globally, 35 million of which are in Europe.