Google Purchases Adding “High Quality” Merchants
Another scoop from a quality tipster: Google sent out a notice to testers recently that they are holding a confidential beta of a system to make purchases from “high-quality merchants” using their Google Accounts. They listed a great selection of stuff, including cell phone and iPod accessories, music and movies, health and beauty supplies, furniture, housewares, sports and outdoor gear, toys, games and more. The test is currently closed to international residents, and is a closed beta (so most of us won’t be getting in for a long time).
I can’t wait for more info to leak on this service, since what I’ve seen so far leaves a lot of questions. The service URL is listed as purchases.google.com, which currently contains the Google Purchase system used by Google Base. Google could just be launching the ability for large stores to set up shop at Google Base, starting a new “Google Mall” online store, or starting a new service where stores can allow purchases through Google accounts (a la PayPal).
Needless to say, if you are a Google Trusted Tester, I wouldn’t mind some more inside info 
This seems to tie in with a post from Garett Rogers that Google registered googlecheckout.net on May 25 http://blogs.zdnet.com/Google/?p=208
On a side note, good to see you back on your blogging edge again. Hopefully, marriage won’t take your edge away too much. -:)
Comment by or | May 28, 2006
[…] Nathan Weinberg of Inside Google recieved a tip from a "quality tipster" that could possibly be related to my post about Google Checkout yesterday. In his article, he says that Google is holding a closed beta (probably to trusted testers) that helps people make purchases from "high quality" merchants. […]
Pingback by » Google holding closed beta | Googling Google | ZDNet.com | May 29, 2006
[…] The Inside Google Blog posts a rumour that Google may be about to test a purchase system: “Google sent out a notice to testers recently that they are holding a confidential beta of a system to make purchases from “high-quality merchants” using their Google Accounts. They listed a great selection of stuff, including cell phone and iPod accessories, music and movies, health and beauty supplies, furniture, housewares, sports and outdoor gear, toys, games and more” […]
Pingback by Rumour: GooglePal? PayOogle? | May 29, 2006
[…] While domain name registration by itself is not solid evidence of a new Google strategy—after all, domains are cheap and Google has registered domains like gbrowser.com that have not yet turned into products—when added to the news that Google is testing a beta system to make purchases from “high-quality merchants” it seems as if a pattern is emerging. Does Google really want to go toe-to-toe with PayPal, and by association, eBay? Are they concerned by Yahoo’s recent collaboration with eBay? While this all seems plausible on the surface, there may be deeper needs at work. […]
Pingback by Geek Island » Google dancing around Paypal | May 30, 2006
[…] As reported on Inside Google, Google is holding a confidential beta of a system to make purchases from “high-quality merchants” using Google Accounts. They listed a great selection of stuff, including cell phone and iPod accessories, music and movies, health and beauty supplies, furniture, housewares, sports and outdoor gear, toys, games and more. The test is currently closed to international residents, and is a closed beta. […]
Pingback by Pakpromo :: Brands, Blogs, Social Networks, SEO, RSS » Google Mall coming | May 30, 2006
Thanks, Or. Lets also hope marriage doesn’t send me jumping over the “edge”.
Comment by Nathan Weinberg | May 31, 2006
Oh, and it’s funny that I didn’t read Garret’s article until adterI posted this one. I suspect that my tipster did, and decided to help out his/her favorite Google blogger.
Comment by Nathan Weinberg | May 31, 2006
[…] » Google Purchases Adding “High Quality” Merchants » InsideGoogle » part of the Blog News Channel (tags: google seo) […]
Pingback by My Weblog » Blog Archive » links for 2006-05-29 | June 2, 2006