14 DAY TRIAL // Last summer, Google unveiled Wallet, its solution to online and offline payments problems. Under one app, users would be able to pay for anything on the web but also in physical stores, using their phones. In the future, Google will add even more functionality like coupons, IDs, fidelity cards and so on.
But few people realized that Google already had a payments solution, the not very popular, and not for lack of trying, Google Checkout. The PayPal competitor has been around for years but it hasn't managed to gain any market share and especially any mind share.
No surprise then that Google has decided to merge its two efforts and that it's Google Checkout that's getting the ax. Existing users, which, despite not being very active, are quite a few, will be given the option to transfer over to Google Wallet.
Any credit cards they have associated with Checkout will be transferred as well.
"We’re starting to take all the great functionality and ease-of-use you’ve come to know with Google Checkout and merge it with Google Wallet to create a single wallet, whether you’re buying online or in-store," Google announced.
"We’re also starting to integrate Google Wallet as the payment method on Android Market, YouTube, Google+ Games and many other Google sites," it said.
The only reason Google Checkout has gotten any traction is due to the fact that it has been used, most of the time exclusively, on Google websites. No surprise then that Wallet gets the same treatment and will soon become a part of Google's biggest products, YouTube, Android, Google+ and so on.
Merchants have it easier than users, they don't have to migrate anything, Google Wallet will work for them just as Checkout has worked so far. Overall, the move makes sense and it was an inevitable one. Let's just hope that the transition goes smoothly.