shopping cart software

Google Checkout in Volusion Winter '09 and Version 5 support stores based in the United States only. This article will detail how to configure Volusion for use with Google Checkout. There are several steps to this process as well as a few notifications regarding online shipping you will need to be aware of when implementing Google Checkout for your online store. Please read this article in its entirety before proceeding.

Getting Started:

To setup Google Checkout, do the following:

• Go to http://checkout.google.com/sell and register for a Google Checkout account.
• Login to Google Checkout, click on the Settings link, then click on Integration. Check the option marked, "Shopping cart post security".
• In the box marked, API Callback URL text box, enter: https://WWW.YourDomainName.com/net/WebService_Google_Checkout.aspx (where YourDomainName.com is the domain name for your Volusion online store).
• Under the Callback method header, select XML.
• Under the Advanced Settings section, ensure that none of the options are selected.
• Collect your Merchant ID and Merchant Key from the right side under Account Information.
• Login to the Volusion Admin Page, click on the Settings tab and click on the Payment link in the menu bar. (Version 5 )
• In the Payment Methods section of the Payment Wizard, check the "GoogleCheckout" option.
• Next, enter the Merchant ID and Merchant Key obtained from the Google Checkout account and click Save Changes.  (Version 5 )
• Next, click on the Configure Shipping Methods for Google Checkout link below the Merchant ID and Merchant Key on that page.   (Version 5 )
Google Checkout users must configure specific shipping rate for Google Checkout on this next page. Click the Add button to begin settings up Google Checkout shipping rates for every region to be shipped to.

(Version 5 )


Please Note: Google Checkout will not use your store's shipping methods, including Free Shipping. You will need to create unique shipping methods for use with the Google Checkout integration.

After Configuring Google Checkout With Volusion:

Once Google Checkout is setup to be used with Volusion Winter '09 or V5, there is one final step for merchants to complete before offering Goolge Checkout through their online stores: Setting up Google Checkout shipping methods.

Google Checkout utilizes special shipping settings within Volusion - as opposed to the standard shipping options found in the Volusion Shipping table under the Settings tab. These shipping options are only to be used with customers placing orders using Google Checkout. Note that merchants must create these shipping methods before Google Checkout can be used with their Volusion store and these specific shipping methods do not have access to any carriers' live rate integration provided through Volusion.

The following details how to set up shipping settings for use with Google Checkout and Volusion:

• Log into the Volusion Admin Page and click on the Settings tab. 
• Click on the Payment link in the menu bar.  (Version 5 )
• Under the Payment Methods header, the Google Checkout options should already be enabled.
• Click the link marked, "Configure Shipping Methods for Google Checkout".   (Version 5 )
• This will redirect to the Google Checkout: Quick Setup" page. Click on the Add tab to create a new shipping method.   (Version 5 )
• Assign the method a name, costs and the region(s) it will apply to. Please note that at this time, Google Checkout is only supported with Volusion in the United States.
• Once finished, click the Add New button to create the shipping method.   (Version 5 )

Merchants can repeat this process to build any number of shipping methods for use with Google Checkout and their online store. Please note again that these shipping functions are not eligible to receive live rates from shipping carriers through Volusion.

Once the above configuration is complete, customers can now pay for orders using Google Checkout.

Once an order is placed via Google Checkout, Google will send the relevant order information over to your store which will create an order and send out the order confirmation email to your customer. If the order is not completed in Google Checkout, then Google will not send any information to your site and so no action will be taken.

Any payment transactions that are made need to be done only through Google Checkout. Once the payment transaction is complete, Google will automatically update the order in the Volusion admin.

Notes on Using Google Checkout:

Google Checkout integration with Volusion is currently available for US-based merchants only.

If an error occurs when the customer is redirected to Google Checkout to finish paying for the order, you can find out what exact error the customer received by logging into your Google Checkout account, then go to the Tools tab.

Google Checkout requires a valid SSL security certificate to be registered with the Volusion store in order to function. If you do not have an SSL certificate or your certificate has expired, you can order an SSL certificate from Volusion.com.

Please note that due to the nature of Google Checkout's payment process structure, this payment option is incompatible with gift certificate purchases as well as purchasing products that are configured for automatic, recurring payments. This payment option should not be used in conjunction with these types of store products.

Using Google Analytics With Google Checkout:

Using Google Checkout in conjunction with Google Analytics does present some issues you should be aware of.

Because Google Checkout will, after payment has been submitted for processing, take the customer to Google's payment confirmation page, it merely presents a option (via a link) to return to the original shopping cart site (i.e., your Volusion store).

The drawback is that since the final step in the Google Analytics page on your Volusion site (where the order information is actually submitted to Google Analytics) is only performed on the OrderFinished.asp page, unless the customer chooses that option to return, Google Analytics will receive the order as being part of your e-commerce order totals.

As of March 2008, there is no known workaround for this limitation.

Tags: Google Checkout