Ebay bans Google Checkout, for now

Checkout, Google’s idea how to pay for goods and services on the Internet, has been added to Ebay’s "not permitted" list of payment methods. According to the firm’s "Accepted Payments Policy", Ebay wants "to ensure that the marketplace offers buyers an array of safe, appropriate, and convenient payment choices for the marketplace" and Checkout seemingly hasn’t made the cut yet.

Ebay lists half a dozen requirements, which must be met by payment methods in order to get the Ebay approval. While Ebay has not explained why Checkout was denied entry to the "permitted" side of the list, one of the requirements is a "substantial historical track record of providing safe and reliable financial and/or banking related services" - which Checkout does not have at this time. "New services without such a track record generally cannot be promoted on Ebay," the policy states.

Of course, Ebay "strongly encourages sellers to offer payments through Paypal" - the firm’s own payment system - but once Checkout has accumulated a "substantial historical track record" and meets other requirements such as "financial, privacy and anti-fraud protection for buyers and sellers" it may be just a matter of time - and demand - when Checkout could be available through Ebay - at least if we go by the accepted payments policy.