Amazon launches self-cloning experiment
Invasion of the checkout snatchers
Customer Success Testimonial: Recovery is Everything
Amazon has officially unveiled its answer to PayPal.
Yesterday, the etail giant quietly launched Checkout by Amazon - not to be confused with Google Checkout, Google's answer to PayPal.
With this new payment service, you can buy stuff from third-party net merchants using your existing Amazon account, already populated with your credit card number and shipping details. Of course, third party net merchants must first agree to use the service. But you can be sure more than a few will jump at the prospect of pitching Amazon's 81 million registered customers.
What's more, Amazon is offering up other pieces of its oh-so-familiar online store. Third-party partners can add Amazon-style "1-Click" ordering buttons, for instance, or even up-sell you just like Amazon does.
So, the world's largest online retailer is hoping to clone itself - over and over again. "Customers will be coming through an experience that is really similar to Amazon’s," vice president of Amazon Payments Mark Stabingas told The New York Times. "People will like the familiarity and the comfort associated with that."
Amazon launched a PayPal-like beta program last summer, but this is the first time the company has officially launched a payment service designed to leverage brainwashed online shoppers across the globe. It has also launched a simplified version of Checkout by Amazon, known - appropriately enough - as Amazon Simple Pay. This leaves out stuff like 1-Click and shameless up-selling.
Yes, Google Checkout is a flop next to PayPal. But there's no denying Amazon has an advantage here. eBay will see to it that Checkout by Amazon does not appear on eBay. But it will turn up elsewhere, hypnotizing online shoppers the world over. ®
Bootnote
At the moment, Checkout by Amazon is only available in the US.
COMMENTS
Not worldwide
"designed to leverage brainwashed online shoppers across the globe" but "checkout by Amazon is only available in the US"? There doesn't seem to be an Amazon Payments in British Pounds.
The other very strange thing about Amazon payments is there existing payments system under Amazon Marketplace is also called "Amazon Payments" and that URLs starting payments.amazon.com are used for this system, yet apparently one cannot use one's (Paypal Clone) Amazon Payments account for one's Amazon Marketplace dealings.
Kind regards
Peter
Put your hands by your pockets and step away from the bong!
Why does buying cheap second hand books make me brainwashed and hypnotized ?
Or is the author trying to be cute. Sorry mate it's just aggravating.
Peroxide girl with a false ID
Lost and lonely she can't see
Peroxide hair and burnt out eyes
Blinded by so many lies.
amazon urls?
Didn't all amazon URLs used to include "obidos"? No more, as far as I can see. Did they go the way of the dodo perhaps?
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