After playing around a few hours, searching on here and the Internet I am at a loss. Probably another simple overlook on my end but I can’t figure it out.
The Google Checkout process seems to be working. Proper dollar amount for products is passed to Google, along with the shipping option descriptions. But next to all 3 options is $0. I have 3 simple “flat rates” for all 3 locations (USA, Canada, International). Google is listing all 3 options during checkout even though I am located in the U.S. But it doesn’t really matter since it isn’t charging anything for any shipping method. I do have the proper charges listed in the Payment Methods section. I’d be happy to skip CS cart shipping and just use Google’s flat rate shipping option but that doesn’t seem to do anything either.
Suggestions to what I could be missing?
No one? I still have no clue to why shipping isn’t getting passed to GC. It seems like this should just work but it doesn’t.
[quote name=‘IsItFast’]No one? I still have no clue to why shipping isn’t getting passed to GC. It seems like this should just work but it doesn’t.[/QUOTE]
Simple, it is because Google has a very stupid like 2 second timeout rule to obtain shipping charges from your site!
I went through this about a year ago and have since dropped google checkout completely. It was just “ok” when it was free, not worth much at all to me now that they charge 2.9% and give your customers “Free Shipping” when the server times out! 
BTW: I was a bit concerned about removing google checkout as an option, however, we have not had a single customer ask for it since we dropped it. Google checkout is not even in the same playing field as PayPal Express checkout, which is why even after google offered the service for free, they didn’t even put a dent into PayPal’s market.
We are UK based and could never really get this to work properly, but Google were very generous with the “Failure” emails which we got several of a day for MONTHS!!! Needless to say we are like Struck and have removed it.
I did see that there were some issues with this when researching online.
Is ANYONE using CS and Google Checkout together?
While I don’t HAVE to have it, being a GC user (buyer) myself, I actually do like using it as the checkout process seems to work quite quickly. It sure works a lot faster than CS’s checkout options.
[QUOTE]Is ANYONE using CS and Google Checkout together?[/QUOTE]
Rest assurred, this has nothing to do with using it in conjunction with CS-Cart, it is all about the poor design decisions made within google checkout.
Doesn’t matter what shopping cart system you try it with, if you use it, especially along with real time shipping rate calculations, then be prepared for orders to come through from google with “Free Shipping”. 
Then you can either choose to track down the additional charges from the customers which placed these orders, or just loose the money on shipping costs… Your choice.
PS: Google is not your friend!
PS: Install Paypal EXPRESS Checkout as a payment option rather than goooooooooogle checkout, you will rcv far better results!
Notice I stressed the “Express” version of Paypal
Well I use both PayPal and 2Checkout as payment options currently but just like to give my customers options. And since it is an option I use and like I did want to implement it.
It seems to work fine with the carts that I have bought products through using GC. So I wonder why it doesn’t work with CS. It would seem that if this is common among other carts that is the main thing holding them back.
I would be willing to use a flat fee through Google if that was an option. I thought it was but somehow I couldn’t get that to work either. For a “billion dollar” company, they sure don’t have their stuff together in this area.
I agree that CS has nothing to do with the crazy Google 2 second rule. I’ve had the same problem with 2 other shopping carts that cannot pull the shipping info fast enough. We too have just turned of Google and have never heard anything. I really don’t think Google gives a hoot either or they would have fixed this simple bug they have by now. It appears that Google just wants to try to get their hand in to everything and really do not care if it works right or not.
[QUOTE]For a “billion dollar” company, they sure don’t have their stuff together in this area.[/QUOTE]
Well, overall that is my point.
Are you now offering “Traditional” Paypal or the Later Express version?
[QUOTE] It appears that Google just wants to try to get their hand in to everything and really do not care if it works right or not.[/QUOTE]
They are a bunch of angry, evil little men that currently controls the destiny of your online success!
Yeah, I’ll just turn it off. Seems like too much trouble to deal with.
I’m just using traditional PayPal service on my old cart. Not sure how to use “Express” with CS since I haven’t gone live yet. Anything I should need to know about getting it set up? I do like the fact that my current PayPal payment doesn’t even require the customer to have a PP account if they are just paying with a credit card. I don’t think that is an option with Express (is it?) Occasionally 2checkout will decline a card for some random reason and I can suggest the customer to pay with PP.
[QUOTE]I do like the fact that my current PayPal payment doesn’t even require the customer to have a PP account if they are just paying with a credit card. I don’t think that is an option with Express (is it?) [/QUOTE]
Yes, Paypal Express version is basically the same except for one major improvement in that it was designed to be a “seamless” payment process as in the customer no longer has to leave your site, go to Paypal, & then “hopefully” return to your site to complete the order. It is just the modern day version of the basic Paypal payment acceptance.
It is actually quite easy to setup Paypal Express payments through CS-Cart. But you will need to have a Paypal Business account and then setup your Paypal account to accept Express Payments.
[quote name=‘Struck’]They are a bunch of angry, evil little men that currently controls the destiny of your online success! :D[/QUOTE]
Wow, ain’t that the truth! 
Without those evil little men I would not have the little success that I do have. The almighty Google sends a lot of traffic my way…both paid click and organic click. I sure hope I did not anger the Google gods. :-o
—
On the Paypal Express, we ended up using another processor to get better rates. Not to mention if we need to contact the payment processor via phone we can. Paypal is very difficult to get help with. We do offer the normal Paypal payment, but primarily as just a service to our customers.
Struck,
Can you please briefly explain how you set up the PayPal Express for your store? I currently have a Business account with PayPal as I do accept payments in my current cart using PayPal Standard. It sounds like the Express option might be the better option, though, when I switch over to CS-Cart. I don’t want to mess with my settings in my current cart and it is not integrated with Express so I have to leave that as Standard while it’s still open. Do you know if I can still use the Standard option even if I integrate the Express option into CS-Cart (in order to test before going live)?
Thanks for any additional info!
Regards,
Stephanie
[QUOTE]Struck,
Can you please briefly explain how you set up the PayPal Express for your store? I currently have a Business account with PayPal as I do accept payments in my current cart using PayPal Standard. It sounds like the Express option might be the better option, though, when I switch over to CS-Cart. I don’t want to mess with my settings in my current cart and it is not integrated with Express so I have to leave that as Standard while it’s still open. Do you know if I can still use the Standard option even if I integrate the Express option into CS-Cart (in order to test before going live)?
Thanks for any additional info!
Regards,
Stephanie[/QUOTE]
My Gosh Stephanie, you want me to write you a book!
Ok, fine, only for you!
Administration>Payment Methods>Add Payment
Name = Paypal Express
Processor = PayPal Express Checkout
User Groups = All
Status = Active
Then, under the “Configure Tab”
Username = Username from your Paypal account
Password = Password from your Paypal account
Certificate Filename = ///cert_key_pem_txt
(You will create this Certificate from within your Paypal.com account mgmnt area & then upload this text file to this folder on your site: /your_cs-cart_store/payments/certificates
For the most part, that’s about it & works like a charm!
PS: As I recall, Paypal is not very flexible as in you will most likely need to make this change from “Traditional Paypal” to Express Payments just as you are ready to flip the switch & go live with your CS-Cart store. I would not fret over this as it is not really that difficult or time consuming, you could just make the change during a slack time (like a Sunday @2:00 AM). You can get most of it ready ahead of time, such as creating this new payment method in CS-Cart, etc.
Hurry up & get your new CS-Cart site done, you have been stretching this project long enough!!
[QUOTE]Without those evil little men I would not have the little success that I do have.[/QUOTE]
Not true Clips!
It would just come from several smaller sources vs. one overly dominant source of which with a single algorithym change, can nearly put you out on the streets overnight! 
[quote name=‘Struck’]My Gosh Stephanie, you want me to write you a book!
Ok, fine, only for you!
…
Hurry up & get your new CS-Cart site done, you have been stretching this project long enough!! :D[/QUOTE]
I appreciate the steps…I really just wasn’t clear on the certificate that was needed but you explained it very nicely for me.
I’m coming to the home stretch with the new site…regular job and other stuff just keeps getting in the way!
I’m constantly amazed at how much I still have to learn about CS-Cart but I think I know enough to be dangerous with our site.
Thanks again and Happy New Year!! Your help is greatly appreciated!
Regards,
Stephanie
Your quite welcome Stephanie
Happy New Year to you as well!
[quote name=‘Struck’]Not true Clips!
It would just come from several smaller sources vs. one overly dominant source of which with a single algorithym change, can nearly put you out on the streets overnight! [/QUOTE]
Probably true. Although we rank high (organic) on both Bing (Live) and Yahoo, most of our traffice still comes from the Google geeks. Every year I pray that we can find some place different to market and usually end up right back giving Google my money so I can stay alive.
I do remember when there were “more” small places to advertise and although they would say they were sending me a ton of traffic, I would never actually sell anything. Yahoo has always been consistant and Bing does pretty good. But just about every one of the other washed up search engines would deplete my account of money, claim they sent a bunch of traffic, but we would sell nothing. So if someone has had good luck with another search engine or advertising site I would love to hear about it.
In regards to using “Google Checkout” I again think they need to stick with searching. Their checkout STINKS! Maybe it was just a way for them to waste money and get some type of tax deduction.