In a promotion that was due to end on December 31, Google Checkout has announced that it will extend free processing services right through until the end of 2007.

The free payment processing offer applies to all current merchants or new merchants who satisfy the initial Google Checkout signup criteria; regardless of size, transaction volume or Adwords participation.

This signals a very serious move by Google to raise awareness and use of Google Checkout - or perhaps they’ve done it simply to annoy the heck out everybody else in the payment processing industry :).

Google Checkout standard fees were 20c per transaction, plus 2% of the sale price, which was quite reasonable for a 3rd party payment processing service anyway.

Other recent new features that have been added to the Google Checkout service:

- Coupon feature: You can specify $ or %-off discounts, and add custom conditions.

- Email invoicing: Bill customers for purchases with an email invoice system.

- New HTML API for easier integration of Google Checkout with shopping carts.

I briefly reviewed Google Checkout more from a buyer’s perspective back in June, but haven’t really delved much more into it since that time. I haven’t seen many of the green checkout icons on Adwords ads that signify the merchant supports Google Checkout either. Are you using the service? How are you finding it? I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts about it.

Learn more about Google Checkout for merchants