Google Checkout Store Gadget, a free option for businesses to open online store

As many businesses today who want to join the world of ecommerce have scarce resources to do so they usually go to online auctions like eBay to pursue their online selling objectives. At the moment Google is testing a new system that allows people with little or no knowledge of programming and with no money to pay for such services to establish their own online shop for free. The search giant is conducting a pilot test of its new solution called Google Checkout Store Gadget.

Anyone with a website or a blog can create an online store, with Google Checkout, in under 5 minutes. On its website the company explains in detail how can a business set up the store in just 3 steps. We decided to give some coverage of the subject in our current article.

1. First you need to have your Google Checkout merchant account. If you don’t have an account you may open it by submitting your email address and password pre-registered with Google mail system. It goes as follows:

a) The system asks you if you have an account with AdWords or Google. In case you do it offers you to create single account for all Google services. If you choose to this option the login frame appears where you should enter your username and password:

b) Then you are required to fill in the form where you will specify your business and other personal information like contact address, phone number, business name, product type, current sales volume and credit information:

2. Next step is to create a spreadsheet in the Google Docs. There is an example provided by the system that you need to follow when filling in the corresponding fields which would contain the information about the goods you plan to sell:

If you like, you can add additional columns to keep notes on your inventory without affecting how the gadget works. But as long as this spreadsheet is publicly available a user needs to be careful so as not to provide any private information he/she doesn’t want others to see. Changes are automatically saved as a user edits the document.

In order to share the spreadsheet so as to allow customers to view the data (from the gadget) you should:

• Click on 'Share' in the upper right-hand corner of the template spreadsheet.
• Choose 'Publish as a web page' from the drop-down menu.
• Make sure that the 'Automatically re-publish when changes are made' option is checked.
• Click the 'Start Publishing' button.

3. The final step is to set up and embed your gadget.

Google enables merchants to integrate the gadget into their personal websites, Google Sites, Blogger, and iGoogle. Google offer three default gadget templates. Select the one which best meets your needs:

Large: 800x400

Small: 320x300

Tiny: 215x250

If you select to embed the Google Checkout store gadget on your website you need:

1. Open one of the store configuration tools below in a new window:

Store Configuration Tool - LARGE
Store Configuration Tool - SMALL
Store Configuration Tool - TINY  

2. In the store configuration tool, enter the entire URL of your inventory spreadsheet (including the '?key=' portion) into the 'Data Source URL' field.
Example: http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=KEY 
3. Enter your Merchant ID (the one you recorded in Step 1 above).  
4. Click 'Preview Changes' to see a preview.  
Make any desired customizations. 
5. When you like what you see, click the 'Get the Code' button. 
6. Copy and paste the HTML snippet on your website.

You're done!

At the present time the service is still trialed by Google as we have already mentioned above. It is not yet available for public. When opened it would be a very good solution for businesses to create their own online store without any need to hire programmers and pay for a separate domain name. In a struggling economy, it makes sense that individuals with blogs could use this to make extra money, and sell products directly on their site.