Google Checkout has just announced enhancement of a “subscription” capability which will enable online sellers to charge buyers regularly without requiring buyers’ active involvement.
The new Google Checkout has two different modes of operation: “Google-handled Subscriptions”, in which the seller only needs to define the subscription and Google charges the recurring payments itself; and “Merchant-handled Subscriptions” in which the seller is responsible for both defining the subscription and prompting Google to charge the buyer when payment is due. The second mode lets the seller change the amount of payment charged each time.
The advantage of enhancement is that in both modes the buyers are notified of the amount charged against their card. Moreover, buyers don’t need to go to the seller’s web site to cancel the subscription, they can do so by returning to their Checkout dashboard.
EcommerceJournal