-
Google removing the credit card payment option for thousands of small businesses is a monopolistic travesty.
As I'm sure many of you know by now, Google has announced a major change to their acceptable forms of payment. They will be forcing tens of thousands of small businesses across the country to pay for their advertising service by invoice or debit rather than credit card. This change will strip countless "little guys" of their cash back offers on credit cards. These cash back incentives help keep the lights on. For us, it's literally a line on our profit and loss sheet.
Why is Google doing this? Oh, they're doing it for us! From the mailer:
The Monthly Invoicing billing method is best suited for your account(s) given the flexibility it provides high-growth customers (e.g. access to a credit line, monthly invoices with 30 days to pay, greater control over spend, more reliable).
What the fuck is this copyrighter talking about? "Greater control over spend. More reliable." Feels like he was really running out of steam selling this bullshit.
The reason Google is doing this is obvious: To make a zillionth of a % point more in profit this quarter.
I'm here for one reason: Rally the fucking troops.
I implore anyone reading this with an ounce of fight in their veins to kick up shit with whatever rep you know best at Google. There is no chance any one of us can make a difference, but if we can get a large community of people screaming we can at least make the Monopoly Man squirm.
Are you with me???
<insert american flag being held by big muscle guy here in your brain>
-
1 Reply
-
Do you have a source for this? I can’t seem to find any info on this, nor have I been notified by Google of changes.
-
monthly invoicing is far preferable. The reality is credit cards are easy to use for fraud. You just dispute the charges, but the ads have run and the clicks sold (Google only charges in small increments to avoid this). Same as advertiser verification, this is just Google’s way of reducing their exposure to fraud or illegal stuff
-
Do you have a source for this? The only link you shared specifically says it’s aimed at large businesses, which is the opposite of your claim.
-
I have a few small clients with less than 1000 USD ad spend getting this email too
The thing is … some people live on credit and don’t have like the 5k ad spend until they sell x products or make a commission check.
I think this will kill some mom and pop businesses
-
I’m totally with you but let’s face it, google doesn’t give a fuck about those spending less than a million or so per year
-
The self-serve ad platforms are being stiffed by credit card companies due to people declaring bankruptcy. This allows them to get paid on the spot. Full $$$ back.
-
Why would they do this, they’re making tonnes of money credit card fees shouldn’t be an issue for them.
-
I’m out here holding my gd american flag begging for people to contact your reps. Give a brother one comment below this saying you’ll do it. Where is SPARTACUS?
-
I am impressed they didn’t open their own bank/payment processor to benefit from the fees but instead they did this which will make them lose clients
-
My organization just absorbed a competitor with a $5million per year budget. $3million of it done with credit cards. This company we absorbed used an agency for everything – including all Google Ads. The agency owns the account. They had several credit cards that are all in rotation. It’s wild. I have been doing this since before AdWords ever existed and never seen this before. I don’t know why the agency managed billing in this manner – perhaps they couldn’t get approval to invoice the entire amount?
Anyhow, the agency also got this notice but we are already moving their accounts into our own so it’s a non issue for us. My point being it’s not only the small businesses getting this notice.
Edit: corrected the credit card spend.
-
We haven’t been impacted (or seen any emails yet) yet but this is super lame. There are several clients who will be very uncomfortable with this option. Especially with how Google does jack shit for click fraud. Credit card provides a last layer of protection for the advertiser.
edit: Maybe, on the hopeful side, they’re testing this out to see how people respond as there hasn’t been an official announcement.
If so : GOOGLE THIS IS SHIT
-
We lost, they have our a$$
-
Now imagine a reality where everyone is finally moved on “Monthly Invoicing”, and then Google decides it’s too risky, and rejects credit limit increase or worse scales back the credit limits they approved for accounts, next minute you need to make daily/weekly bank deposits just to keep your account within _Googles Defined_ credit limit if you want any chance of scaling your business. Before you know you need to make bank deposit repayments every other day, effectively 2 days credit facility and getting zero Card Protection / Benefits for it…
-
Google needs to understand that offering credit card payments is a huge benefit to small businesses with uncertain or irregular cash flow.
**Please contact your elected officials**. Also contact Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who has done a good job of challenging Google (I’m not a Mike Lee fan, but the guy has authored some legislation to try and reel Google in and it’s sorely needed).
-
Google are the worst, no support, no service and they really don’t care at all about supporting thier partners or partner agencies
Log in to reply.