Man, this is rough. Google are notoriously bad at responding to emails, so good luck if you try and get in contact with one of their staff.

You might want to use BMT Micro (www.bmtmicro.com). Sure, they will take 9.5% ... _BUT_ they are the MOST responsive and helpful you can imagine. They will do literally anything for you if it helps you in any way to make more money. You just have to love them. I think that the comission is well worth it. If angry customer calls them and request a refund, they will contact you first to request a permission.

Good luck with getting help from Google, hopefully they respond some what quickly.

That is really weird. I also had problems with Google Checkout -- they kicked me off the program for adult content and stopped me from making sales. But, they did send me the money for the book sales I had already made.

I suspect that it's a computer glitch -- I can't see why Google would wantonly screw you over like that. Unless they're super-cracking down on the adult content, in which case a few instances of the word "sex" on your sales page might be enough for them to close your account.

I have my tech guy setting up payments with PayPal right now, which I think is the best solution until I get a merchant account. They do take a percentage, but it's pretty low and worth it to not have to deal with Google headaches. I'm really looking forward to having the shopping cart set up, so I don't have to worry about payment logistics for a long time and can concentrate on writing and blogging.

On a side note, I'm re-starting the positivity challenge today! Got any tips for that?

-Dan
The Sex Revolution Blog

Google thought that your services are either
https://checkout.google.com/seller/content_policies.html
a) Miracle cure (Unsubstantiated cures, remedies or other items marketed as quick health fixes)
I can see how your sales later reads like a Miracle cure. (maybe you even tried to sell your Vegan book through google?)
b) Adult goods and services (Pornography and other sexually suggestive materials (including literature, imagery and other media); escort or prostitution services)
Some people might see a book about getting into bed with woman as adult content.

A book on picking up women is CLEARLY not a Miracle Cure. I don't even see how a bloody-minded and vindictive Google worker could come to that conclusion. I'd love to see him argue it, too.

A book on picking up women should not be classed as adult content. Anyway, even if you're breaking the letter of that rule, you're not breaking the spirit of it. It's there to stop the sale of porn.

It just sounds like Google have fucked up. Good luck contacting them. They're fuckwits.

I hate PayPal with a vengence also. Back in high school my hatred prompted me to create a competing payment site called www.fusionpay.com. The site actually gained a fair amount of users but it got over run by people trying launder money through it so I had to shut it down.

Before I was even 18 I tried almost every payment system out there and ended up hating them all. I finally realized that the only way to go was with a full blown merchant account. It is a hassle to set it up and almost requires a full time employee for handling red tape, but at least you get your money.

Actually I'm really happy with my merchant account through authorize.net. Maybe too early to tell, but so far they're pretty great.

Tynan