Google unveils UK payments system
Search giant Google has launched its payment service, Google Checkout, in the UK.
Checkout will compete with both the mainstream card processing services used by many online merchants and auction site eBay's Paypal service.
It is designed to boost Google's core money-maker, the selling of online adverts, by offering cheap order processing for its advertisers.
Until now, Checkout has only been available to US buyers and sellers.
"The starting point is our core products," said Google's UK consumer marketing chief, Obi Felton.
Checkout "is the conclusion of the transaction cycle" of consumers finding retailers through searches and advertising.
Google was unwilling to say when the service might expand into the rest of Europe.