CSN Stores improved its security and brand appeal with Google Checkout.

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"Google Checkout is a convenient checkout option, and anything that makes the shopping experience better for our customers helps both us and them."

Erik Haan CPA Advertising Manager

Business

CSN Stores is an online home goods and business supply retailer providing a wide selection of products designed to satisfy a range of tastes and budgets. The company's two primary markets are business to consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) furnishings and supply. CSN Stores operates over 70 niche retail websites to serve customers, including CSN Lighting, CSN Chairs, Stollers.com, and Bedroom Furniture Direct.

Approach

CSN strives to drive traffic to the CSN sites in order to transform more browsers into buyers. Google AdWordsTM search advertising is one of their most effective tools for increasing sales. Still, they're always looking for ways to boost the effectiveness of their AdWords campaigns.

When CSN heard about Google Checkout, a checkout and transaction processing tool that merchants integrate with their websites, they immediately decided to give it a try. Checkout enables CSN buyers to purchase quickly and securely using a single username and password. It also lets CSN add a Google Checkout badge ? a small shopping cart icon ? to their AdWords ads. This makes it easier for shoppers to find CSN through Google search. Based on CSN's AdWords spend, Google also pays for transaction processing, making their advertising dollars stretch further.

"We felt that we could pull in new customers by offering another convenient checkout option," notes Erik Haan CSN's CPA Advertising Manager. "Checkout seemed like an easy and exciting way for people to buy. Plus, having the Google Checkout shopping cart icon on our AdWords ads was an appealing way to associate our brand with Google."

After implementing Google Checkout, Haan and the CSN team participated in two Google Checkout coupon promotions and displayed a Google Checkout promotional box on several of CSN's websites. They also took advantage of promotions that offer Google Checkout customers $10 off their purchase.

Results

	"Our customers are happy to have the additional convenience of Google Checkout, and our affiliation with Google lends added security and legitimacy to our websites,"

For CSN Stores, Google Checkout quickly became the preferred checkout option for a steadily growing percentage of customers. "Our customers are happy to have the additional convenience of Google Checkout, and our affiliation with Google lends added security and legitimacy to our websites," says Haan.

Haan and his team are also reducing the cost of transaction processing thanks to using Google Checkout. "The AdWords discount is a great savings for us when compared with what we pay in transaction fees through our own checkout process," notes Haan. "It's a huge benefit for us."

As an online retailer that prides itself on putting customers first, CSN Stores is looking forward to expanding its use of Google Checkout. Concludes Haan, "Google Checkout is a convenient checkout option, and anything that makes the shopping experience better for our customers helps both us and them."