Using something like PayPal or Google Checkout is false security as far as chargebacks are concerned. They do have extra security features but, PayPal at least, has a lot of fraud.
I'm unfamiliar with Google Checkout but I have handled chargebacks through PayPal before. The buyer has exactly the same freedom to issue the chargeback through PayPal as they would if they had purchased with a card through your merchant account. PayPal hold you liable for any chargebacks, especially if the customer does it through their bank instead of the PayPal disputes console.
Having a merchant account allows you to do your own fraud checks against payment details - address, IP, etc. Good payment processors will do this for you. You can also do your own checking using something like MaxMind.
In terms of fraud, you're going to have to deal with it regardless of whether you use Google or PayPal (or anyone else).
I agree with you but I know first hand that Google Checkout and PayPal offer a first tier of defense against it, you pay for it in the higher fees. For some people and depending on the state of their business, it's probably worth the time-savings, that's all I was really saying.
I'm unfamiliar with Google Checkout but I have handled chargebacks through PayPal before. The buyer has exactly the same freedom to issue the chargeback through PayPal as they would if they had purchased with a card through your merchant account. PayPal hold you liable for any chargebacks, especially if the customer does it through their bank instead of the PayPal disputes console.
Having a merchant account allows you to do your own fraud checks against payment details - address, IP, etc. Good payment processors will do this for you. You can also do your own checking using something like MaxMind.
In terms of fraud, you're going to have to deal with it regardless of whether you use Google or PayPal (or anyone else).