Computers

Gmail to allow money to be sent as an attachment

Gmail to allow money to be sent as an attachment
Google will soon be rolling out a new feature that lets you attach money to Gmail messages
Google will soon be rolling out a new feature that lets you attach money to Gmail messages
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Google will soon be rolling out a new feature that lets you attach money to Gmail messages
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Google will soon be rolling out a new feature that lets you attach money to Gmail messages

Gmail lets you send all kinds of files as attachments. And Google Wallet lets you pay for just about anything. Why not combine the two? That could have been the thinking by someone at Google, as the search giant is set to launch a payment system that’s the love child of Gmail and Google Wallet.

Pretty soon, U.S. Gmail users 18 and older (sorry, kiddies) will see a dollar sign icon among their Gmail attachment options. Click on the icon, select a dollar amount, and send it along. The recipient doesn’t have to have a Gmail address to take your money, but they’ll presumably need to have a Google Wallet account (or at least sign up for one to claim their money).

In fact, that might be one of Google’s motives here. Make it ridiculously easy to send money to your pals, and if they aren’t already in the Google ecosystem, this is a new way to reel them in. Let the rush to Google+ sign-up pages commence.

Google does also take a small cut from credit card payments – 2.9 percent per transaction, to be exact (with a minimum of $0.30). If you're paying from your bank account or directly from your Google Wallet balance, then you're off the hook. Receiving payments is free.

The feature will be rolling out to U.S. Gmail users in “the next few months.” In the meantime, you can preview the feature in Google’s video below.

Sources: Gmail Blog, Google via Engadget

Send money with Gmail and Google Wallet

7 comments
7 comments
Tarik Chardon
It would be great to have this for international transfers too!
jimbo2112
Great concept. Could actually bring Wallet to the fore. But... I can also see many security issues with hacked email accounts and fraud in the way of spam manifesting as pyramid schemes.
Interested to see how this one pans out.
Rocky Stefano
Oh yes! Hackers and criminals everywhere wait eagerly for the next massive breach (external or internal) of email accounts/passwords so that we can transfer the next 100m to their local bank accounts in some eastern European country
Mark Pettit
We need some decent competition to Paypal! :)
DonGateley
3% is ridiculous. Never!
Robert in Vancouver
If Google figures out how to make the transfers secure, this could be the new business to business payment system.
There would be no need to write and mail a cheque anymore.
Gadgeteer
3% is not "ridiculous" as DonGateley thinks. It's roughly the standard fee for any credit card transaction. Google may be a huge company, but they're not going to eat that fee out of the goodness of their hearts. That's why they forgo the fee if you pay with something other than credit card.