Google closing down Video Store

Welp, that didn't take too long. Around 1.5 years after it was first announced, Google has decided to "shut down its premium video service." Nevertheless, the most intriguing aspect of the whole shebang is that customers who purchased DRM-laden files will reportedly no longer be able to view them once the Video Store closes up shop, and rather than refunding customers with, you know, real money, it sounds like Google plans to offer "fixed credit on the firm's online payment system, Google Checkout, instead." Interestingly, another report noted that the search giant would "provide refunds or online shopping vouchers for previously purchased videos that won't be viewable," so it looks like the final verdict remains to be seen.

[Via BBC, thanks Steffen]

[William @ Aug 13th 2007 4:05PM]

so is google just a 1 trick pony? YES

[Revrant2394 @ Aug 13th 2007 4:30PM]

Say now, Google does have some fine programs and services out there, granted they purchased some from other companies, but unlike Microsoft it wasn't to snuff them out, they've improved them, Picasa and Google Earth come to mind. I may not be fond of Desktop but I do love Talk, a no-nonsense chat program I can depend on, unlike others that shall remain nameless.

[William @ Aug 13th 2007 5:12PM]

revrant2394,

agreed that google has some nice products, but my remark has more to do with which one actually generates any revenue or has made a profit for google other than search.

rupert murdock from news corp bought myspace.com for 694m and google paid news corp a minimum of 900m to advertise on it. who got the better deal?

in the end google is still a one trick pony in regards to generating "profitable revenue"
that was the point of my comment, and its a setup for bubble burst 2.0 when ad dollars dry up

[CalGoldenBear @ Aug 13th 2007 5:33PM]

When your one trick is worth billions do you really need a second?

[Greg Poole @ Aug 13th 2007 7:22PM]

Perhaps they don't, but they seem to be hell-bent on trying anyway

Revrant2394, I don't agree with your view that Google's overall goal is different to Microsoft. I think perhaps their specific objectives differed with regards to individual products, but the overall goal is the same: At the end of the day, Google want you to be using Google mail, Google search, Google desktop and Google everything else. Their approach happens to involve offering free software which is supplemented by advertising revenue, but does that make their end goal any more admirable? Do we really need another company trying to offer us a complete lifestyle package?

[Revrant2394 @ Aug 14th 2007 1:22AM]

Well, I imagine that if they continue their approach to the ad business, they won't have it dry up nearly as quickly as you predict. There are many fields they could enter to generate revenue, however that remains something of a mystery.

As for Microsoft and Google having the same goals, well, so does every other software corporation, my point was, unlike Microsoft, Google actually improves on the products and companies they buy instead of slapping them up for free, and when they need patching or become outdated, decide it was a poor decision.

[William @ Aug 14th 2007 6:20AM]

Revrant2394,

Isn't that the point, the "many fields" that google has entered has either failed, or failed to generate any significant revenue. google maps is great - but where is the revenue stream from that? does CNN pay google when they use it in their news feeds?? that is what investors should be asking

free software but ad supported - do you want to be typing a 300 page thesis and have ads poping up every 15 minutes or have ads generated based on what you are typing? no thanks. rather use real free software like openoffice or even pay for MS office.

Calgoldenbear,

yes, that one trick pony is worth billions of dollars, what happens when no one wants to see that one trick pony anymore?

[Revrant2394 @ Aug 14th 2007 5:59PM]

None have been DESIGNED to generate revenue, Google has not yet entered another field in hopes of generating revenue, they have only expanded their free software portfolio.

As for the ads, I disagree? No one would use any of their products if they had that, and it shows the underlying absurdity of your argument.

[gian @ Aug 13th 2007 4:05PM]

Two-foot vs. Ten-foot....which arena did they think they were playing in? Long format content needs to be in the living room.

Gian

[Ryan @ Aug 13th 2007 4:11PM]

At least they had the sense to realize when something has failed and move on.

[William @ Aug 13th 2007 4:15PM]

yeah, and how many of their "product launches" and "acquisitions" have been failures? all

youtube, great site but is it making any money??

[Chekote @ Aug 14th 2007 8:43AM]

Is google making any money? Are you kidding me? Have you checked their stock performance lately?

Google is growing 33% annually. Just because it isn't obvious how they make money, doesn't mean they aren't.

[Andy @ Aug 13th 2007 5:30PM]

Chekote it's actually really obvious how they make money. See the box on the right of these comments that has 4 ads in it. Click on one of them and you just generated revenue for Google (and Engadget). Sure it's only a few cents, but multiply those cents by millions of clicks per day and Google ends up with a whole lot of money.

[Chekote @ Aug 14th 2007 8:44AM]

Andy, I know how Google makes money (I do business with them all the time). I was referring to the fact that William obviously doesn't.

[Jonathan Keim @ Aug 13th 2007 4:13PM]

You got to hand it to google for making the refunds... although for some people, the videos will be worth more than the money

[Bloobie @ Aug 13th 2007 4:46PM]

Sarcasm? They are not giving refunds, just a credit on Google Checkout. :p

[Jonathan Keim @ Aug 13th 2007 4:47PM]

;-)

[Jorge @ Aug 13th 2007 4:14PM]

Google had a video store?

[adam @ Aug 13th 2007 4:19PM]

well why doesn't google just allow them to download the video to their computer?

[Fruition @ Aug 13th 2007 4:26PM]

Hang on a sec... Is Google shutting down their entire video service or just this pay thing?

[The Pepto Pimp @ Aug 13th 2007 4:31PM]

So I'm confused. Will both of the people who actually used this service be able to get their money back or not?

[John @ Aug 13th 2007 4:33PM]

are they closing down the ability to purchase videos, or Google Video? Seeing as they own the primary competitor, there's some sense to that

[blarvh @ Aug 13th 2007 5:10PM]

Try reading the article before panicking?

"Google closing down Video Store"
"Google has decided to "shut down its premium video service.""

[John @ Aug 13th 2007 6:10PM]

I wasn't panicking.. I doubt there's a single video on Google Video that isn't on Youtube already. I've never tried to buy video from google or in any format that wasn't contained on a physical medium, so I wasn't sure whether premium was a snarky comment from our editorial friends at engadget, and thus referring to the entirety of video.google.com

[chezzo @ Aug 13th 2007 6:13PM]

Google Video isn't a Youtube competitor any more anyway... it's being turned in to a video search engine.

P.S. Well done Engadget, I only read this on Boing Boing and Slashdot 3 days ago...

[Do No Evil HA! @ Aug 13th 2007 5:22PM]

How do you spell "Class Action Lawsuit"? G-o-o-g-l-e.

Maybe a good class action suit against this big name will put the reality of DRM-infections on the front page and wake people up. Maybe it will be the death knell for DRM. Good riddance!

[dale_nx26 @ Aug 13th 2007 8:15PM]

Oh, I'm sure people won't sue them; they're not Apple.

[x @ Aug 14th 2007 12:04AM]

i have to agree-- this is a little bit evil. money, of course, being the root of it all.

[Mark @ Aug 13th 2007 5:45PM]

This is why I never ever buy anything with DRM.

[Ted K @ Aug 13th 2007 6:30PM]

google checkout sucks. that's the one thing I wish they would work on more.

[SanjiX @ Aug 14th 2007 2:04AM]

I barely remember Google Video since YouTube knocked it out cold. Sure it offered a bit more than YouTube, but YouTube was more user friendly IMO. I thought it was silly that Google thought they could sell copyrighted low quality flash video, it was doomed from the start but it obviously won't hurt them in the long run.

[snowglyder @ Aug 13th 2007 7:27PM]

I got an email on Saturday and received $5 right away, which I already spent. Good thing I only purchased 1 video.

[Javaflash @ Aug 13th 2007 8:57PM]

"When your one trick is worth billions do you really need a second?"

YES. (No = share price will collapse) At current valuation, Google needs three at least. Welcome to reality.

[Zachary @ Aug 14th 2007 12:18AM]

I kind of liked the service. I just wish they had more content. I just got $50 for the season of DS9 i downloaded.

[James @ Aug 14th 2007 12:42AM]

If you don't buy anything that you can pay for with Google Checkout, you're using the Internet wrong.

[Don @ Aug 14th 2007 12:35PM]

@William:
"that was the point of my comment, and its a setup for bubble burst 2.0 when ad dollars dry up"

You actually think that advertising dollars will DECREASE?