Does Google support Donationware?

Update: There is an update to this story at: previous post

Today I received what was effectively a ‘cease and desist’ order (shown below) from Google over the use of Google Checkout to accept payments for donationware produced by MMISoftware.

MMISoftware produces two programs, PhotoGPSEditor and PhotoInfoEditor, that are donationware. These programs have been available for a number of years, and are supported by users through donations, hence they are donationware.

A donationware program is one that is essentially free. It can be used for free with full functionality, and if a user likes it they can make a donation to help support development.

However, it appears that Google will not allow Google Checkout to be used for this. This seems rather odd. Why doesn’t Google support a recognised model of software distribution?

As Google says on their website under “Unacceptable product categories”:

Fund solicitations:

Donation solicitations from parties without a valid tax 
exempt status, indicating their registration with the Charity 
Commission of England and Wales, the Office of the Scottish 
Charity Regulator or exemption from the HMRC, clearly 
displayed to the public

Well, I am not a charity, and personally I didn’t think donationware fell in to that category as it is a recognised model of software distribution and support. It just uses the word donation.

Anyway, I have emailed Google seeking clarification of the situation. I will post any response I get.

The email:

From: Google Checkout <checkout-support@google.com>
Subject: [#591727119] Google Checkout Notification
Date: 1 February 2010 07:14:02 GMT
To: sales@mmisoftware.co.uk

Hello Nick, 

During a recent review, we found that your website accepts 
donations. In accordance with Google Checkout policies
(https://checkout.google.com/support/sell/bin/answer.py?
answer=75724&hl=en_GB),you may only use Google Checkout 
to process donations if your business isregistered with 
the Charity Commission of England and Wales, the Office of
the Scottish Charity Regulator or by Her Majesty's Revenue 
and Customs (HMRC) and clearly displays the registered 
charity number on your website.

It appears that your business is not registered with the
Charity Commission of England and Wales, the Office of 
the Scottish Charity Regulator or by Her Majesty's Revenue 
and Customs (HMRC). As a result, your pending donation orders 
have been cancelled.

Although you may continue using Google Checkout for other
products or services that conform with our policies, you 
must remove Google Checkout from any donations area of your 
website. Once you have updated your website accordingly, 
please reply to this message so we can confirm the changes.

If you would like to accept donations using Google Checkout,
please display a valid charity registration number on your 
website, then reply to this message so we can confirm the 
changes.

For general product or account questions, please review
our Help Centre at

http://checkout.google.com/support/sell/?hl=en-GB.

Alternatively, please do not hesitate to contact me by 
replying to this email. 


Kind regards, 

Aliuddin 
The Google Checkout Team 

Google Payment Ltd is authorised and regulated by the 
Financial Services Authority. 

Google Payment Ltd is a company registered in England 
and Wales with company number 5903713. Its registered 
address is Belgrave House, 76 Buckingham Palace Road, 
London SW1W 9TQ.

Update: There is an update to this story at: previous post