Google Checkout - STAY FAR, FAR AWAY!

Google introduced their new Checkout Service a few months ago. It was designed to be an alternative checkout system that an E-Commerce store can add to their web site. The benefit to the customer is that you can see all your orders and status in one place. I tried it because Google is offering $10 off $30 orders at participating sites.

The order was placed successfully for some clearance items on 10/10/2006. Everything seemed fine. I received a confirmation email.

But I've received no status update. The Google Checkout page shows the order as "in progress". After tracking down the merchant's contact information, they tell me they have no knowledge of the order. I need to contact Google.

Back to the Google Checkout page. The only option I have is "Have questions about this order? Contact [Merchant], Inc". There is no way to contact Google. The merchant has no way of helping me. As far as I know, Google has charged my card but never sent in the order, and now I can't contact them.

Being clearance items, there is no way the items are still available. Google has my money, can't fulfill the order, and now I can't even get a hold of them. What. A. Nightmare.

[Update: 3:00 PM] I was able to send an email to Google about the issue, but no other contact information, and more importantly, NO PHONE NUMBER. You have my money, which means I need to be able to call you. Simple enough.