BidPay launched an API that lets third-party vendors integrate the online-payment service into their eBay Checkout offerings. Sellers who use auction-listing tools with the BidPay integration can offer buyers the choice of using BidPay right at checkout as they complete their eBay transactions. BidPay said sellers should ask their auction-management providers when and if they plan to integrate the online payment service since the API was launched just last week.

BidPay is one of the select online-payment services allowed on eBay through its Accepted Payments policy (unlike Google Checkout, which is banned from the site). BidPay lets sellers accept credit cards without the necessity of having their own merchant account.

In addition to the recently released BidPay 3rd Party API, the company will launch the BidPay General Payments API in August. This will allow integration of BidPay with sellers' own websites.

In addition, BidPay will soon announce that buyers will no longer have to register with BidPay before entering their credit card information, helping improve conversion. Also expect to see some pricing announcements making the offering more competitive.

BidPay was originally a service from First Data Corp. that allowed buyers to purchase money orders online for eBay transactions and was well liked by many sellers. It changed its model to a credit-card payment processor after First Data sold the business to CyberSource. CyberSource recently announced it was acquiring Authorize.net, which it says will present synergies between Authorize.net and BidPay once the acquisition is final (http://www.cybersource.com/news_and_events/view.xml?page_id=1588).

http://www.bidpay.com