Globe says GCash is fastest growing online payment mode

GCash, a mobile money transfer service developed by Globe Telecom, has become the fastest-growing payment mode for online shopping, gaming, and payment sites both in the Philippines and abroad, the company said.

Beginning with person-to-person transfers to airtime load purchases and bills payments, GCash has expanded to Internet payments and has now become a major payment option for Internet shoppers who prefer quick and hassle-free transactions.

With the emergence of GCash as the preferred mode of payment among individual Filipino online sellers, particularly in Multiply, other established shopping, gaming, and payment sites have also realized the value that GCash would bring to their businesses. Such websites are now offering GCash as payment option together with other traditional methods.

Globe and TM subscribers can avail of the service through a one-time registration process via the GCash Menu in their SIMs. The GCash Menu provides the user with a guided experience without having to memorize key words.

Once registered, loading GCash into their mobile wallets is simply done by dropping by any of the 18,000 GCash outlets nationwide. When paying online, GCash users only need to select GCash from the payment selection window and they will be asked to key in their GCash registered mobile number and GCash PIN for transaction verification.

There are thousands of online entrepreneurs all accepting GCash payments. They are usually in popular shopping sites like Ebay, Multiply, and Sulit.com. However, aside from being the “venue” where these buy and sell transactions are being conducted, Multiply (www.multiply.com) and Sulit.com (www.sulit.com.ph) have taken GCash into the next level by accepting GCash payments for their various services.

Online networking site Multiply makes upgrading accounts much easier for Filipino users with the integrated “Pay with GCash” button while Sulit.com now accepts GCash for payment of Sulit Gold (SG) credits which can be used to purchase additional exposure time on the website’s premium advertising space.

Current additions to the list of sites accepting GCash payments include Buy Online (http://ping.fm/dHRXv), PhilShopping (www.philshopping.com), and Bum-Buys (www.bum-buys.com).

The online stores carry a wide range of products from a reliable list of local and international suppliers. The products include apparel, accessories, books, electronic and computer gadgets, movies, music, toys, baby needs, cosmetics, pets, home improvement, furniture and fixtures, among other things.

Pinoy Wellness (www.pinoywellness.ph), a soon-to-be launched health and wellness portal is also working on a partnership with GCash for online payment of mass vaccines that will be delivered and administered to customers in their place of work.

Online gaming sites such as Run Up Philippines (www.runup.com.ph) accept GCash payments to buy points and virtual credits. Hong Kong-based Run Up Games Distribution Limited was established in 2002 and is a major distributor and operator of online games and related products not only in the Philippines but also in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore. Popular Run up games include Luna Online, X-Machine Online, and Khan Wars.

GCash call also be used for Facebook (www.facebook.com) games thru Paymo, the mobile payment brand of global leader BOKU, Inc. It allows Facebook gamers in the Philippines to purchase virtual credits for their favorite Zynga, PlayFish and Enigma games such as Farmville, Café World, Mafia Wars, Poker, Fishville, Petville, Vampire Wars, Yoville, Challenge Sudoku, Restaurant City, Poker Rivals, Pet Society, Hotel City, Gangster City, Crazy Planets and Country Story.

Facebook is currently the most visited website in the country with approximately 10 million Filipino subscribers, most of them engaging in at least one of its highly-addictive games.

Likewise, GCash was tapped by Asia Pay (www.asiapay.com.ph), an electronic payment gateway provider, for its PesoPay online payment service.

The PesoPay via GCash facility enables real-time Internet payment to reach millions of GCash mobile commerce customers in the Philippines and around the world. Businesses will be able to enjoy GCash payment acceptance in any e-commerce Web page using PesoPay payment system.

GCash is also currently working with Payfree (www.payfree.com.ph) for online payment of Payfree credits which in turn can be used to purchase airtime load.

Payfree is an electronic wallet and payment solution that incorporates SMS-based applications to pay or get paid online or through POS (point-of-sale) transactions. It features several value-added services such as discounted VoIP calls and electronic loading of prepaid cell phone credits for all of its members.

The use of GCash in online shopping, gaming and payment sites is expected to further expand in the coming years as more gamers and online shoppers take advantage of the ease, convenience, safety, and security offered by the GCash system.

As with any payment facility, mobile or traditional, GCash said shoppers to make sure that online sellers are trustworthy before doing any transaction. It is always ideal for buyers to send money to sellers they are familiar with.

As an added customer service, prospective buyers who want to use GCash may call the 24/7 GCash Hotline 2882 toll-free from their Globe or TM cellphone or 7392882 from any landline to verify the GCash number given them.