How does Dropshipping address local payments in the Philippines?

When doing Dropshipping in the Philippines, solving local payment issues requires a combination of local payment habits, financial infrastructure and consumer preferences. Below are step-by-step solutions:

1. Access to mainstream localised payment methods

Filipino consumers rely more on the following payment methods:

  • electronic wallet (e.g. for money)(Utilisation rate over 50%):
    • GCash(Covering Internet users above 80%): Accessed through official APIs or third-party aggregation platforms (e.g. PayMongo, PandaGo).
    • Maya(Formerly PayMaya): Supports code scanning payments and online transfers.
  • bank transfer::
    • InstaPay/PESONet: Real-time or next-day billing, subject to partnership with local bank or integration through Payment Gateway.
    • UnionBank/Digital Banks: Some banks offer fee-free corporate accounts.
  • Convenience store cash payments::
    • 7-Eleven CliQQ/MLhuillier, etc.: Offline collection through partners such as Dragonpay.

Recommended tools::
Use Stripe Philippines (GCash support), 2Checkout or a local gateway like PayMaya Checkout.

2. COD (cash on delivery) strategy optimisation

COD accounts for 60%+ of e-commerce transactions in the Philippines, but the risks are high and the following measures need to be taken:

  • Pre-authorisation verification: Require customers to provide their mobile phone number when placing an order and SMS to confirm the authenticity of the order.
  • regional restriction: COD is only available in major cities like Manila, with prepaid deposit of 20% for remote areas.
  • Logistics co-operation: Co-operate with LBC Express/J&T Express on COD collection service to shorten the payback cycle.

3. Shopify shop technical configuration

If you build a website with Shopify:

  1. Install the App: "GCash Official App" or "Dragonpay for Shopify" plugin.
  2. Multi-currency display: Avoid exchange rate disputes by automatically switching PHP prices with "BEST Currency Converter".
  3. Waiver recovery: "SMSBump" sends GCash top-up reminders to unpaid users.

4. Fraud prevention and compliance

4. Fraud prevention and compliance (continued)

The Philippines has a high rate of online payment fraud, especially COD and e-wallet transactions.Dropshipping sellers need to take the following steps:

A. Counter-fraud strategies

  • Address Verification System (AVS): The customer is required to fill in the full address and match it with the bank/GCash registration details.
  • Mobile phone number + OTP verification: Mandatory SMS verification code to confirm orders and reduce false orders.
  • blacklist monitoring: Use third-party tools (e.g. SEON, Signifyd) to automatically flag high-risk IPs or repeat rejections.

B. Compliance requirements

  • tax registration: If monthly sales exceed ₱3M (approximately $54,000), you are required to register for a Philippine BIR tax code and pay 12% Value Added Tax (VAT).
  • Data Privacy Act: Comply with the Philippine Data Privacy Act by encrypting user payment information to avoid fines.

5. Logistics and COD payback optimisation

Due to the geographic dispersion of the Philippine archipelago, logistical efficiency has a direct impact on payment success:

A. Selection of reliable logistics partners

logistics provider COD Support niche
LBC Express ✅ nationwide coverage
J&T Express ✅ Metro Manila's fastest next day delivery
Ninja Van Partial Support ⚠️ (Prepaid + COD Mixed Only)｜Visayas/Mindanao Remote Areas｜

suggestion: COD orders are sent to J&T or LBC in preference to prepaid orders with Ninja Van to reduce costs.

B. Rapid return of COD funds

1️⃣ Shortening the settlement cycle::

  • LBC offers T+3 settlement (for an additional fee), which is faster than the standard T+7.
    2️⃣ Virtual Account Binding::
  • GCash merchant accounts receive payments directly from logistics companies to avoid bank delays.

6. Shopify Advanced Settings

Special configurations for the Philippine market:

A. Localised trust elements

✅Add it on the checkout page:

  • "GCash/PayMaya Certified Merchant" Badge
  • "100% Secure by Dragonpay" Logo
    ❌ Avoid displaying only PayPal/international card icons - Filipino consumers are prone to abandon purchases with unfamiliar payment methods.

B. Abandonment recovery strategies

  1. Example of SMS auto reminder template(Translated to Tagalog for better results):

"Hi [Name], ang iyong order #1234 ay naka-reserba! Bayaran sa GCash sa loob ng [24 oras] para i-ship agad: [payment link]"

  1. Tiered Offers to Stimulate Failed Payment Users::
    Unpaid on the first day → SMS sends "Free Shipping Coupon
    Three Days Unpaid → WhatsApp Pushes '10% Discount + Instalment Option'

7. Alternative - social e-commerce channels

If the conversion rate of the independent station is low, it can be combined with the local platform to attract traffic:

  1. Facebook Marketplace + GCash QR Code Collection
  2. Lazada/Shopee cross-border shop (for non-branded goods)
    → Pros: the platform has solved the local payment problem; Cons: high commissions (5%-15%).

List of key actions 📝

1️⃣ [Must Do] Register GCash Merchant Account & Maya Checkout (Application link)
2️⃣ [Test] Enable at least two local payment methods (e.g. GCash + Dragonpay convenience store payment) in Shopify backend.
3️⃣ [Negotiation] Contact J&T/LBC for COD rate discounts (500+ monthly orders can be negotiated up to 3% handling fee).

With the above combination of strategies, it is possible to increase the payment success rate of Dropshipping Philippines to 65%+ (industry average is around 40%) 💰

8. Localised customer support and payment trust building

Filipino consumers have low trust in online payments, especially in cross-border Dropshipping shops. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a reliable payment experience:

A. Multilingual customer service support (Tagalog + English)

  • real time chat tool: Use Tawk.to or the Facebook Messenger Chat plugin for bilingual support.
  • Quick response to payment issues: Automatically triggers an email/SMS to guide the user to complete the payment in case of a failed GCash/Maya transaction.
  • Example of dialogue(for high COD rejection rates):

"Kamusta po! Ang inyong order ay naka-hold dahil kulang sa address details. Paki-reply ng tamang location para ma-deliver agad!"

B. Enhancing the credibility of payment pages

✅ Add the following to the checkout page:

  1. "May physical warehouse kami sa Philippines" - implies that local shipping is faster (even if it's actually direct mail).
  2. GCash/PayMaya official certification mark (available from payment service providers).
  3. Screenshot of user review: "Smooth ang payment via GCash! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐"

❌ avoidance:

  • Only shows "PayPal Only" - Filipinos' PayPal usage rate is only 11% and withdrawal fees are high.

9. Handling refunds and disputes 💸

Banks/e-wallets in the Philippines have a slow refund process, so plan ahead.

A. Dropshipping-specific rules

1️⃣ Refund for non-quality issues:

  • Offer "Store Balance Refund + 10% Discount Coupon" to avoid GCash original return (takes 3-5 working days).
    2️⃣ COD rejection:
  • J&T/LBC will charge a round trip shipping fee + ₱150 COD handling fee → Allow 15% buffer space in item pricing.

B. Maya/GCash dispute resolution

⚠️ if a customer initiates an 'unauthorised transaction' complaint:

  1. Ask for a government ID photo (e.g. Driver's Licence) and a selfie comparison;
  2. Shopify backend submits order IP address + device fingerprint evidence;
  3. GCash merchant back office complaint success rate is about 70%.

10. Exchange rates and repatriation strategies 💰

Due to the volatility of the PHP exchange rate and strict foreign exchange controls:

way (of life) tempo (manufacturing, production etc) costs Application
Payoneer PHP→USD T+2｜1%-2% Rates｜Suitable for small and frequent settlements
Wise (formerly TransferWise) T+1｜0.6% rate｜$5k+ per transaction
LBC Global Money Transfer ⚠️ Cash Withdrawal｜Instant｜4% Handling Fee｜Emergency Cash Flow Requirement｜

🔹 best practice: Maya Business account directly convert PHP to USD → Wise transfer to HK/Singapore account to save tax.

11. Marketing mix to stimulate prepaid conversions 🚀

Reducing reliance on COD can significantly improve profitability:

A. [Time-limited strategy] "Prepaid Only" promotion

👉 "Magbayad via GCash ngayon, GET.
✔ Libreng shipping ✔ Free mystery gift ✔ Next-day dispatch!"

B. [Psychological tactics] Price anchoring method

Showing double price comparison on product page.
₱1,200 (Cash on Delivery Price)  → ₱999 (Prepaid Discounted Price!)

12. Ultimate checklist ✅

📌 [Compliance layer]
☑️ to register SEC or DTI corporate entity (costs about ₱5,000) → for opening an Enterprise GCash/Maya account;
☑️ Add the BIR tax number (Business Registration No.) to the website Footer;

📌 [technical layer]
☑️ tests the full flow of all payment methods from order to callback (paying particular attention to GCash intermittent API failures);
☑️ Install Hotjar to record checkout page behaviour to analyse reasons for abandoned orders;

📌 [Operational Layer]
☑️ trains customer service teams to handle Tagalog payment enquiries (Template.Click to download); ☑ Weekly monitoring of payment failure rates across channels and optimising gateway sorting.

With the systematic implementation of the above 12 modules, even Dropshipper, with zero local experience, was able to increase the payment success rate in the Philippine market to the industry's TOP 10% (Source:iPrice Group2023), while compressing the COD ratio to below 40%! 🎉