GCash Transaction Fee: As we all know, GCash is a popular Philippine app. This e-wallet service has so many features that it has 71 million users.
GCash can be use for money transfers, paying bills, and more. Offline stores use it to accept payments for services and products.
Have you ever pay using GCash and then been subject to additional fees. Since the payment was made via the mobile app? I won’t tell lies; this generally happens to me as well. However, I’ve never had the opportunity to determine. If additional charges made via e-wallet programs are allowe and legal.
Recently, a Twitter user stated that a convenience store in Boracay overcharged him an additional ₱15 fee for purchasing bottled water that only costs ₱20 when paid for with GCash. This statement sparked some debate regarding the use of GCash in physical establishments.
Went to La Rossa Ministop in Station 3 Boracay to buy water for 20pesos and when I was about to pay using @gcashofficial, they said that I have to add 15 pesos if I am using Gcash. That's their policy daw. Tsk tsk tsk. Very unethical. Who can we report them to? pic.twitter.com/64CjPE4eCr
— Chris Tan (@imchristan) November 14, 2022
This message on Twitter sparked a discussion across several social media platforms. Some users support the practice by pointing out that the merchants and delivery riders in question have to pay a cash-out fee to get their hands on the money that was pay for by GCash customers who purchased goods or services from them.
pero di naman lagi gcash ang binabayad sa kanila pano pag 20 php mo lang nag gcash edi sila lugi 20 na nga lang na tawag pang unethically haha umay
— big guy (@byeonhwa28) November 14, 2022
On the other hand, some users have voiced their opinion that businesses or entities should only charge some customers an additional fee because it is possible to carry out a cash-out transaction all at once. This is even though they are aware of the convenience fee merchants must pay.
As per the author, hindi niya cinash out yung 20 pesos pero he paid directly instead (which is through sending money), so the 15 pesos additional charge ay malaking interest rate for the water bottle just because he used gcash.
'Therefore, your cash in/out argument is invalid.
— treah (@Casziopeya_) November 14, 2022
For those who aren’t aware, you can withdraw money from your GCash account using automated teller machines (ATMs) or by hand at cash-out locations across the country. Cash-out fees from these establishments can start as little as ₱10 and go as high as ₱100, depending on the amount.
However, the question must be answere whether stores/ delivery riders. Or any other entity should impose an additional fee when GCash is use as a form of payment.
To answer, it’s a firm “NO.”
According to the Philippines’ Central Bank, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), GCash is an electronic money issuer supervised by the government (EMI). A GCash account is used to store Philippine money, also known as e-money, a digital replica of genuine fiat currencies. GCash stands for Global Cash Access, meaning that GCash money is recognized as legal cash.
DTI says that there shouldn’t be any extra fees added to the price of a product if the buyer chooses to pay with debit/credit/prepaid cards, QR codes, electronic fund transfers, or any other digital method.
NOTE: Only merchants with a GCash account should accept payments. If they do, they wouldn’t have to accept e-wallet payments.
According to DTI, individuals may be subject to a fine of up to ₱10,000 or imprisonment for a period ranging from five months to a year, or even both, depending on the court’s decision.
You may decide to give in and pay the convenience fee if you are doing business with a small store as long as it is acceptable and in proportion to the quantity of your transaction.
You can contact the DTI office through its email address [email protected] or by calling its hotline at One-DTI if a retailer insists on charging you an additional and unfair convenience fee when you’re paying with GCash (1-384).
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