Whenever the -ber months begin, time flies—no, zooms forward—into Christmas. That’s why as early as September, I begin scouting for gifts for my friends and family, mostly online. I do so because I don’t like giving generic, off-the-rack gifts. I like presents that are artisanal, not the mass-produced ones found in malls or major online stores.
I look for these gifts mostly on social media, where unique brands have been flourishing. I like this route because it has several advantages: I get high-quality handmade products, I get to support small local entrepreneurs, and it spares me from the hassle of having to go through traffic just to get to the store. I just log on to my Instagram or Facebook, checkout local stores, and browse away.
Over the last three years or so there has been an explosion of small enterprises that sell their goods online, from impeccably designed dresses and pretty shoes that use local fabric to handmade leather goods and unique necklaces and earrings. So I never run out of options.
Another great thing is that I can pay using the GCash bank transfer feature. There are stores that use GCash money transfer itself, but the app’s bank transfer feature allows me to pay to sellers directly through their bank accounts even if they don’t use the app.
GCash’s Send Money feature has a Send Money to Bank Account option. Whenever I need to make a bank transfer, I just cash in to make sure I have enough funds. I do this over the counter or through transferring cash from my own bank account I had linked to the app.
GCash may transfer money to 42 banks and financial institutions, including the major ones, and there is no transfer fee. So no matter what my seller’s bank is, the transaction always works.
The fund transfer also happens real-time, so the sellers always receive my payment instantly. Transactions are always smooth and hassle-free! And my Christmas gift-giving does not leave me stressed. I think more people really should discover the joys of going cashless.
