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Online Gift Shop Opens Doors to ATM Market
Manila Bulletin
July 18, 2003

Filgifts.com - a web-based gift store that serves as an alternative gift channel for Filipino consumers worlwide - recently integrated PayPlus+ into its website "in order to enable the over 14 million ATM cardholders in the country to shop for presents online," said a company executive. PayPlus+ is a web-based payment gateway that allows users to make purchases over the Internet using ATM cards.

"Eighty percent of our clients are based overseas. They order from us mainly because they can't physically go to the Philippines and buy presents for their loved ones every time an occasion arises," said Gerry Ditching, managing partner of Filgifts.com.

Filgifts.com began full operations in 2001 amidst the dot-com crash. Its operations is niched on overseas contract workers (sic) wanting to send gifts to the families they left behind in the Philippines. The company's value proposition was to offer carefully chosen, competitively priced products coupled with an efficient and reliable delivery system.

PayPlus+ was integrated into the Filgifts website at the start of the year to make the store's services accessible to more Filipinos and to boost the site's local presence. Of the gift shop's approximately 9,000 registered users, only 1,800 reside in the Philippines.

PayPlus+ was built by top Philippine Internet portal and online community YEHEY! using Microsoft .NET technology. It utilizes military standard triple DES encryption and secure socket layer technology for maximum security.

PayPlus+ has partnered with approximately 20 merchants who offer a variety of products and services, including e-learning modules, e-government services delivery, financial services, flowers, hotels and travel, gifts and novelty items, and prepaid ISP, mobile, and online community retail and value-added services. The PayPlus+ shopping portal is currently affiliated with top BancNet member banks.

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