Playpark gaming portal now accepts SM e-PLUS card payments

SM’s e-PLUS card can now be used to purchase a variety of video game-related items online, thanks to a collaboration with game portal Playpark. Additionally, card holders can use the card to buy movie tickets online.

“With e-PLUS online, card holders just have to set up their e-PLUS online account to do online transactions,” explained e-PLUS Assistant Vice President Sahara Jean P. Garnica at a launch event at Coreon Gate Internet Café on October 11.

Introduced in 2012, the ePlus card is a reloadable card that serves as an integrated, stored-value wallet. It can be used to pay for retail, leisure, entertainment, dining, and transport.

Now, thanks to its online functionality, every user can transfer their credits to their e-PLUS online account, which can then be used to pay for SM Cinema tickets, regardless of the user’s location.

Due to e-PLUS’ partnership with Playpark, gamers can also use the card to top up their Level Up! game accounts, and purchase in-game accessories and other virtual goods.

“For online formats like Playpark, we integrated the e-PLUS to their system, which will allow their gamers to purchase the e-PLUS card and load it in any SM smalls, and then use the load online. So it’s a more convenient way of buying lives, accessories, and more.”

According to Garnica, the partnership with Playpark is a strategic one “Both e-PLUS and Playpark have almost the same target market; most of e-PLUS’ members are 18 to 34 years old, which is also the target of the online gaming community.”

She added: “The thrust of e-PLUS is to increase its base, and Playpark, which was 1 million online users, can help us with this. We feel that this partnership, complemented with a good marketing campaign, will eventually benefit both in terms of strengthening our base and cross-use.”

Garnica stressed that the exponential growth of the gaming market was a huge factor in the decision to enter into a partnership with Playpark.

“(The gamers) are the ones that we can easily convert to do cashless, because the relevance of online transactions is very strong. We feel that it is a market that needs to be really focused on as a defined channel for usage and membership.”

Garnica believes e-PLUS will be a great benefit to gamers. But this isn’t only because of the convenience of using such a card. Basically, anyone who uses their e-PLUS online account to purchase any game-related items through Playpark will be able to avail of bonuses, from free in-game goods to extra load.

“There are a lot of rewarding perks for (the gamers),” she said.

The bonuses will be announced by Playpark and e-PLUS in their respective websites and social media accounts.

But the perks won’t be limited to Playpark gamers. A points-earning system has been designed that allows users to earn points every time they use the card to complete a transaction with any of e-PLUS’ many online merchant partners. Points can then be used to unlock various rewards. For example, 20 points can be converted into one free movie pass.

Loading the card with credits requires a visit to an e-PLUS booth in any SM Mall in the country, or using any BDO ATM. In addition, e-PLUS is working with mobile reloading partners to set up self-service reloading kiosks in strategic areas in malls.

Garnica also stated that eventually, users will be able to reload their e-PLUS Online Wallets using GCash. — TJD, GMA News