E-wallet use jumps 75% in sari-sari stores, fueling digital transformation - Packworks report

Sari-sari stores are rapidly digitalizing their operations, driven by a significant increase in e-wallet use, according to a new report from Filipino tech startup Packworks.

The report used their internal transaction records as the starting point to conduct a direct survey of more than 2,000 sari-sari store owners within Packworks' nationwide network of 300,000+ stores from January to August 2025.

According to the data, half of the store owners surveyed reported a 75% increase in e-wallet usage in their store operations between January and August. The remaining respondents also saw substantial growth: 20% experienced a 100% increase in usage, another 20% saw a 50% increase, and 10% reported a 10% rise.

Store owners largely attribute this growing adoption to increased consumer demand, as their customers are also turning to e-wallets to buy goods, access funds, and settle bills at their local stores. 

“Maraming nang nagpapa-cash-in at cash-out at bumibili gamit ang mga e-wallet. Dahil dumarami, gusto namin masabayan ang pangangailangan nila. Nakakatulong din naman ito sa amin para magkaroon kami ng dagdag kita,” (A lot of our customers are making cash-in and cash-out transactions aside from buying products with e-wallets. Since more customers are using them, we want to keep up with their needs. It also helps us earn a little extra), said Marijane Rea, a sari-sari store owner from Laguna.

Store owners are using e-wallets for a variety of business operations. About 40% use the platforms for in-store payments, 30% for bill payments, and the remaining 30% for cash-in and cash-out transactions.

This digital shift is quickly becoming a critical source of revenue. Around 13% of store owners say their e-wallet earnings equal their revenue from physical goods. Among the rest of the respondents, e-wallets still contribute significantly: 66% say that about 20% of their revenues come from e-wallet use, and the remaining 21% say their e-wallet earnings account for 10% of their total revenue.

GCash and Maya are the widely used e-wallets, with 85% of store owners reporting using GCash for their business transactions and 15% using Maya.

“Bukod sa kita namin sa tindahan, nagkaroon kami ng dagdag kita sa paggamit sa mga e-wallet kasi meron kaming tubo na PHP 10 hanggang PHP 20 sa pag-cash-in at cash-out, o di kaya tuwing nagbabayad ng kuryente, tubig, o internet ang mga customer,” (Besides the income we earn from the store, we also get extra earnings from using e-wallets because we earn a profit of PHP 10 to PHP 20 from cash-in and cash-out transactions, or whenever customers pay for electricity, water, or internet bills), said Rachel Miguel, a store owner from Bacolod. 

To increase their transaction capacity and meet surging customer demand, sari-sari stores are strategically using up to five e-wallet accounts. According to the report, with each account having a monthly limit of PHP 100,000 to PHP 500,000, the combined monthly transaction capacity is up to PHP 3.5 million.

This trend supports the 30% of store owners’ interest in upgrading their e-wallets to business accounts to maintain a higher monthly limit of PHP 1 million.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas indicated that approximately 57% of total retail transactions were cashless in 2024, highlighting the increasing use of digital payments for everyday purchases and financial transactions.

Packworks Chief Platform Officer Hubert Yap highlights that sari-sari stores are rapidly embracing digital tools such as e-wallets to diversify their services and grow their businesses.

“The surge in e-wallet use proves that sari-sari stores are rapidly evolving into vital digital hubs for their communities. Aside from simply selling 'tingi' physical items, they are now diversifying their product range, offering high-margin, value-added financial services and integrating digital tools such as our app to fundamentally improve their operations and function as near-frictionless nano-banks for the neighborhoods they serve. These findings show that sari-sari stores have been at the forefront leading this digital transformation at the grassroots level,” cited Yap, “And there's an urgent need to support these micro-entrepreneurs with the right fintech to ensure they can fully capitalize on this opportunity, as they often say in sari-stores, a peso saved is a peso earned!” 

For more studies and data trends insights in sari-sari stores, you may visit http://packworks.io/ or Packworks’ Facebook page to learn more.

Sari-sari store boom: Packworks data shows regional growth in 2024

Packworks, a Filipino tech startup with an app ecosystem for sari-sari stores, has seen a significant increase in the number of stores transacting on its app from its network of over 300,000 sari-sari stores across various regions in the Philippines.

Data from Packworks reveals over 175,000 stores actively transacted through its Sari.PH Pro app in 2024, representing a 32% increase from about 133,000 stores in the previous year.

Region VI (Western Visayas) saw the largest increase in transacting stores, at 62%, followed by Region IV-A (CALABARZON) with 50% and Region V (Bicol Region) with 47%. Notable growth was also recorded in Region III (Central Luzon) (26%) and Region VII (Central Visayas) (21%). Significantly the spikes in transactions across regions were recorded from September to December, which aligns with the peak ‘ber’-months season in the Philippines. On average, there was a 12% increase in transacting stores across the country. 

"Our data illustrates the robust growth of sari-sari store activities in the regions. The surge in the number of stores recorded in our app is a testament to the savvy entrepreneurial spirit of these businesses, which are the grassroots foundation of local economies. As they thrive, they create jobs, stimulate the local retail ecosystem, and contribute to the overall economic development of the Philippines," Packworks CEO and founder Bing Tan said.

While many regions experienced significant growth, Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) saw the most significant decrease in transacting stores, particularly in April and May 2024, the same time when Typhoon Aghon hit the region. During this period, transacting stores fell to 20% in April and approximately 38% in May.

Packworks co-founder Ibba Bernardo emphasizes the crucial role of access to vital services to support the growth of sari-sari stores in the provinces, especially in areas frequently affected by natural calamities. He says, “Aside from providing them with business tools, empowering sari-sari stores also means ensuring they have the essential services to remain operational, even during challenging times. Access to reliable Internet connectivity and power is critical for community preparedness and recovery. We hope that by sharing this data we can highlight where strategies for growth and support can be focused this 2025, especially with upcoming elections and seasonal climate impact events on the horizon.  By strengthening these crucial services, we can help nurture these businesses further, and make them more resilient and sustainable to the communities they serve.”

Covering 96% of the Philippines' provinces and extending to more than 15,000 barangays, Packworks' platform now reaches nearly 23% of the estimated 1.3 million sari-sari stores nationwide.

Launched in 2018 as a solution for multinational companies with only a handful of sari-sari store partners, Packworks has rapidly expanded as a B2B platform that enables growth and success throughout all stakeholders in the supply chain ecosystem, from small sari-sari store owners to wholesalers, distributors, and renowned FMCG companies and brands. Through the Sari.PH Pro app, sari-sari store owners can access pricing tools, inventory management, sales and revenue tracking, and working capital loans.

To know more about how Packworks is empowering sari-sari stores nationwide, please visit http://packworks.io/.