Do You Need an Indonesian Number for Shopee in Bali? (2026)
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📖 5 min read · By the Balitel team, Kuta, Bali · Reviewed by Sheila Theodora
Why travellers in Bali use Shopee
Shopee is one of Indonesia's biggest shopping apps. Think of it as Indonesia's Amazon.
Travellers use it for the things they forgot or run out of: phone chargers, plug adapters, sunscreen, phone cases, baby things, a fan for the room. Prices are often lower than in shops on the tourist streets, and the parcel comes to your villa or hotel.
It is most useful on longer stays: digital nomads, families, and anyone in Bali for 60 or 90 days.
Your Shopee account from home will not work here
If you already use Shopee in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines or another country, that account belongs to that country's Shopee. Shopee runs a separate shop in each country. To buy from Indonesian sellers, you need a Shopee Indonesia account.
How signing up works
You download Shopee, type in your phone number, and Shopee sends a short code. You type the code in, and your account is ready. This code is called an OTP, which just means "one-time password".
The code can come as a text message, or as an automated phone call that reads it out to you. So the number you use must be able to receive both texts and calls in Indonesia.
Shopee Indonesia only accepts Indonesian numbers
When you sign up, Shopee Indonesia only accepts a phone number that starts with +62, Indonesia's country code. A number from Australia, the UK, Europe, the US or anywhere else is not accepted.
This is one of the most common reasons travellers come to us. They try to make a Shopee account in Bali, the app will not take their home number, and they need a local one.
The courier will call you
Delivery in Bali is not like delivery at home. Many villas sit down small lanes with no house number, and map pins are often a little off. So the courier usually calls or sends a WhatsApp message when they are close.
The courier calls the Indonesian number on your Shopee account, as a normal local call. Keep your Indonesian line switched on while you wait for a parcel, so you do not miss the call and have to wait for a second delivery.
Tip: In your Shopee address, write the villa name, the gate colour and a nearby landmark, and drop the map pin exactly on your gate.
How to pay without an Indonesian bank account
- Cash on delivery (COD). You pay the courier in cash when the parcel arrives. Look for "COD" at checkout. Not every item offers it.
- Pay at Indomaret or Alfamart. Choose it at checkout, take the payment code to any Indomaret or Alfamart, and pay in cash at the counter. There is one on almost every main road in Bali.
- ShopeePay. This is Shopee's own wallet. It needs an Indonesian phone number.
- A foreign credit or debit card. Sometimes it goes through, sometimes it is declined. Try it, but have a backup.
Side by side
| Foreign number | Indonesian number | |
|---|---|---|
| Create a Shopee Indonesia account | Not accepted | Yes |
| Courier calls you | No account, so no delivery | Normal local call |
| Use ShopeePay | No | Yes |
Using Gojek or Grab too? Do you need an Indonesian number for Gojek? · Do you need an Indonesian number for Grab?
Before you fly home
Your Balitel number is a tourist line. When your plan ends, the number stops working. Like all prepaid numbers in Indonesia, it is later given to someone new.
So before you leave, remove any saved card from Shopee and close your account. That way the next owner of the number cannot get into it. Coming back to Bali another time? Make a new account with your new Indonesian number.
One rule to know before you buy: IMEI registration
If you get an Indonesian number, your phone must be registered with the Indonesian government. This is called IMEI registration. The IMEI is the serial number built into your phone.
A tourist registration lasts as long as your plan, 30, 60 or 90 days, and cannot be extended. It follows the phone, not the number. Telkomsel allows only two tourist registrations in any 12 months.
Registration is free for ordinary phones and needs your passport details. That is a government rule, not a shop rule. Balitel does it for you and deletes your passport details 30 days after activation. Full guide: IMEI registration in Bali and Indonesia.
What Balitel does
Balitel is an official Telkomsel reseller based in Bali. We sell a local Indonesian line delivered as an eSIM: a real +62 number, not a data-only travel plan.
- Your number receives Indonesian texts and calls, including Shopee's sign-up code and the courier's call.
- We complete the government IMEI registration for you.
- We need your passport details to do it, and we delete them 30 days after activation.
- Activation usually takes about 10 minutes. Our team is on WhatsApp from 08:00 to 02:00 Bali time.
- Your eSIM QR code arrives by WhatsApp, with email as a backup.
- Staying longer? We also sell 60-day and 90-day plans on one number.
Plans start at 10 GB for 30 days. See the plans
Common questions
Can I use Shopee in Bali with my home phone number?
No. Shopee Indonesia only accepts Indonesian phone numbers that start with +62, so you cannot sign up with a foreign number. You need an Indonesian number. It also lets the courier call you as a normal local call, and it unlocks ShopeePay, Shopee's own wallet.
Can I use my Shopee account from Singapore or Malaysia in Indonesia?
No. Shopee runs a separate shop in each country, and your account belongs to the country where you made it. To buy from Indonesian sellers while you are in Bali, you need a Shopee Indonesia account.
How do I pay on Shopee Indonesia without an Indonesian bank account?
Choose cash on delivery and pay the courier when the parcel arrives, or choose payment at Indomaret or Alfamart and pay in cash at the counter. A foreign credit or debit card sometimes works. ShopeePay, Shopee's own wallet, needs an Indonesian phone number.
Why does the Shopee courier need to call me in Bali?
Many villas in Bali sit down small lanes with no house number, and map pins are often a little off, so couriers call or send a WhatsApp message when they are close. They call the Indonesian number on your Shopee account, so keep that line switched on while you wait for a parcel.
Do I have to change my WhatsApp number?
No. WhatsApp stays on the number you registered it with. An Indonesian eSIM is added as a second line, so you keep your home number for WhatsApp and use the Indonesian number for Shopee, Gojek, Grab and local calls.
What happens to my Shopee account when I leave Bali?
Your tourist number stops working when your plan ends, and Indonesian prepaid numbers are later given to someone new. Before you leave, remove any saved card and close your Shopee account. If you come back to Bali, make a new account with your new Indonesian number.
Questions: WhatsApp +62 813 3945 804 or hello@balitel.com
