When customers want to buy an item but don’t have the cash handy, they have a few options: put it on a credit card, use the store’s layaway program, or pay monthly using a buy now, pay later (BNPL) arrangement.
Credit cards still have a solid foothold, but layaway plans are becoming a thing of the past. BNPL programs managed by third-party credit specialists are becoming more popular and accessible. In fact, according to one survey, as many as 25% of Americans have used BNPL as an option.
And while retailers get charged by BNPL providers to use the service, they make up for it with increased sales volume.
Curious about whether BNPL can work for your business? Learn more about the trend and the top BNPL service providers below.
What is buy now, pay later (BNPL)?
A buy now, pay later plan is a loan offered to a customer at the point of sale to purchase merchandise on credit but without a credit card. Popular BNPL providers include Shop Pay Installments from Shopify, Affirm, Afterpay, Sezzle, PayPal, and Klarna.
Many BNPL providers will run an instant soft credit check on the customer (the type that doesn’t impact your credit report), and then release funds for a point-of-sale loan. Customers then make a monthly payment to the provider until the product is paid off.
Some payment options incur interest, but most do not, and some companies charge late fees for missed payments. BNPL companies may offset the lack of interest charged to the consumer with a fee that they charge the retailer.
How does buy now, pay later work?
Buy now, pay later is a payment system that allows customers to purchase items now and pay for them later, usually within a set period of time. This type of payment system is typically used by online retailers and is similar to the concept of layaway.
Typically, customers select the buy now, pay later option at checkout. They are then sent an invoice with a payment due date. Customers must make their payment by the due date, or else they may incur late fees.
Here’s a breakdown of how the BNPL process works for both consumers and retailers, in five steps:
- A customer shops as normal and begins the checkout process. If you’re a customer, you start the BNPL process as you would any other ecommerce transaction. You shop your favorite online stores, select merchandise, and prepare to pay.
- The retailer’s chosen BNPL vendor presents the option to buy now and pay later. During checkout, the customer will have the option to purchase using BNPL, along with the choice to purchase using a credit or debit card.
- The lender runs a soft credit check on the customer. When the customer opts to purchase their items using BNPL, they enter some personal details with the BNPL lender (such as a full address or Social Security number). The lender immediately runs a soft credit check on the customer to get assurance that they will eventually pay back their loan, based on their credit history.
- The BNPL provider charges a fee to the retailer. The BNPL provider will take a percentage of the retail transaction, which is billed directly to the retailer. The fee (which typically ranges between 2% and 8%) gets deducted from the sum the BNPL provider remits to the merchant. This is similar to the arrangements that traditional credit card companies have with retailers.
- The customer pays off the balance over time. Most BNPL providers offer interest-free payments if a customer pays their full balance in a short period of time (typically 30 days). If customers need more time to pay down their balance, the lenders offer different payment plans with different interest rates. Much like with a credit card, the faster the customer pays off the bill, the less total interest they pay.
Why is BNPL so popular?
Consumers enjoy several potential benefits when using a BNPL service.
BNPL boosts the bottom line
BNPL is an equalizer for shoppers without credit cards—meaning you have a larger pool of potential buyers. A BNPL service offers many of the same benefits as a credit card for consumers, but for comparatively smaller, individual purchases.
Customers can do all of this on the BNPL provider’s website or via its smartphone app. This simple checkout process means more sales for merchants. Plus, as many as 15% of Americans don’t use credit cards at all anymore, largely due to high-interest rates. It’s no surprise, considering average interest rates have surpassed 20%. BNPL offers options for both interest-free and flexible payment options.
Most BNPL services offer options to customers at the point of sale. Customers can pay the full purchase price using the BNPL service or split the purchase between BNPL and some other payment source (like a debit card). Plus, most BNPL vendors run soft credit checks on their clients to affirm their eligibility for a loan. Unlike a hard credit check, this doesn’t impact consumers’ credit scores.
There’s minimal risk
BNPL services typically assume all risks. This means the BNPL vendor is on the hook in cases of non-payment—merchants still receive the full purchase amount even if the customer defaults on payments. You don’t have to be a bank or financial institution to offer BNPL to your customers.
Integration is simple
Many BNPL providers offer simple integration options for merchants. This makes it easy to quickly add the payment option to their checkout process without significant investment or technical expertise. Shop Pay Installments, for example, works seamlessly with the Shopify suite of business tools.
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Offering some of the top payment methods like credit/debit cards, mobile wallets, and BNPL can help improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Pros of accepting buy now, pay later payments
Merchants stand to gain a lot by offering BNPL payment options to their customers:
Increase average order value
In short, BNPL allows customers to buy things they otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford or want to pay for all at once—without using a credit card. Shoppers can afford higher-priced items by spreading the cost over time.
This can allow them to purchase more expensive products, upgrade to premium versions, or add accessories and add-ons, leading to higher average order value (AOV) for merchants. In fact, merchants using Shop Pay Installments experience up to a 50% increase in average order value and up to 28% fewer abandoned carts.*
Improve cash flow
Offering BNPL can give merchants a competitive edge in the market. In industries where multiple sellers offer similar products, providing flexible payment options can differentiate one business from another.
Many customers abandon their shopping carts due to unexpected costs or concerns about affordability. BNPL options can help reduce cart abandonment rates by providing customers with a more manageable payment structure.
While merchants receive payments upfront from BNPL service providers, customers repay the installments over time. This can help improve cash flow for merchants, especially for larger purchases. By offering flexible payment options that align with customers' financial situations, merchants can foster loyalty and encourage repeat purchases.
Attract younger customers
Younger consumers tend to be more open to using BNPL services to make purchases. So, BNPL is a great way to appeal to new, younger customers who prefer the flexibility of paying over time. Younger demographics tend to be more open to trying new things, prefer alternatives to traditional credit cards, or may have limited access to credit.
6 best buy now, pay later apps
Retailers favor buy-now, pay-later services because they’ve been shown to boost overall sales volume. As a result of this retailer preference, there are more viable BNPL services than ever before. Here are six well-regarded options.
1. Shop Pay Installments
Shopify offers a robust BNPL service called Shop Pay Installments, in partnership with Affirm. Shop Pay Installments grants online small businesses the same BNPL benefits enjoyed by major retailers, including a larger average order value and less cart abandonment.
To check your eligibility, log in to your Shopify admin and go to Settings > Payments. Click Manage under Shop Pay Installments. If you’re eligible for the premium package, you'll have a chance to review the financing options. To activate, click Select premium package to accept the premium financing options on offer.
To activate Shop Pay Installments on your Shopify store, do the following:
- From your Shopify admin, go to Settings > Payments.
- In the Shopify Payments section, click Manage.
- In the Shop Pay section, check Shop Pay Installments, and then click Save.
You can also use Shop Pay Installments with Shopify POS for in-person transactions.
Best features:
- Complete online store and point-of-sale (POS) integration for online and in-person sales
- No payment processing fees for refunds and returns
- Payments are disbursed to merchants in 1–3 business days
Pros:
- Easy integration with your Shopify store and POS system
- Boosts conversion rate and average order value
- Offer installments to the millions of buyers who use Shop Pay
Cons:
- Only works with Shopify
Pricing: If you choose Shopify as your commerce platform, you can use Shop Pay Installments to let customers pay in one of two ways, depending on the transaction amount:
- For orders from $50 to $999.99: Customers pay four biweekly, interest-free payments.
- For orders from $150 to $30,000: Customers make monthly payments, which are interest-bearing, from 10% to 36% APR. These may be paid in three, six, or 12 months, depending on the purchase amount.
2. Affirm
Affirm is offered as a payment option at big retailers like Amazon and Target for amounts up to $17,500. To be eligible to offer Affirm to your customers, you must sell products online directly to consumers or be a sole proprietor with an average order value over $50.
For short-term loans (four payments with two weeks between each payment), Affirm charges no interest and no fees. Longer-term loans up to 36 months require interest payments (ranging from 10% to 30% APR, depending upon credit) but no fees.
Best features:
- Upfront payments to merchants in 1–3 business days
- Flexible payment options
- Marketing support for partners
Pros:
- Seamless integration with tons of popular platforms like Shopify
- Available in both the U.S. and Canada
Cons:
- Only available for businesses that sell directly to consumers online or have an AOV of at least $50
Pricing: Affirm says it charges a base percentage plus a transaction fee, but doesn’t disclose specific amounts.
3. AfterPay
Afterpay has a smart credit limit tool that creates a spending limit for shoppers based on their personal credit history. This ideally prevents them from spending more than they can pay back. It also offers consistent reminders to make payments, and its virtual card service is easy to use. Afterpay charges late fees, and its interest rates fall into the same 10% to 30% range as Affirm.
Best features:
- Easy integration with Shopify
- Merchant portal with data reports
- No interest fees
Pros:
- Immediate payment upfront
- Lower credit and fraud risk
Cons:
- In-person payments work best with Square
Pricing: Afterpay’s fees are widely reported to be 30¢ per transaction, plus 4–6% of the total purchase
4. Sezzle
Sezzle has a feature that lets customers push back payment due dates by up to two weeks. Sezzle requires a 25% down payment on all purchases, but borrowers can pay off most loans without owing interest.
Best features:
- Repayment options for both one-time purchases and recurring subscription fees
- Consumers can build credit score via Sezzle Up
- Payment rescheduling
Pros:
- Accesses a network of banks with borrower-friendly approvals
- Payment flexibility
Cons:
- Higher-than-average transaction fees for merchants
Pricing: Sezzle reportedly charges 30¢ plus 6% for each transaction.
5. PayPal Pay Later
PayPal is probably better known as a secure online payment system or as a person-to-person cash transfer app, but it’s also a BNPL lender. Its signature lending product, PayPal Pay Later, has two options:
- Pay in 4, which breaks transactions into four scheduled payments. PayPal limits this service to purchases between $30 and $1,500.
- Monthly, which allows shoppers to break down purchases that range from $199 to $10,000 into monthly payments over six to 24 months. PayPal’s standard interest rate is roughly 24% APR.
Best features:
- Automatically promote the most relevant BNPL option based on shopper behavior
- Access to a massive user base
- Immediate payment upfront
Pros:
- Easy to set up
- Brand recognition and trust
Cons:
- Only two repayment options
Pricing: Standard PayPal payment transaction fees apply
6. Klarna
Klarna uses a proprietary metric called Purchase Power instead of strict borrowing limits. It describes Purchase Power as “an estimated amount based on factors such as your payment history with Klarna and your outstanding balance.” If a customer has good credit and a solid payment history, they may be eligible for larger point-of-sale loans from Klarna than from most other BNPL vendors. Interest maxes out at 25%.
Best features:
- Browser extension available for consumers
- Borrowing limits
- Loyalty cards
Pros:
- Various payment options for consumers
- Available for online and in-person shopping
Cons:
- Reportedly high fees for merchants and consumers alike
- Limits borrowing to consumers with strong credit profiles
Pricing: Klarna fees vary depending on your business profile and current market.
6 things to consider when looking for a BNPL provider
When searching for a BNPL provider for your business, consider the following:
- Integration and compatibility with your ecommerce platform: Shop Pay Installments, for example, offers customers the option to pay for their order in installments at checkout, both online and in store, thanks to seamless integration to your Shopify site and POS.
- Borrowing amount: Make sure the BNPL provider will lend enough for your customers to purchase your products—and also that your products aren’t priced too low to be eligible for BNPL. Orders from $50 to $20,000 are eligible for Shop Pay Installments payments.
- Funds disbursement: You don’t want to wait weeks to receive the funds from a BNPL sale. After you’ve captured the payment for an order placed using Shop Pay Installments, for example, you’ll receive full payment in one to three business days.
- Customer experience: Look for a provider that offers a user-friendly interface, transparent terms and conditions, and responsive customer support to address any issues or concerns. The Shop Pay Installments purchasing power feature, for example, allows your customers to view their Shop Pay Installments payment options at the beginning of their purchase journey.
- Flexibility and customization: Choose a BNPL provider that offers flexibility in terms of payment options, repayment terms, and customization options to accommodate the unique needs of your business and your target audience.
- Data analytics and insights: Look for reporting tools to track key metrics. You can view analytics for Shop Pay Installments and export the data as a CSV spreadsheet.
How to promote BNPL and increase average order value
Some BNPL providers offer assets to help guide you through your promotion strategy. If you use Shop Pay Installments, for instance, you can take advantage of a complete marketing toolkit, compliance guidelines, approved messaging, brand assets, and usage guidelines to make sure you’re using the correct disclosures and wording.
Add a banner to your online store
Promote your BNPL offering on your website with an announcement banner. Highlight the benefits of the program and consider linking out to a FAQ page to answer common questions about it. Add the banner to your website’s home page, product pages, and your cart page.
For example, beauty company RevAir reminds customers with a website banner that they can use Shop Pay to purchase its products for as little as $32 per month.
Include it in marketing emails
Use email marketing to share your BNPL option with customers. If you use Shop Pay Installments, for example, you can promote it through email marketing and paid media. Use the pre-loaded Shopify Email template, available if you have the Shopify Email app installed on your site.
Add retail signage
Install signage at strategic points in your store to help drive awareness of BNPL as customers navigate through your store. You might put signage at the store entrance, checkout, near big-ticket items, next to best sellers, and in fitting rooms.
Shop Pay Installments provides print-ready files for 8” x 10” signs, 6” x 6” tent cards, and 4” x 6” postcards for customers so you don’t even have to design the creative yourself.
Partner with your BNPL provider
Some BNPL providers have additional marketing and distribution channels you can take advantage of. For example, the Shop app can show inventory to shoppers, allowing them to quickly see which merchants accept BNPL payments. This is a great way to tap into a new audience and sales channel.
Buy now, pay later alternatives
BNPL may not be an option for every small business merchant. Here are some alternatives for both businesses and shoppers to explore:
- Layaway: If your business can handle it, you can still offer the layaway option. With this setup, customers have to pay the full amount in installments before they can receive the product.
- Personal loan: If a shopper really can’t afford something, and BNPL or credit cards aren’t options, they can opt for a personal loan. It’s not your role as a merchant to suggest this—leave the decision up to the customer.
- Customer loyalty program incentives: You might have a customer loyalty program that offers rewards for purchases. You can consider offering discounts or allowing customers to “pay” for a purchase with loyalty program points.
- Income-based pricing: Some businesses have an income-based pricing system that allows customers to pay what they can. This can be a sensitive and tricky topic to navigate, and it also requires a lot of trust in your customers.
- Store credit card: Many major retailers offer their own branded credit cards. While this may not be an accessible route for small businesses, it can potentially be an option once your business grows.
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Buy now, pay later FAQ
What does BNPL mean?
BNPL means “buy now, pay later.” Buy now, pay later is a payment system that allows customers to purchase items now and pay for them later, usually within a set period of time. This type of payment system is typically used by online retailers and is similar to the concept of layaway.
How do I set up buy now, pay later for my business?
To set up buy now, pay later for your business, first research and find BNPL platforms that can integrate with your existing ecommerce platform and payment gateway. Then look into the pricing, terms, and features for each BNPL to find which one works best for your needs.
How do buy now, pay later systems work?
In a buy now, pay later system, customers select the buy now, pay later option at checkout. They are then sent an invoice with a payment due date. Customers must make their payment by the due date, or else they may incur late fees.
How does buy now, pay later make money?
A buy-now-pay-later service makes money by charging merchants a fee for each transaction processed. The fee is usually a percentage of the purchase, plus a fixed amount. A BNPL provider can also earn money through interest charges and late payment fees.
What is the best site for buy now, pay later?
- Shop Pay Installments
- Klarna
- Affirm
- AfterPay
- Sezzle
- PayPaL
What is the catch with buy now, pay later?
If you can pay off the purchase in full before the interest-free period ends and don’t have any other debt, then buy now, pay later might be worth it. However, if you have other debt or are unable to pay off the purchase in full before the interest-free period ends, then buy now, pay later could be risky and costly. While a soft credit check doesn’t impact your credit score, BNPL loans now show up on your credit report across the three main credit bureaus.
*These statistics are based on internal Shopify data. The sample size consisted of 281 merchants using Shop Pay Installments with varying financial packages. Individual results may vary.