BNPL Archives - ChargeAfter

4 Key Factors When Selecting a POS Lender for Your Business

Posted on Nov 24, 2023Nov 29, 2023 by Kevin Lawrence

When it comes to evaluating a POS lender for your business, merchants, service providers, and contractors typically focus on two metrics – approval rates and cost.

Pricing is straightforward to assess, but what about approval rates? Are they a reliable metric for comparing financing programs?

While approval rates are essential, they are only part of the story. If upgrading your point-of-sale financing experience is on your agenda, there are additional factors that you should consider to evaluate finance providers uniformly.

POS financing approval rates
Approval amount
Loan terms & conditions
Does the financing amount offered meet the sale amount

A summary of each is provided below.

POS Financing Approval Rates

What does it mean if a point-of-sale finance provider indicates they have an approval rate of 80%? Are they referring to ecommerce applications? Perhaps they are talking about in-person or in-store applications. The consumer finance provider likely has different underwriting strategies for each channel that affect approval rates for that channel. Given this complexity, a better indicator would be approval percentages by consumer fico tier and channel(s) as appropriate.

Approval Amount

Another important factor when selecting a consumer lending partner is whether their minimum and maximum loan amounts align with your ticket requirement. For example, if your average ticket is less than $300, you are probably focused on BNPL providers. If the average ticket is $3,000, deferred interest options like 0% interest and extended terms will be critical.

Loan Terms & Promotions

The most popular POS lenders bring extra value to the table beyond just cost, approval rates and approval amounts. These providers act as a cousultant and advise you about trends and best practices in consumer finance. Consider the added value of a partner that can explain the benefits of a deferred interest program versus equal payments with no interest or why installment loans might be better than revolving lines of credit for your customers.

Financing Offered Meets the Sale Amount

This is one of the most critical, but often overlooked, metrics when choosing the best lending partner for your business.

You need to understand the percentage of the lender loan offers that equals or exceeds the purchase amount requirement. Having a high approval rate is great, but what good is a loan offer that doesn’t allow the consumer to make the purchase?
For example, how helpful is it to offer your customers a $1,500 loan when trying to sell a treadmill for $2,500?

Purchase Conversion Rate

The Purchase Conversion Rate is arguably the most important metric and answers whether a finance program will drive sales.

The conversion rate is the percentage of offers accepted by the consumer and utilized to make a purchase. Factors that impact conversion rate can include:

Is the consumer redirected from the merchant website to apply?
Is there a seamless transition from one program to another if the consumer is declined?
Are the repayment terms and conditions agreeable?

If the consumer experiences friction anywhere in the purchase process, they are more likely to drop out and abandon the cart.
A seamless customer journey with agreeable terms and conditions is more likely to result in a purchase.

The Embedded Lending Platform Advantage

One of the major advantages of ChargeAfter’s embedded lending platform is the ability to provide merchants with these analytics and much more. Merchants can view the performance of each lending partner in a single console and on a near real-time basis.

With this data, merchants are empowered with the tools they need to better evaluate the performance and effectiveness of their lending partners, identify any gaps in consumer coverage, evaluate new promotion offers, and even perform A-B testing with various lenders.

ChargeAfter operates the largest network of lending partners offering installment loans, private label credit cards, revolving lines of credit, BNPL, subprime lending, lease-to-own, and even B2B financing. A single integration with ChargeAfter provides you with access to all of the programs and tools you need to maximize finance penetration.

About Kevin Lawrence
VP Global Lender Relations

Kevin has worked in the banking and finance industry for over a decade. He has worked closely with some of North America’s largest banks, financial institutions, and retailers. Kevin is an expert in embedded consumer financing and B2B financing and has a deep understanding of current trends and where the industry is heading.

Get Ready for Black Friday with POS financing

Posted on Oct 10, 2023Nov 29, 2023 by ChargeAfter

Black Friday is characterized by deeply discounted deals, early store openings, and unparalleled consumer enthusiasm, it’s been consistently marked as the busiest shopping day in America with merchants preparing for months in advance.

What is Black Friday?

Black Friday, the day following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday heralds the onset of the Christmas shopping season. This year it falls on Friday 24 November. In 2022 more money was spent than in the previous year with a rise in both instore and online sales.

In 2022:

In-store sales in the US increased 12% YoY (Mastercard)
Ecommerce sales in the US grew 14% YoY (Mastercard)
Global online sales on Black Friday grew by 3.5 in 2022 to reach $65.3 billion (Salesforce)
Payments made using BNPL increased by 78% (Amazon)

Why is Black Friday Important?

While the shopping spree typically extends to the subsequent “Cyber Monday” and spans an entire “Cyber Week” for many retailers, Black Friday remains emblematic. Beyond retail, this day offers an economic snapshot, a barometer for the nation’s financial health. Through the lens of Keynesian economics, which posits that consumer spending fuels economic activity, Black Friday’s sales figures can provide insights into the nation’s economic trajectory and consumer confidence.

Challenges Shoppers Face on Black Friday

Merchants meticulously prepare to cater to an influx of shoppers. This involves bolstering their eCommerce platform’s performance to prevent site slowdowns or crashes, diversifying payment options, especially with POS financing to enhance transaction success, and leveraging the efficacy of email marketing, which boasts a 4.1% conversion rate. Moreover, they strategize their discounts well in advance and prioritize a seamless online shopping and checkout experience to ensure customers enjoy an uninterrupted journey, optimizing both satisfaction and sales.

Synonymous with mega deals, Black Friday also comes with its own set of challenges for eager shoppers. One of the primary concerns is the potential for overspending. The alluring discounts and limited-time offers make deviating from a pre-decided budget easy. Shoppers might spend more than intended, especially if shopping with a credit card.

Another significant challenge is the chaotic in-store experience. Packed aisles, long queues, and overwhelming crowds can be a deterrent for many. In some cases, enthusiastic shoppers brave the cold and stand in queues for hours, only to discover that their desired product is out of stock or they get to the till only to be declined for financing.

Demand for consumer financing at the point of sale continues to rise, yet many retailers still struggle to seamlessly provide adequate financing options. Low approval rates and a subpar customer experience can result in cart abandonments, causing both frustration for the shopper and lost sales for the store.

Overcome POS Financing Challenges in Time for Black Friday

Point-of-sale financing has rapidly evolved, with consumer demands shifting and the economy showing stress. Black Friday, the shopping bonanza, is just around the corner, and merchants must be prepared to face the challenges this presents, especially with their point-of-sale financing offers. A recent survey from ChargeAfter, the embedded lending platform for point-of-sale financing, highlights the challenges that merchants face with their POS financing, including low approval rates, difficulties integrating multiple lenders, challenges with post-sale management and more.

Consumer financing is increasingly playing a strategic role for merchants as consumer demand grows. This makes perfect sense in a tumultuous economy with high inflation and soaring interest rates. For consumers, the assurance of personalized financing choices that can include spread-out payments with little to no interest, or access to other lending options such as lease-to-own, revolving credit and so on can be a beacon of hope, enabling them to commit to bigger purchases they otherwise might have foregone.

It is no longer possible for merchants to manage a robust financing offer. To provide customers with an omnichannel waterfall financing experience, they need a technology provider.

How Jerome’s Furniture Tamed Their POS Financing Challenges

Merchants who’ve recognized and adapted a platform-first approach to this trend are reaping considerable benefits. According to a case study of Jerome’s Furniture experienced a substantial uptick in sales – up a staggering 67%. These figures become even more compelling when you factor in the economic decline.

By weaving consumer financing seamlessly into their business model, Jerome’s Furniture underscored their commitment to customer empowerment and saw a surge in customer financing adoption. This indicates a vast segment of their clientele is now leveraging the store’s flexible payment options. The most commendable aspect? Despite the market turbulence in 2022 and 2023, Jerome’s Furniture maintained high approval rates, thus ensuring that customers had undeterred access to a more manageable and less burdensome financial framework.

So, as Black Friday looms, merchants have a clear strategy laid out for them: embed multiple lenders into the point of sale through an embedded lending platform. Not only does it promise to increase sales, but it also fosters brand loyalty and trust. In these unpredictable times, providing customers with financial ease can set a brand apart, making it a beacon for those looking to make the most of their Black Friday shopping.

Ready to upgrade your financing for Black Friday? Request a demo.

The Transformative Power of Embedded Lending in Customer Journeys

Posted on Sep 5, 2023Nov 29, 2023 by ChargeAfter

The retail industry has successfully navigated a period of uncertainty in recent years. Retailers have improved every step of the customer journey by plugging into technology to respond to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions. Shoppers today enjoy a better, more personalized customer experience than ever before. We can buy goods and services online or offline, choose to have our purchases delivered in two hours or two days, buy “off the shelf” or customize our purchases – whatever suits us best.

However, during this era of inflation and high interest rates, retailers have a new struggle: providing choice and personalization in consumer financing.

The Evolving Landscape of Consumer Financing

For most of the last half-century, credit cards have been the primary solution for purchase financing. Analysis by McKinsey states that credit cards remain the most popular unsecured borrowing in the United States. Credit card borrowing accounts for 78% of balances, with a 10% growth in transaction volumes in recent years, contributing to transaction values of $49 trillion in 2021.

However, the credit card is beginning to slow as a legacy solution. Traditionally, the credit industry has worked around, rather than with, the increasing segmentation of borrower profiles. Significantly, this limitation is manifesting in the form of a demographic gap. Research commissioned by GlobalData revealed a marked rise in the percentage of under 35s not possessing a credit card — 47% in 2022, compared to 39% in 2016.

Instead, younger and underserved shoppers are adopting point-of-sale loans embedded in the customer journey as an alternative to credit cards. These demographics enthusiastically embraced Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) as an attractive alternative for consumer financing. BNPL offers convenience through competitive APR rates, predictable repayment schedules, and flexible approval requirements. However, it has its limitations. Originating from the fintech industry, new regulations by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau threaten BNPL providers as loan defaults grow.

Additionally, this type of loan is only suitable for small-ticket items. Shoppers need an alternative to finance big-ticket purchases such as furniture, electronics, home improvement, jewellery, etc. And while plenty of other lending products are available for these purchases, retailers struggle to offer their shoppers a choice of financing options at the point of sale.

The Challenges of Existing Embedded Lending Frameworks

Embedded lending is experiencing rapid growth, with market revenue reaching US$4.7 billion in 2021 and projected to rise by US$32.5 billion in the next decade. However, given the complexity of embedding multiple lenders into omnichannel customer journeys, currently, most retailers offer a single-lender solution.

This single-lender model limits retailers’ ability to provide financing options that cater to their customers’ needs and preferences. Lenders typically specialize in specific financing products, such as installments, 0% APR, BNPL, lease-to-own, etc., targeting specific customer segments – prime, near-prime, or subprime. This limited financing focus leads to poor approval rates, abandoned carts, lost sales, and customer dissatisfaction. Furthermore, relying on a single lender exposes retailers to the risk of changing lending conditions, especially as lenders tighten their underwriting strategies and approve lower approval rates and transaction values.

Retailers know this, and many attempt to integrate a second lender into their offer. However, this approach results in a heavy lift for the retailer and a poor and fragmented experience for the customer.

However, this is changing. The technology enabling retailers to embed multiple lenders into omnichannel customer journeys is now available.

An increasing number of retailers are embracing a platform-first approach to point-of-sale financing.

Unlocking the Potential of Embedded Lending in Customer Journeys

Given the difficulties in managing multiple lenders, retailers are adopting a platform-first approach quickly. ChargeAfter’s embedded lending platform enables retailers to easily configure a waterfall of lending options that address all credit profiles from credit-invisible to super-prime and everything in between into omnichannel customer journeys.

This model benefits all of the players in the ecosystem. Retailers offer flexible financing options to customers at their moment of need, resulting in up to 85% approval rates, increased sales, higher average order value (AOV), and improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. Shoppers access financing choices from trusted lenders, enabling them to purchase the goods and services they desire with the terms and conditions that best suit their needs and preferences. Lenders, in turn, gain direct access to customers needing their services. This comprehensive solution creates a win-win-win situation for the entire consumer financing ecosystem.

About Kevin Lawrence

Kevin has worked in the banking and finance industry for over a decade. He has worked closely with some of North America’s largest banks and financial institutions and retailers. Kevin is an expert in embedded consumer financing, with a deep understanding of current trends and where the industry is heading.

5 Common Point-of-Sale Financing Mistakes For Retailers to Avoid

Posted on Jun 13, 2023Oct 18, 2023 by chargeafterdev

As the retail landscape rapidly evolves, one financial trend has emerged as a game-changer, satisfying the ever-increasing demands of modern shoppers: point-of-sale financing. Point-of-sale financing has garnered significant attention in recent years because it provides shoppers with instant purchasing power, flexible payment options, and simplified access to the goods and services they desire. This article explores the rising consumer demand for point-of-sale financing and delves into the factors contributing to its popularity. From its seamless integration into the shopping experience to its appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers, we delve into the 5 most common mistakes retailers make with their consumer financing offer.

The 5 Most Common POS Financing Mistakes Retailers Make

Working with a single lender
Ignoring the omnichannel experience
Providing a fragmented customer experience
Overlooking the value of financing data to build customer loyalty
Adding additional lenders without using a platform

Mistake 1: Working With A Single Lender

To cater to their diverse customer base and offer the most favorable lending options, retailers must collaborate with multiple lenders catering to various credit profiles. Lenders typically specialize in specific customer segments, such as prime, near-prime, or subprime, and specific loan products like buy now pay later (BNPL), 0% APR, short/long-term installments, lease-to-own, etc. Additionally, geographical coverage is another aspect, as lenders typically only serve one region.

When a retailer relies solely on a single lender, it poses challenges. For instance, if a shopper is declined for a loan at the checkout stage, they have limited alternatives and are likely to abandon their shopping cart. This results in a lost sale and customer, as they might be deterred from future purchases. Moreover, if the lender with whom the retailer exclusively works changes their terms or ceases operations, they find themselves in a difficult situation without alternative lending options.

Mistake 2: Ignoring the Omnichannel Experience

It’s often said that one should never put all their eggs in one basket, and this is especially true when it comes to the sales experience. Customers are, in the end, individuals with different preferences when making purchases. It is important to offer a consistent experience regardless of how the consumer engages with your business.

Whether your customers are using an app, website, or physical store, they should enjoy a consistent experience, including when it comes to point-of-sale financing, regardless of how they choose to access your services. Shoppers who rely on financing to make a big-ticket purchase, for example buying furniture, will likely prefer to apply for financing online from home before heading to the store with their pre-approval to complete their purchase. This translates into other purchases that customers know they can’t access without financing and where they want to avoid the embarrassment of in-store declines.

Mistake 3: Providing a Fragmented Customer Experience

While an omnichannel financing experience is critical, it isn’t the only barrier to a fragmented customer journey. When retailers fail to establish a streamlined process for loan applications and approvals, especially when integrating more than one lender into their offer, the result is a frustrating experience for customers.

Consider a shopper applying for a loan at the point of sale, which gets declined. If the retailer offers more than one lending option, the customer who wants to continue looking for a loan has to start the application process all over again with a different lender. This repetition not only adds unnecessary inconvenience and time consumption for the customer but also creates a sense of frustration and confusion.

This poor experience leads to customer dissatisfaction, a loss of trust in the retailer, and potential purchase abandonment. Retailers should prioritize integrating their financing options into a single platform to establish a cohesive process that ensures a seamless customer experience, minimizing the need for multiple loan applications and reducing the likelihood of customer frustration and disengagement.

Jerome’s Furniture, a discount furniture chain store in Southern California, achieved a 67% increase in consumer financing adoption with high approval rates by embracing consumer financing as part of the customer journey with ChargesAfter’s embedded lending platform.

Mistake 4: Overlooking the Value of Financing Data to Build Customer Loyalty

Data about customer financing is an invaluable asset that can help retailers make informed decisions across various aspects of their operations. By harnessing insights derived from customer financing data, retailers can enhance their marketing strategies, identify upselling opportunities, and optimize their lenders.

Customer financing data provides a comprehensive understanding of customer purchasing behavior and preferences. By analyzing this data, retailers gain insights into which products are most commonly financed, the preferred financing options, and the specific factors influencing customers’ decisions. With this knowledge, retailers can tailor their marketing strategies to target the right audience, showcase relevant products, and optimize promotional campaigns to resonate with customers’ financing preferences.

Access to individual shoppers financing data is a powerful way for retailers to build personalized customer relationships and highlights upselling opportunities. By analyzing shoppers purchasing patterns and financing histories, retailers can identify customers who have previously financed products and can invest in higher-priced items. With this information, retailers can personalize their sales approach, offer attractive financing options, and guide customers toward upgrading their purchases. This boosts revenue and enhances customer satisfaction by providing tailored recommendations based on their financial capabilities.

Moreover, retailers can leverage financing data to collaborate with lenders and optimize partnerships that provide their customers with the most successful financing options.

Mistake 5: Adding Additional Lenders Without Using a Platform

Adding additional lenders without using a point-of-sale (POS) platform contributes to a poor customer experience and makes managing post-sale processes such as refunds, reconciliations, and disputes exceptionally complicated. Without a centralized system, each lender operates independently, making it difficult to streamline and coordinate these critical activities.

Without an embedded lending platform, managing post-sales transactions becomes a cumbersome process. Each lender may have different refund policies, procedures, and timelines, making it hard to ensure consistent and efficient processing. Reconciling transactions across multiple lenders becomes equally complex, as there is no centralized mechanism to track and match payments, leading to potential errors and discrepancies.

Handling disputes becomes a more arduous task as well. Without a unified platform, resolving issues requires interacting with each lender separately, prolonging the resolution process and causing frustration for customers and retailers. The lack of streamlined communication channels and standardized dispute-resolution procedures can result in inconsistent outcomes and an unsatisfactory customer experience.

Additionally, compliance becomes more complicated without a platform. Each lender may have its own regulatory requirements, and managing and ensuring adherence to these varied compliance standards can be daunting. This increases the risk of non-compliance and potential legal issues for lenders and merchants.

Conclusion – A Platform-First Solution

Retailers are increasingly turning to ChargeAfter to embed multiple lenders into a single platform that is easy to integrate and manage to avoid making these 5 point-of-sale financing mistakes.

The multi-lender approach increases the likelihood that shoppers who seek financing will be approved, with approval rates reaching up to 85%. Unlike single-lender systems, multi-lender platforms meet the needs of shoppers across the credit spectrum, enabling more customers to make purchases through a fast and seamless experience. This broader access to financing options enhances the customer experience, fosters loyalty, and ultimately drives higher sales and AOV.

Moreover, the embedded lending platform empowers retailers to offer competitive financing terms to their customers. With different lenders integrated into the platform, they can cater to individual customer preferences, enhance their value proposition, and stay ahead in a competitive market.

In addition to customer benefits, ChargeAfter streamline the financing process for retailers. Rather than managing multiple lender relationships and systems, retailers can leverage a single platform that consolidates the entire financing workflow. This simplifies operations, reduces administrative overhead, and saves valuable time and resources.

Are you ready to get your financing right? Book a Demo

Cash vs. Credit Card vs. Consumer Financing 2023 Trends

Posted on Jun 2, 2023Oct 18, 2023 by chargeafterdev

With the advent of more sophisticated consumer financing technologies and services, consumers have more options to pay for goods and services, resulting in new spending trends.

While credit cards are still a primary method of unsecured borrowing for US consumers, their use is declining, especially with the millennials and Gen-Z. Young Americans are also less likely to use cash; data from the Federal Reserve reveals that 35 to 44-year-olds only pay for 13% of their purchases in cash.

According to McKinsey, the decline in credit card use has partly been attributed to the rise of buy now pay later (BNPL), which has been adopted by 37% of Gen-Z. As interest rates and prices rise, consumer financing at the point of sale rises. In the first quarter of 2023, ChargeAfter saw a 55% increase in point-of-sale (POS) financing applications.

This article explores how consumers are shifting their payment habits and what this means for merchants.

Cash

Since the early 2000s, there has been a global shift towards a cashless society, especially with the rise of mobile and crypto wallets. The US lags behind countries like the UK, Norway, China, and Canada in digital adoption. According to data from the Federal Reserve, 20% of transactions in the US are still made in cash. It’s worth noting that the average cash transaction is $22 compared to $112 for credit cards, indicating that it is primarily used for small transactions. In 2022, Pew Research reported that 41% of Americans said they make no purchases with cash in a typical week, compared to 24% in 2015.

** PEW Research Centre

Credit Cards

Research by GlobalData in 2022 indicates 47% of Americans under 35 do not possess a credit card, compared to 39% in 2016. Overall, credit cards remain popular and accounted for 40% of US purchases in 2021, according to Statistica. In July 2023, the Federal Reserve published that 20% of US loans were rejected, suggesting that higher interest rates make it more difficult for Americans to borrow. The Fed raised interest rates seven times in 2022, and the average credit card interest rate in the US is almost 25%. For shoppers with a low credit score, the average APR is around 27%, meaning shoppers are looking for an alternative.

POS Financing

As the technology to underwrite at the point of sale has been developed, multiple POS financing products have become available, mainly driven by fintech companies. These lenders offer diverse loans, including 0% APR, long and short-term instalments, revolving credit, B2B financing, lease-to-own, and BNPL. According to a survey by LendingTree, POS financing services rose by 12% in the United States between 2022 and 2023 and are popular across all age groups. This form of consumer financing allows customers to obtain instant financing at their moment of need, often providing better terms and greater flexibility than a credit card. Data from ChargeAfter shows that the amount shoppers spent using financing increased by 53% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to 2022 in the US.

The Future of Consumer Financing

The trend towards point-of-sale financing will continue as younger generations reject credit cards and consumers face high-interest rates. As financial technology continues to evolve, the potential of consumer financing is fast growing, suggesting an increasingly integrated and versatile financial landscape.

While cash is straightforward and carries no debt, it lacks the security and reward benefits of credit cards and is quickly replaced with tech-centered payment solutions. Credit cards offer flexibility but can lead to high-interest debt and are unpopular with young people. Consumer finance delivered through a POS financing platform that supports multiple lenders and is embedded into omnichannel customer journeys is fast being adopted by retailers to give their customers financing choices anywhere they shop.

References

https://moneytransfers.com/news/2023/02/03/cash-vs-credit-card-spending-statistics

https://fortunly.com/statistics/cash-versus-credit-card-spending-statistics/

Over 20% Of U.S. Loans Rejected In Last Year—Hitting 5-Year High (forbes.com)

https://20831387.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/20831387/e-books/The_High_Cost_Of_Low_Approval_Rates%20(6)%20(1).pdf

https://moneyzine.com/personal-finance-resources/cash-vs-credit-card-spending-statistics/

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2022/10/05/more-americans-are-joining-the-cashless-economy/

The High Cost of Low Financing Approval Rates – ebook

Posted on May 10, 2023Oct 18, 2023 by chargeafterdev

In today’s ever-evolving retail landscape, businesses must stay ahead of the curve and understand the importance of consumer financing. However, many retailers face low financing approval rates and hence miss out on the opportunities to attract new customers, improve their experience with the brand and build loyalty, ultimately leading to lost revenue. This is where ChargeAfter‘s latest ebook, ‘The High Cost of Low Financing Approval Rates,’ comes in.

The ebook covers various topics relevant to the current retail landscape, including the consumer demand outlook in 2023-2024 and opportunities to gain through consumer financing in 2023. It also dives into BNPL adopters, different types of point-of-sale financing, and the benefits of embedding consumer lending at the point-of-sale.

The ebook provides valuable insights into the different types of point-of-sale financing available, helping businesses make informed decisions about which options to offer their customers.

Another important topic covered in the ebook is the platform-first approach to financing. This approach can support retailers continuously seeking methods to meet the changing customer demands and increase satisfaction.

As there are many complexities involved in integrating and managing multiple lenders and financing options at the point of sale, both in-store and online, there is a growing demand for a seamless and easy-to-use platform for customers and retailers that easily embeds consumer financing at the point-of-sale, empowering retailers to create a better user experience and ultimately increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.

In conclusion, ‘The High Cost of Low Financing Approval Rates’ is a must-read for any business looking to stay competitive in today’s retail landscape. With valuable insights and practical tips, the ebook provides a comprehensive guide to understanding and implementing consumer financing at the point-of-sale. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to increase your revenue and customer satisfaction – download the ebook today!

Download ‘The High Cost of Low Financing Approval Rates’ ebook by ChargeAfter to learn more about consumer financing and how it can benefit your business.

The Difference Between Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and Consumer Financing Platforms

Posted on Apr 17, 2023Oct 18, 2023 by chargeafterdev

The buy now, pay later option has become a widely favored payment method within consumer finance platforms, with over 50% of US consumers utilizing such a service.

What is Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)?

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is an innovative payment option that enables customers to acquire products and services without paying the total upfront. Instead, they can instantly finance their purchases and repay them through fixed, interest-free installments over a set period—for instance, a $100 purchase in four equal installments of $25.

Widely used by a diverse range of businesses, particularly e-commerce retailers, BNPL services help boost conversion rates, increase average order values, and attract new customers. Companies that have integrated BNPL services have experienced up to a 30% incremental rise in sales volume. This payment alternative grants customers the convenience of immediate financing for their purchases paid through predetermined installments.

As a merchant, you receive the complete payment for the item upfront, excluding any merchant fees, and are not responsible for handling the financing. Buy now, pay later providers undertake the responsibility of underwriting customers, managing installment plans, and collecting payments, allowing you to concentrate on expanding your business.

This guide provides an overview of buy now, pay later payment, and other financing options. It will educate you on their functionality and assist you in selecting a provider.

How do Buy-Now-Pay-Later Services Work?

Customers can use BNPL to purchase products or services online or in-store by selecting the BNPL option via an app.
Once a plan is selected, approval from the BNPL platform is obtained, initiating the payment cycle. The first payment is deducted at checkout, while the remaining installments are typically interest-free. Extra costs may be incurred for late payments.

Businesses obtain the entire payment upfront (excluding any merchant fees) upon completing the transaction at checkout. Customers make their installments directly to the buy now, pay later provider, often without interest and with no extra fees, provided they pay on time.

Do Buy-Now-Pay-Later Payment Methods Affect A Customer’s FICO Score (Credit Score)?

What Is FICO Score?

A FICO score is the number used to determine someone’s creditworthiness. Financial institutions and lenders use this as a guide to determine how much credit they can offer a borrower and at what interest rate. FICO scores can range from 300 to 850. The higher the number, the better. A FICO score is based on a few different factors:

When customers exercise caution by avoiding overspending and consistently making timely payments, the majority of buy now, pay later payment options should not substantially affect their credit scores.

How Buy-Now-Pay-Later Services Make Money?

Different FinTechs monetize their BNPL platform in different ways. Generally, providers derive income from the merchant, customer, or both. The fees for merchants vary depending on the provider but typically encompass an initial setup fee and a fixed charge for each transaction. Customer fees usually involve late fees incurred due to missed payments.

What Are The Benefits Of Buy-Now-Pay-Later Services?

Seamless checkout experiences are crucial for any business, especially when targeting e-commerce expansion. Customers anticipate smooth, personalized payment experiences that allow them the freedom to select their preferred payment method. Buy now, pay later payment options provide adaptability and ease to your customers, minimize fraud, and enhance conversion rates and average order values.

As the cost of living increases, customer demands for BNPL solutions will likely grow, making it a superior short-term installment payment option even for credit card holders.

Get Paid Upfront And Receive Protection From Repayment Risk And Fraud:

The merchant obtains the entire transaction amount upfront, without delay—regardless of the customer’s success in paying their installments. Consequently, buy now, pay later providers/lender-network assume all customer risks, protecting your business from fraud. In cases where a customer files a fraud-related dispute, the buy now, pay later provider bears the risk and any related expenses.

Extend Customer Reach:

Providing diverse payment methods enables you to establish a relevant and recognizable payment experience, attracting more customers. Buy now, pay later options appeal to younger consumers who frequently lack credit cards: 27% of millennials and Generation Z shoppers utilized buy now, pay later services in 2021*. Additionally, buy now, pay later services to possess well-established marketing channels, including shop directories and email marketing, which may present further opportunities for reaching new customers.

* Marketingcharts.com – August 2021 | Data Source: Morning Consult

Enhanced Customer Experience:

Buy now, pay later payment solutions provide customers with a quicker, more accessible means of obtaining financing. Customers undergo a soft credit check (as opposed to a hard review associated with other financing methods), and there are no separate applications, application fees, or added processing time. Most providers feature easy-to-understand repayment plans and terms. Additionally, returning customers can enjoy a seamless checkout process, finalizing their payments in just a few clicks.

Increased Sales Conversion

Customers are more inclined to complete a purchase if they can pay over time. Buy now, pay later services help alleviate the sticker shock—making four interest-free payments of $50 appears less daunting than a single $200 credit card transaction with accumulating interest.

Increase The Value Of Sales

Buy now, pay later services eliminate the obstacle to making more substantial purchases by enabling customers to split the payment over time, accommodating their budget. For businesses offering lower-priced products, customers might be more inclined to buy extra items when they discover the option to spread the total cost over in installments.

Problems With Providing Buy-Now-Pay-Later

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is a popular option for consumers who want to purchase without paying the total amount upfront. However, it has many limitations. It is only suitable for specific credit types. BNPL may be an option for those with good credit and a stable income, but it will decline those with lower credit scores, resulting in low approval rates.
Most BNPL loans range from $50 to $1000. For larger purchases, there is a need for other financing options.
Additionally, existing BNPL providers have a one-size-fits-all approach and don’t offer personalized lending. In today’s world – different people need different consumer financing options, and different consumers have unique financial situations; a customized approach can help them access suitable credit for their needs and budget. Without personalized lending options, consumers may be presented with unstable lending options, resulting in an inability to repay, high-interest charges, and potentially damaging their credit score.
The lack of personalized lending options in existing BNPL providers can also be bad for merchants. When consumers are given a one-size-fits-all financing option, it can lead to a higher rate of default and late payments.

Consumer Financing Platforms

While both consumer financing platforms and “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) solutions provide consumers with access to credit, there are some advantages that consumer financing platforms have over BNPL solutions. First, consumer financing platforms often offer more flexible repayment terms, allowing borrowers to choose a repayment period that suits their budget and financial situation. In contrast, BNPL platforms typically require repayment within a short timeframe, which can be challenging for some borrowers. Additionally, consumer financing platforms may offer lower interest rates and fees than BNPL platforms, saving borrowers money in the long run. Finally, consumer financing platforms may offer a broader range of loan options and loan amounts, making them a better choice for consumers who need more substantial financing for significant purchases. The main reason consumer financing platforms are more flexible and carry these benefits is that they connect to multiple lenders and are not the lender itself. Overall, while BNPL platforms can be convenient for smaller purchases, consumer financing platforms are often better for consumers looking for more effective and flexible financing options.

Buy Now, Pay Later Provider Comparison.

Choosing the right buy now, pay later provider depends on the types of products you sell, their prices, and your customer base. When evaluating providers, consider the following:

Repayment terms: Buy now, pay later providers offer varying installment plans and term lengths, ranging from several weeks to multiple years. If your business has a high average order value, seek lenders that provide repayment over an extended period (like monthly installments over six months). Conversely, merchants with lower average order values may opt for fewer installments over a shorter duration, such as four installments over six weeks.

Credit limits: Each customer will have a unique spending limit based on their usage, credit, and repayment history. However, some buy now, pay later providers impose minimum and maximum credit limits. Assess your average order value and choose a provider that offers sufficient credit for customers to complete a purchase.

Customer location: Determine the markets in which you would like to provide buy now, pay later services, taking into account your customers’ locations. Often, this may involve offering multiple buy now, pay later providers to maximize your geographic coverage. With ChargeAfter’s multi-lender platform, this is unnecessary because the ChargeAfter platform connects you to the relevant lenders and services in one platform.

Affirm

Affirm BNPL range from 4 interest-free bi-weekly payments to extended installments for eligible customers of up to 36 months. The usual 0% APR loans range from 3,6, to 12 months.

Afterpay

Afterpay, known as Clearpay in the UK and the EU, enables customers to split payments into four interest-free bi-weekly installments or three interest-free monthly installments. With 20 million active users, it operates in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Spain, the UK, and the US.

Klarna

Klarna Pay in Installments lets customers spread the cost of an online purchase over three or four interest-free payments. Klarna Pay Later in 30 days allows customers to complete a transaction and pay the total amount later, with no extra cost. Klarna Financing provides up to 36 months of credit for approved customers.

ChargeAfter

Multi-Lender Consumer Financing

Offering the power of choice, ChargeAfter provides a single application for personalized point-of-sale financing, guaranteeing approval and acceptance rates for any consumer financing option. ChargeAfter’s multi-lender platform caters to all credit types and currencies and connects consumers with suitable lenders for all e-commerce and in-store financing needs.

Consumer Finance, Not Only BNPL

Unlike other platforms, ChargeAfter allows for various types of consumer finance:

— Straight Revolve:
A type of credit that a borrower can continue to draw from and repay.

* wallstreetprep.com

— Deferred Interest (6/12/18/24 Months):
The interest is deferred during the promotional period. To avoid paying finance charges, the entire balance must be paid off, in full, at the end of the promotional period.

— Equal Pay:
Equal monthly payments are required during the promotional period. Interest does not accrue during the promotional period. This type of financing is designed to pay off promotional balance in full within the promotional period.

— Fixed Pay:
Fixed monthly payments are required during the promotional period. APR is assessed during the promotional period.

— B2B Financing

B2B financing can take many forms, including trade credit that can help businesses manage their cash flow, invest in new equipment or technology, and fund growth initiatives. B2B financing can benefit both the lender and the borrower. It can help businesses maintain strong relationships with their suppliers and customers while accessing the capital they need to succeed.

— LTO

Lease-to-own (LTO) is a financing option to lease a product or equipment with the option to buy it at the end of the lease term. This financing option is also available for businesses or merchants.

— Private Label Credit Cards

A retailer or brand issues private-label credit cards that can only be used to purchase at that specific retailer or brand. These credit cards may offer rewards, discounts, or other benefits to incentivize customers to use the card for purchases. Private-label credit cards can help retailers build brand loyalty and increase sales by providing customers with a convenient financing option and encouraging repeat purchases.

Supports All Platforms

Easily integrate point-of-sale financing options on your Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, hybris, custom platforms, and more with simple-to-connect extensions or basic JavaScript code.

Providing POS checkout financing for your website or physical store has always been more complex.

Credit spectrum

Credit spectrum refers to the consumer’s creditworthiness range, from those with excellent credit to those with poor credit. Lenders use credit scores and credit reports to determine a consumer’s creditworthiness, and this information is used to determine the interest rate and terms of a loan. The credit spectrum typically includes different categories, such as prime, near-prime, subprime, and deep subprime, each reflecting a different level of creditworthiness.

Post Sale Management

ChargeAfter offers all-around performance and transaction reporting through an intuitive dashboard. Access your transaction history, monitor live trades, and effortlessly handle settlements, up-selling, refunds, and partial credits with just a click of a button.

White-label Consumer Finance platforms

As a large retailer or established brand, ChargeAfter is dedicated to promoting your brand rather than ours. Tailor the entire point-of-sale checkout financing experience to align with your brand identity and provide customized Point of Sale finance offers that your customers will easily recognize.

Support

ChargeAfter prioritizes the success of our merchants by offering 24/7 support and assistance. Whether you require aid with processing financing settlements, custom reporting, or developing creative for your next buy now pay later financing campaign, we’re here to assist you in achieving your goals.

About ChargeAfter

ChargeAfter’s headquarters is in New York. The company’s investors comprise prominent entities such as The Phoenix, Citi Ventures, Banco Bradesco, VISA, MUFG, BBVA, Synchrony Financial, PICO Venture Partners, Propel Venture Partners, Plug and Play VC.

For more information & or to Schedule a Demo, visit https://chargeafter.com/contact-merchant/

ChargeAfter Expands Lender Network in Canada with Leading B2B BNPL Provider Tabit

Posted on Apr 4, 2023Oct 18, 2023 by chargeafterdev

By adding more B2B lenders to its point-of-sale financing platform, ChargeAfter enables merchants in Canada to provide their business customers with additional B2B financing options

NEW YORK, April 4, 2023 ChargeAfter, the leading multi-lender point-of-sale financing platform announced today that it is expanding its network of lenders through a partnership with Canada’s leading B2B Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) provider Tabit, powered by Merchant Growth.

As a result of the partnership, ChargeAfter will provide merchants in Canada with more financing options for their business customers at the point of sale. Financing options are very limited for businesses, resulting in low approval rates. To help merchants provide a solution for their business customers, ChargeAfter partners with financing providers that specialize in serving businesses.

Tabit is a B2B Buy-Now-Pay-Later solution powered by Merchant Growth. Merchant Growth was recently recognized as the fastest-growing B2B financing provider in Canada. Tabit’s integration into the platform means that merchants that use ChargeAfter to manage their point-of-sale financing can now provide their business customers with installment options from 30 days to 12 months.

Elias Beaino, EVP, Tabit commented “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with ChargeAfter, a leading multi-lender platform. Through this collaboration, Tabit is able to offer its innovative B2B BNPL solutions to even more merchants. We look forward to working closely with ChargeAfter to bring flexible payment options to businesses and help them grow and succeed.”

Meidad Sharon, CEO, ChargeAfter commented “We are delighted to partner with Merchant Growth to add their Tabit’s B2B BNPL solution to ChargeAfter’s network of lenders in Canada. This new partnership is an important step in our B2B financing program expansion. Embedded point-of-sale financing is fast becoming the new standard for the modern customer journey and I am excited that ChargeAfter’s lending network is leading this change.”

About ChargeAfter
ChargeAfter is the leading multi-lender white-labeled point-of-sale consumer financing platform and lender network for merchants, and financial institutions. Powered by a data-driven decisioning engine and network of lenders, ChargeAfter streamlines the distribution of credit into a single platform that merchants can implement rapidly online, in-store, and across any point of sale.

ChargeAfter investors include Visa, Citi Ventures, Synchrony Financial, Banco Bradesco, MUFG, BBVA, PICO Venture Partners, Propel Venture Partners, The Phoenix, and Plug and Play VC. ChargeAfter is headquartered in New York and has a research and development center in Tel Aviv. For more information, visit https://chargeafter.com/about-us

About Tabit
Tabit is a B2B Buy-Now-Pay-Later solution powered by Merchant Growth. Tabit was founded in 2021 with the purpose of bringing the consumer buying experience to B2B. Through decades of data and a deep understanding of the borrower and lender landscape, Tabit partners with B2B suppliers to provide small businesses with flexible payment options at point-of-sale and eliminates the risk and expense associated with in-house credit management. Learn more at: https://tabit.ai/

About Merchant Growth
Merchant Growth is a leading Canadian financial technology company that specializes in small business financing. Over the past decade, Merchant Growth has supported Canadian businesses with hundreds of millions of dollars in growth financing. Using an innovative approach that includes the latest technology, complete transparency and thoughtful customer care, Merchant Growth is committed to helping make business financing easy to understand and accessible. To learn more, visit: www.merchantgrowth.com.

For further information, please contact
Varda Bachrach, varda.bachrach@chargeafter.com
Investor Relations, ir@chargeafter.com