Dec 29, 2022

Delayed payment services are boosting average customer spend for Northern Ireland retailers facing a challenging trading environment. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services such as Klarna and Clearpay are also taking the credit risk away from merchants, keeping their cashflow moving through online sales. For shoppers facing a squeeze on their finances amid the cost-of-living crisis, the incentive is an interest-free alternative to costly credit card or loan repayments. While BNPL may appear to be a win-win for buyers and sellers alike, organisations such as Advice NI and Which? are, however, cautioning consumers not to take on debt they may struggle to repay. And the Department for Communities is currently consulting on the possible introduction of a debt respite scheme for Northern Ireland, estimating as many as 175,679 adults here will have needed debt advice in 2022. BNPL providers make money through charging their retail partners a fee similar to credit card transactions. Close to 60% of NI retailers using IRP Commerce’s online sales platform now offer Klarna, with uptake accounting for around 5-10% of merchants’ online sales, according to IRP customer success manager Richard Fraser. Weekly Business Digest Richard Fraser, customer success manager for IRP Commerce, which offers Klarna to retailers in Northern Ireland through its online sales platform Ecommerce sales via Klarna would be lower than through alternatives such as credit and debit cards, Paypal, Amazon Pay and Apple Pay. “Of these merchants, the highest contribution of that payment method in the last 30 days has been 9.63%,” said Mr Fraser. “What’s worth noting and is probably expected is the impact on average order value when this payment method is introduced. “One of our merchants introduced Klarna in March 2022 and, as a result, has seen an increase of 11.61% on average customer spend consistently versus 2021. “When a consumer pays online using Klarna, the funds are disbursed immediately to the retailer and Klarna takes on the risk of a consumer being unable to pay.” A spokesperson for Klarna said: “We know offering out BNPL products helps retailers improve the customer experience and drive loyalty, much like online delivery or free returns.” Another BNPL provider, Clearpay, also highlights its added benefits. “Our Shop Directory drives one million customers to our merchants every day and we offer promotional events such as Clearpay Day to give our merchants a platform to offer deals to customers,” said a spokesperson. “Research shows that, as shoppers are able to budget their spending and split payments over paychecks, merchants experience higher basket sizes and gain more new customers.” Klarna has grown to 950 retail partners used by more than 500,000 customers across the island of Ireland in the last year, with 99% of its lending repaid in full and 40% repaid early. “It’s not surprising people are looking for more sustainable credit options given the banks have hiked credit card APRs to a staggering 21%,” said the spokesperson. Klarna emphasises its commitment to responsible spending. Clearpay recommends consumers only buy what they can afford, use BNPL as a budgeting tool and immediately contact its Customer Service team to create a new payment plan should any problems arise. Advice NI issued similar recommendations ahead of Christmas, urging consumers to avoid spiralling into debt by staying away from credit options where possible, but at least seeking out interest-free deals and planning ahead to avoid charges. Which? highlights a potential pitfall for consumers using credit cards for BNPL payments, citing statistics from Citizens Advice suggesting as many as four in 10 customers have borrowed money to pay off BNPL debts. Most Read