Holiday Shoppers Embrace Pay Later Services to Ease Financial Pressure and Guilt From Splurges
Shoppers who plan on using pay-later services this holiday season said they are doing so to help reduce the guilt of splurging and better manage their finances.
In a research report from Splitit and Pymnts, 28 percent of consumers polled said they are highly likely to use pay-later plans this season. “In fact, two-thirds of consumers who intend to use pay later options this holiday plan to use them to buy gifts for others,” the report’s authors said. “Additionally, 30 percent of holiday shoppers expect to use pay later more frequently during the holiday season than during the rest of the year.”
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The survey revealed that 38 percent of respondents said they’re using pay-later options for self-gifting. The report, titled “The Use of Card-linked Installment Plans in Holiday Shopping,” was based on a survey of more than 5,200 consumers that was conducted between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5.
Other findings of the report showed that 49 percent of parents said the pay later option “reduces the guilt of splurge purchases by spreading large expenses out over time,” the report’s authors said, adding that number increases to 52 percent for Millennials. “Additional key findings underscore that 62 percent of consumers want to know upfront if pay later is available, influencing their purchasing decisions.”
Nandan Sheth, chief executive officer of Splitit, said “67 percent of parents intend to use pay later options to finance their holiday purchases this year. This season also presents an opportunity for merchants to acquire new customers, as 43 percent of consumers interested in using pay later plans value it enough to influence where they shop.”
The report’s authors said this illustrates that educating consumers about payment options before the point of purchase “can drive greater adoption, particularly as more consumers (27 percent) are willing to pay full price when they can split payments into manageable chunks.”
Among the most popular categories for using pay-later options for gifting was apparel and accessories at 60 percent. “The research also indicates that luxury items such as vehicles, furniture and electronics are among the purchases that consumers want to finance via credit card installments this holiday season, reflecting a trend in premium spending,” the report noted.
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