logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2021
18m 25s

Buy now, pay later

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The future of credit for the young, or just another way of getting into debt? Would you pay for a product now, when you could simply delay payment for free? Ever since the pandemic forced millions of us to stay at home, millions more of us have been buying goods online using a new form of credit. Buy now, pay later offers goods interest free and it's proving very tempting to many younger shoppers. But is it just a new form of debt trap? Ed Butler speaks to Nick Molnar co-founder of Afterpay and Sebastian Siemiatkowski, the cofounder and CEO of Klarna, the Swedish based firm that's now the world's biggest buy now pay later provider. He also hears from Alice Tapper of personal finance forum Go Fund Yourself who says regulation is desperately needed to protect younger consumers. Plus Amber Foucault from the consumer spending analytics company Cardify who says that until global regulation comes in, we should watch out for many younger customers getting into financial trouble using this system.

(Picture: "Payment due!" written on a calendar with a bank card on top. Credit: Getty Images.)

Up next
Today
The cocoa conundrum
<p>Can Europe be weaned off cheap chocolate? EU efforts to block cocoa linked to deforestation were due to come into force at the end of this year – but have faced multiple delays. Another vote is due to take place soon. Some parties are pushing for further delay and modification ... Show More
20m 42s
Yesterday
Is this the end for South East Asia's scam centres?
<p>It’s one of the biggest human trafficking operations of modern times. Scam centres across South East Asia have been making hundreds of billions of dollars annually, it’s estimated, conning people into fake crypto-currency investment schemes. </p><p>But now these centres could ... Show More
18m 29s
Nov 24
Monetising Machu Picchu
<p>Peru is home to Machu Picchu - the ancient Inca city in the Andes mountains. </p><p>It's one of the seven wonders of the world, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The popular tourist destination attracts millions of visitors, making it very lucrative for the government, local a ... Show More
17m 38s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Buy Now, Pay Later
What's behind the explosion in popularity of Klarna and its competitors? Most of us have found ourselves wanting something that we can’t quite afford. If you’re low on funds and waiting for money to come in, there are a multitude of borrowing options, from overdrafts and loans to ... Show More
28m 40s
Jun 2023
Buy Now Pay Later and Mortgage Prisoners
<p>The Chief Executive of the Association of British Credit Unions has told Money Box his members are seeing more people applying for borrowing who already have multiple buy now, pay later loans. We'll hear from a young woman who got into debt that way and get a response from th ... Show More
25m 28s
Aug 2021
What's this craze about "Buy now pay later" companies?
<p>On today's Finshots Daily for 05th Aug 2021. <br> <br> US payments giant Square recently agreed to pay an eye-popping $29 billion to acquire an Australian “Buy now pay later” fintech called Afterpay. Well, technically they aren’t actually paying $29 billion out of their pocket ... Show More
5m 33s
May 2023
People Are Using Buy Now, Pay Later Just To Make Ends Meet
With the economy in flux and prices continuing to rise, more consumers are saying yes to buy now, pay later offers. And not just for instant gratification on big-ticket items like a couch or a laptop. Struggling families are using it to spread out payments for essentials like foo ... Show More
20m 26s
Dec 2023
Affirm CEO Talks America's Credit Problem
Max Levchin, CEO of Affirm, a buy now pay later provider, discusses what's wrong with credit in America and why so many consumers are turning to buy now pay later -- and how that threatens financial incumbents. He speaks with Bloomberg's Sonali Basak for this week's Bloomberg Mar ... Show More
23m 36s
Mar 2021
101: Acquiring a $1.5M Business with Only $10k Out of Pocket with Nigel Guisinger & Sean Ade
We buy and sell a lot of different assets like houses, stocks, and even bitcoin (sometimes). But what about buying and selling businesses? Business acquisitions can seem like an entirely different world, but they aren’t too different from the regular buying and selling of assets ... Show More
1h 9m
Dec 2023
Why “Buy Now Pay Later” is Worse Than Credit Cards
<p>Patrick Bet-David explains the new concept of Buy Now Pay Later and how it has become a popular way to buy things in today&#39;s society. It could be tempting for people to get things now and pay for them later. However, these products usually cost a lot more than you think, a ... Show More
10m 25s
Feb 2019
Starting a Business, Cardi B, and the Problem with Afterpay
Nearly everyone has had a "great" business idea. However, as mom says, "the devil is in the details," and great businesses aren't built on ideas, they're built on successful implementation and follow through. To help you set up either your next side gig or start your next big ven ... Show More
1 h
Jan 2024
488: How to Pay Off Credit Card Debt FAST ($30K+ in 1 Year!)
Today, we’re going to show you how to pay off credit card debt FAST. It isn’t glamorous, and it won’t be easy, but if you can do it, an entire world of wealth-building, opportunity, and financial freedom awaits. So, if you’ve gotthousands in credit card and consumer debt and are ... Show More
40m 43s