logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2022
28m 40s

Buy Now, Pay Later

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

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 credit cards. A new option that is expanding fast is the Buy Now Pay Later model, where customers have the option to pay back money for their purchases and there’s no interest charges - provided the debts are cleared on time. But is it too good be true? Join Evan Davis and his panel of experts to get to the bottom of the BNPL industry

GUESTS Alex Marsh, Head of Klarna UK Alice Tapper, financial journalist Sameer Pethe, Financial Services Partner, Kearney

Producer: Lucinda Borrell Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed Editor: Hugh Levinson

Produced in association with the Open University

Up next
Aug 21
Decisions That Made Me: Anthony Eskinazi (JustPark Founder)
When he finished university Anthony Eskinazi was destined for a graduate scheme with a top accountancy firm, but he couldn’t resist a business idea he’d had while trying to get to a baseball game during his gap year. The tech entrepreneur tells Evan Davis how he gave up job secur ... Show More
16m 1s
Aug 14
Decisions That Made Me: Joanna Jensen (Childs Farm Founder)
When an investor pulled the plug on a £3m cash injection for Joanna Jensen’s fledgling business, it could not have come at a worse time. The Childs Farm founder was just about to launch in two of the UK’s biggest high street stores, and was also going through a divorce and moving ... Show More
17m 10s
Aug 7
Decisions That Made Me: Nick Grey (Gtech, Founder and CEO)
When Nick Grey started his cordless vacuum business 20 years ago he took a big risk by handing a lot of control to a much bigger rival. The entrepreneur, who’d designed and built prototypes in his garage, tells Evan Davis about that decision and the moment he knew it had really p ... Show More
16m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
Buy now, pay later
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 ne ... Show More
18m 25s
Jun 2023
Buy Now Pay Later and Mortgage Prisoners
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 the in ... Show More
25m 28s
Jul 2022
Expert Tips to Know If You Should Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)
Ever wonder if you should use a buy now pay later (BNPL) offer or how they actually work? Laura interviews Bill Walsh, Chief Customer Officer with Sunbit about the growing BNPL industry and tips for using modern financing options wisely. Here are a few topics Bill and I cover on ... Show More
27m 22s
Dec 2023
Why “Buy Now Pay Later” is Worse Than Credit Cards
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'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, and ... Show More
10m 25s
Feb 2023
The Economy 12. Credit
Collectively, our individual financial decisions have a big impact on what the wider economy does. That includes how we manage our own money, including what we buy and how we buy it. One way we make large purchases, smooth out big bills and sometimes just spend some cash we can’t ... Show More
14m 3s
Jul 2022
Patrick Campbell: The Billion $ Quilting Industry And Using Spy Secrets To Gain A Competitive Edge
Shaan Puri (@ShaanVP) and Sam Parr (@TheSamParr) talk to Founder & CEO at ProfitWell, Patrick Campbell (@Patticus), about the billion dollar quilting industry, using spy secrets in business, buying cheap debt and a hostile takeover of a person.Also, want $5,000? Check out the My ... Show More
1h 13m
Jun 2023
PayPal's Growth Story
DraftKings wants to consolidate the sports betting market, but it still has a long road to profitability. (00:14) Ricky Mulvey and Nick Sciple discuss:-PayPal selling off more than $40 billion of buy now, pay later loans. -The payment processor's capital allocation strategy. -The ... Show More
27m 4s
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
Oct 2022
348: Finance Friday: How to Start Investing After Becoming Debt-Free
Unless you’re a money nerd, knowing how to start investing from scratch isn’t as easy as it seems. With so many options out there and the economy faltering, how do beginners avoid getting burnt? Is something like real estate investing out of reach for new investors in times like ... Show More
1h 8m
Jun 2022
“There’s Always Money in the Banana Stand!”
It’s not easy being a public company. Zendesk looks to go private, while acquisition battles continue to heat up. (:21) Deidre Woollard and Jason Moser discuss: - Stocks that could be prime acquisition targets. - JetBlue’s offer for Spirit Airlines. - Venture capital drying up, a ... Show More
28m 39s