In May 2023 the Australian Government announced that the Buy Now Pay Later industry would be regulated to comply with the Credit Act. These changes are not yet in effect, and are planned to be legislated later in the year.
Among the proposed changes are a cap on late or missed payment fees, stricter marketing requirements and an improved hardship processes for customers.
Buy now pay later (BNPL) providers allow you to buy something right away and spread out the cost over time, usually 4 weeks. You don't have to pay any interest, but fees and charges can quickly add up if you miss your payments.
Buy now pay later is the term used to refer to interest-free credit providers. Many people are even cutting up their credit cards in favour of this potentially more attractive shopping solution.
These interest-free platforms allow you to spread the cost of purchases over time (usually about 8 weeks), rather than paying large amounts of money upfront for items you want or need.
BNPL works in much the same way as the interest-free deals major retailers have offered for years by allowing you to delay paying on your purchases and spreading the cost over a longer period of time. The only difference is that you are effectively borrowing money from a third-party provider that is available in a range of different stores, as opposed to a single retail outlet.
It works in a similar way to lay-by, but instead of securing an item for later purchase, you receive your goods right away.
Most interest-free platforms, including Afterpay, charge the retailer a fee per transaction. This is how interest-free platforms make most of their money. Retailers benefit from offering options such as Afterpay and Zip because it takes away one of the biggest barriers to closing a sale – it allows shoppers to spend money they don't have.
Some BNPL providers charge monthly account-keeping fees, payment processing fees or early exit penalty fees. They also charge fees for late payments. Because repayments are deducted from your nominated account or card automatically, if there are insufficient funds and you don't reschedule your repayment, you'll be charged a late payment fee.
These late payment fees are usually fairly low, roughly between $2 and $12 for smaller orders. However, these fees can add up and send you on a debt spiral quite quickly if you're not careful.
Most BNPL platforms usually perform something known as a "soft credit check". This means that they will confirm your details and check your credit records for bankruptcy or Part 9 debt agreements, but the check won't show up on your credit score (like a "hard credit check" would). If you have major defaults on your credit record, you might not be eligible.
Other interest-free platforms may not check your credit score. Therefore, it's up to you to be realistic about what you can and can't afford to pay back. While interest-free platforms don't affect your credit record when you sign up, they can report defaults to your credit reporting body, which will negatively affect your score. Depending on how many payments you miss, you may also have to pay legal fees if action is taken against you.
All fees and charges have been fact-checked as of December 2022
Each provider offers the following features with its BNPL service:
If you can't meet a repayment, it's important that you contact the BNPL provider you used as soon as possible. Most providers will allow you to defer the repayment date by a week or so without penalty. However, some providers may charge you a late fee for a missed payment.
Missing the payment without contacting your provider beforehand could see you receiving a black mark on your credit file. This could impede your chances of applying for credit in the future. Therefore, it's never a good idea to bury your head in the sand if you think you're not going to be able to meet your next payment.
HSBC Platinum Credit Card
Long-term 0% payment plans at stores across Australia and no interest for 6 months on purchases of $250 or more. $8.95 monthly account fee applies.
Our 4 expert tips and tricks for getting the most out of your BNPL service are:
Your rights as a customer are likely to vary depending on which BNPL provider you are using. Therefore, it's a good idea to check the terms and conditions of your specific provider rigorously, prior to using its service. Generally, the below applies:
It can be easy when using a BNPL scheme to end up spending more than you were planning to. Try to avoid overspending by bearing in mind that while the cost of the payments may be spread out over a longer period, it is the same amount of money.
On top of this, you run the risk of being charged late fees if at any point you don't have enough money in your account to cover an outgoing charge. Take into account weeks that you know bills or other costs will be coming out of your account and factor in the additional charge of the BNPL payments. Ensure that you will have enough money in your account for every payment date. And if it looks like it may be unlikely, remove that last impulse purchase from your cart.
As mentioned earlier, missing repayments can leave a mark on your credit report.
Most BNPL providers take direct debit payments automatically. Therefore, if you forget a payment and there isn't enough money in your account, you could see your credit rating taking a dent. Avoid this by setting a reminder a few days before your repayment is due to leave your account.
This gives you time to make sure that the right amount of money is in there before the direct debit is taken. Or, if it's going to be impossible to have the cash in time, to contact the provider ahead of time to let it know. Often, providers will allow a repayment deferral of a week or more, free of charge, if they are notified in advance.
To avoid paying for items you have changed your mind about, it's a good idea to make your returns as soon as possible. Ideally, you want to send or take items back before your next payment date. While most BNPL providers will refund you in full for returned purchases, it may take a few days for your refund to process. This means more time with less money in your account.
While interest-free finance may be enticing and suitable in some cases, there are a number of factors to consider before using it:
It's important to compare a range of interest-free offers before signing up. You can also consider an interest free credit card with a 0% p.a. introductory offer.
BNPL adoption hit an all-time high in July 2022 (49%) and has dropped back down to usual levels since then.
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PayPal Pay in 4 is a buy now pay later service available across thousands of retailers globally. Split your repayments into 4 equal instalments paid over 6 weeks.
Zip's Business Trade Plus service allows you to split the cost of your business expenses up to $150K over four4 monthly instalments, without having to pay anything for the first 60 days, for a 3% fee. Find out more here.
Spread the cost of your business purchases and invoice payments over a longer period and keep your cash flow positive with Zip Business Trade. Access $1K to $3K purchasing power for $12 per month.
bundll is the only buy now pay later platform that lets you pay for your purchases absolutely anywhere that accepts Mastercard.
Klarna has no interest or fees, and you can break your payments into four equal parts across nearly any online store.
Make paying for purchases more manageable with humm’s interest-free payment service.
Find your dream holiday with companies that offer numerous custom holidays with plans to take your holiday now but pay later.
The hotel booking sites and hotel sites that let you use Zip Money to book your room.
we’re selling electronics(pcs, laptops…) in store only, price range $900 – $3000. We’d like to provide interest free purchase”to our customers. Which finance provider do you suggest ? Assume we need $40K – $50K per month. Thanks
Hi Rocky,
Thanks for getting in touch with finder. I hope all is well with you. :)
While we are unable to suggest specific companies, products, or services, you will have a better way of deciding which one is the right for you by reviewing our comparison table above. From there, you can then click on the “Read the review” button to learn more about them.
I hope this helps. Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach us out again.
Have a wonderful day!
Cheers,
Joshua
Sir/Madam,
Thank you for your finder.com.au, a very honest and helpful website,
My question is this, Is there any interest-free finance provider who can be accepted anywhere that takes their credit card?
The reason for my question is this: When shopping at a participating partnered merchants they jack their prices up to compensate for the interest-free finance provider unlike when paying cash you get a good discounted deal for your purchase?
Thank you.
Kind regards,
Robert