EXPLAINER: What to know about ‘buy now, pay later’

By CORA LEWIS
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — If you shop online for clothes or furniture, sneakers or concert tickets, you’ve seen the option at checkout to “buy now, pay later” by breaking the cost into smaller installments over time. Companies like Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna, and Paypal all offer the service, with Apple due to enter the market later this year. Since the start of the pandemic, the option has skyrocketed in popularity, especially among younger and lower-income consumers who may not have ready access to traditional credit. But with economic instability rising, so are delinquencies. Here’s what you should know.