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Budleigh traders launch campaign to attract more shoppers.

9 Oct 2023

A group of independent traders in Budleigh Salterton have started a campaign to attract more shoppers.
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Tech could drive more business for indie retailers this Christmas

9 Oct 2023

New research from Square and Clearpay indicates consumer confidence is rising, with 72% of consumers planning to spend more or the same this coming holiday season compared to last year,... Read more…

Full line-up announced for 2023 Bookshop Day this Saturday.

9 Oct 2023

Miriam Margolyes, Richard Armitage and Tomi Oyemakinde will be among the authors headlining events at this year’s Bookshop Day taking place this Saturday 14th October.
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Shop owners demand new offence for attacks on retail workers

4 Oct 2023

Shop owners have called on the Home Secretary to specifically outlaw attacks on retail workers.
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Are you up to speed with new ban on single-use plastics?

4 Oct 2023

From the start of October, bans and restrictions on single-use plastic cutlery, polystyrene cups and food containers, single-use balloon sticks and certain types of polystyrene cups and... Read more…

Cash still crucial for UK’s independent retailers

27 Sep 2023

A recent survey of retailers across the UK has shown that cash remains a crucial payment method for independent shops.
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Almost 2,000 more independent shops left empty in the first half of this year

27 Sep 2023

Almost 2,000 more British independent shops were left empty in the first half of this year, as small businesses struggled to cope with rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis.
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Indie shops in Liverpool create their own security network to combat shoplifters.

27 Sep 2023

An independent shop owner in Liverpool has said that independent shops in the city centre have taken to creating their own security WhatsApp group, warning each other of shoplifters in the... Read more…

Indie shops key to reversing fortunes of struggling high streets – university study finds.

27 Sep 2023

A focus on independent and ‘browse-only’ shops can help to reverse the fortunes of the struggling high street, according to an extensive study by Manchester Metropolitan University.
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Trade association welcomes Home Office ‘back-to-basics’ retail crime promise

13 Sep 2023

The recent pledge by police forces across England and Wales to pursue every lead that holds a reasonable chance of apprehending criminals and solving crimes has been welcomed by Bira, which... Read more…

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Nearly half of Buy Now Pay Later customers continue to be misled

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

A recent story published in This is Money, Financial Website of the Year included survey findings showing that over 40 per cent of shoppers are unaware that missing payments when using a Buy Now Pay Later service could harm their credit score.

According to Compare the Market, one in five also felt they weren't clearly shown the terms and conditions, again raising more concerns over the increasingly popular payment method.

One company in particular, a popular Swedish finance provider that was previously mentioned by the ACT for misleading a customer and negatively affecting their credit score, has been the cause of concern for many. The firm is incredibly popular in Britain with 6million people using its three ways of paying for items since 2015. It has also begun providing in-store payment options, with 10,000 shops including H&M, Halfords and Schuh.

While the company claims to believe 'in being simple and straightforward in everything we do', This is Money found it difficult to find on its website the fact that your credit score is affected by non-payment on some of its products, something likely reflected in the survey results.

A clear example of this obscurity is under an FAQ section on the website of one of the biggest retailers it provides payment options for - H&M - it responds to the specific question of whether using the Buy Now Pay Later firm affects your credit score with: 'For more information about Klarna's credit check and if it affects your score please contact Klarna directly.'


The company told This is Money in January 2019: 'We're open about our lending policies and credit authorisation processes, and we make sure we stay in regular contact with customers to let them know when a payment is due.

'If after a period of several months we have not received payment, we advise the credit bureau that they have not paid.

'At this point a customer's credit score may be affected.'

The company also said in response to Compare the Market's research: 'Klarna does not report missed payments to credit reference reference agencies in relation to its pay later and pay in three products.

'To date, a customer's credit score has not been impacted by using Klarna's pay later products even if they have failed to pay on time'. It said its financing payment plans were Klarna's only regulated credit product.

Another recent article explains the dangers of the Buy Now Pay Later firm also being heavily promoted by celebrities through Instagram with thousands of young followers. Debt campaigners have branded the celebs "irresponsible".

Martyn James from Resolver said: "It's totally irresponsible for influencers to take cash to plug credit products on their profiles.

"There's a huge difference between plugging an expensive pair of shoes and borrowing beyond your means to pay for them.

"With little to no warnings about the risks, shoppers could find themselves sleepwalking in to debt."

New research also warns that over two million shoppers have damaged their credit scores using Buy Now Pay Later schemes.

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