Updated
Updated · WLS-TV · Aug 15
BNPL Loans Spur Late Payments for 47% of Users as Debt Stacks Up
Updated
Updated · WLS-TV · Aug 15

BNPL Loans Spur Late Payments for 47% of Users as Debt Stacks Up

2 articles · Updated · WLS-TV · Aug 15

Summary

  • A LendingTree study found 47% of buy now, pay later users made at least one late payment in the past year, underscoring rising repayment strain.
  • Money Management International said the biggest risk is “loan stacking” — consumers juggling multiple BNPL loans and losing track of what they owe.
  • Those installment offers can make large purchases feel affordable by shrinking them into small payments, even as total debt builds quickly.
  • The warning’s takeaway: judge whether you can afford the full purchase, not just the installment, and make a repayment plan before borrowing.

Insights

Why do over half of BNPL users falsely believe their on-time payments are actually building their credit scores?
Are your interest-free checkout plans secretly trapping you in a debt cycle worse than traditional credit cards?