shades fills you in

buy now, pay later (bnpl) companies -- like afterpay and klarna -- let people pay for stuff over time instead of all at once

and apple is jumping into the fray too. in june 2022, apple announced the launch of apple pay later at its 2022 worldwide developers conference

wait, wasn’t this like, always a thing? bnpl is just a sexier version of the layaway plans of the 1930s -- glamour

in any case, online shoppers love bnpl. forbes reported that 59% of people surveyed said they were “somewhat or very likely to use” a bnpl service in the next 6 months

sfgate sounds the alarm: bnpl is putting gen z in crippling debt! it’s just another example of evil tech firms ruining our lives

this tiktoker sides with sfgate: “these companies put you at a psychological disadvantage”!

regulators seem to be concerned, too. in december, the consumer financial protection bureau launched an inquiry into bnpl companies

but other tiktokers are happy crediting their ever-expanding closet to bnpl services like klarna

plus, fast company writes that it’s helped retailers stay afloat -- and improved their marketing

fast company also says that bnpl plans are making travel plans more attainable!

but ny mag isn’t so sanguine: young people’s bnpl debt could be the catalyst for the next recession!

yup, says cnbc. the bnpl market is a bubble waiting to burst

the atlantic agreed: zoomers think credit cards are bad news. they aren’t as cautious about bnpl. but they should be! bnpl causes people to buy more than they can afford and can hurt your credit

exactly, says forbes. your bnpl account info could eventually make its way into your credit file

and it’s not just young people addicted to shopping, says nbc. some people use bnpl to afford necessities like food and gas

also, what about the planet? dazed digital writes that bnpl is accelerating the enviro damage of fast fashion brands

but maybe all this will self-correct? in august 2022, klarna reported 3x higher losses in the first half of 2022, compared to 2021. the stock tanked -- the guardian

bloomberg does a deep dive on bnpl: the companies are so hot bc pandemic boredom led to lots of online shopping. but now, bnpl is under the pressure of an economic downturn. if it can survive this, believers think it may be here to stay

if you do decide to use bnpl to make your #materialgirl purchases, don’t let those payments creep up on you. . . unless you want to end up like this tiktoker