Buy Now, Pay Later might as well be Buy Now, Worry Later.
For the first time this year, use of the popular shopping feature will be reflected in your credit score.
In its 2025 Holiday Shopping Trends report, Adobe expects Americans to spend almost $12 billion on Black Friday purchases when all is said and done, surpassing last year’s total by $1 billion. The company said Cyber Monday would likely see similarly strong sales.
While some shoppers are buying things outright, many others are relying on BNPL plans, which allow them to spread payments over time. Between November 1 and December 31, Adobe estimates that American shoppers will spend more than $20 billion online through BNPL plans, an 11% increase from 2024.
“This is roughly $2 billion more than the 2024 holiday season, when BNPL drove $18.2 billion in online spend,” the company said. ” BNPL usage on Cyber Monday is expected to hit a new milestone and cross $1 billion ($1.04 billion, up 5% YoY).”
Under BNPL plans, shoppers pay a portion up front, then continue to pay the outstanding balance on specified dates until it is paid off. PayPal, Klarna, Affirm, Afterpay, and other companies offer BNPL plans, often interest-free.
Among the biggest users of BNPL plans are Gen Z and millennials, who might see them as a way to make shopping easier in the short term. However, such plans could cause problems for them in the long term if they aren’t careful.
In June, FICO announced plans to integrate BNPL data into its credit scores beginning this fall.
“These scores provide lenders with greater visibility into consumers’ repayment behaviors, enabling a more comprehensive view of their credit readiness, which ultimately improves the lending experience,” FICO said in a press release at the time.
An overreliance on BNPL purchases, however, could negatively affect a credit score.
BNPL plans can lead to consumers overspending, resulting in late payments that are often reported to credit bureaus and can negatively impact their credit scores. Consumers may also face late fees. BNPL plans typically only report late payments, so even if all payments are submitted on time, that likely won’t improve a credit score.
In November, a LendingTree report found that 41% of BNPL users reported making late payments in the previous year. “Surprisingly, high-income borrowers are among the most likely to pay late, along with men, young people, and parents of young kids,” LendingTree said.
