Payment Options for Online Shopping that Don’t Require Credit
When it comes to credit there are many options available online. However, you’ll have to carry the burden of interest rates of as high as 21% in some cases. So, what are the other payment options for online shopping that don’t require interest? And why is it so important you explore them?
The Worst-Case Scenario
Is this scene familiar? You’ve just walked through your front door. The house is destroyed. The couch is decimated. Your new rescue puppy sits in the corner wearing a piece of couch as a hat. We’ve all seen the video on insta. The dog is in the (ehum) dog box and you need a new couch. The old couch was uncomfortable anyway. Thanks pooch.
But couches are expensive, and you need one now. Your knee-jerk reaction might be to turn to your credit card but hold on there, friend. You do have options. Options that don’t involve paying 20% more your couch. Let’s explore the options available to you that allow you to buy your couch now without having to swipe your credit card.
The Humble Debit Card
A debit card is your obvious alternative to a credit card. It doesn’t require interest or extra fees (so long as you don’t go into your overdraft) and can be used to shop online as long as it’s a Visa or MasterCard. For South Africans, this should be a no brainer as
The funds for the transaction will be deducted from the checking account linked to the debit card. If you don’t have a debit card, contact your bank about adding one to your existing checking account. Or, visit a local bank to open a new checking account and request a debit card.
BNPL Payment Solutions
Buy Now, Pay Later solutions are sweeping the globe with world leaders such as Klarna and Zip leading the way. PayFlex is bringing that same payment revolution to South Africa allowing South African online shoppers to buy the things they need now and pay over 6 weeks in 4 interest-free instalments. There is no interest, no fees and no catch. The only heavy lifting you need to do is getting your couch through the door.
Lay-Buy
Who hasn’t heard of a Lay-Buy option at some point in time? We can’t blame you if you haven’t. This form of repayment option is not offered by most online stores unless they have a physical store too. A lay-buy purchase works by paying instalments over a period set by the retailer. You have to pay a deposit usually 10%-20% to secure your item. There’s a snag. You won’t receive your item until you have paid for it either in full or a specified portion of the total. That’s right, there’s no instant gratification here but it’s still a viable non-debt-creating option.
Conclusion
In South Africa, debit card ownership is vastly greater than credit card ownership so learning that there are so many payment options for online shopping should be welcome information. You don’t need a credit card to shop online anymore. There are so many payment solutions available today (we’re proud to be one of them) that don’t rely on credit.
