2C2P, a global payments platform and merchant commerce omnichannel platform Pine Labs have partnered to expand Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) “across Asia in six key markets, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.”
Unlike other BNPL offerings, Pine Labs claims that it works “with issuing banks to enable cardholders of participating issuing banks to purchase items with multiple and longer instalment tenures, without having to download any mobile application or subscribe to any additional e-wallet or payment services.”
Cardholders will be “able to make instant instalment payments at checkout up to their pre-approved credit limit with no interest charge.”
This partnership is “expected to boost consumer confidence in the region and empower retail merchants to sell more and sell often to their customers.”
Pine Labs’ BNPL strategy has “a strong track record in India and has now expanded into various Southeast Asian markets.” Since its launch in Singapore, Pine Labs Pay Later has emerged “as a flexible payment option for merchants across a variety of verticals, including retail and tech, counting the likes of Eu Yan Sang, Samsung, OPPO, and more as its clients.”
Dheeraj Chowdhry, Chief Business Officer & Head – Pay Later, Southeast Asia, Pine Labs, said:
“We are delighted with the rapid strides we are taking in Southeast Asia when it comes to expanding our Buy Now Pay Later proposition. In this respect, we are excited to announce today our partnership with leading payments player 2C2P. With more young shoppers preferring digital modes of payments, we believe our BNPL offering will hit the right chord with the discretionary consumer of today and help merchants in the region drive sales, especially of big-ticket items, and contribute to a positive customer experience.”
Agnes Chua, Executive Director of Business and Product Development of 2C2P.
“BNPL solutions have emerged as an essential capability for card issuers and merchants across the globe. In doing so, by partnering with Pine Labs, we are excited to aggregate customer demand and increase retailers’ cross-sell opportunities. If shoppers prefer a BNPL fintech solution, we are here and enabling it; if they want an option from their banks, we’re offering those too.”
Agnes added:
“At 2C2P, we are always looking for new ways to support our merchants’ growth and enhance the payment experience by offering all types of payment options. With the shift in demand for digital payments and the appeal of interest-free payments, BNPL is an effective tool to expand sales and attract younger tech-savvy customers,”
Andrew Kang, Head of eCommerce in Samsung, commented:
“Unlike other BNPL offerings, customers now have more flexible payment options to consider when making larger purchases. This aids customers to better plan and manage their spending, especially when moving into a new home.”
Winston Tan, Head of Sales from OPPO stated:
“Having Pine Labs as a payment option enables us to give our customers more flexibility in how they pay for their purchases. We believe the option will make it easier and more attractive for price-sensitive customers to afford large ticket items and help with cash flow management and budgeting.”
Rachel Cheng, Managing Director of Eu Yan Sang Singapore, noted:
“Integrating the BNPL platform into our payment system has been seamless. Since implementing the program, our stores have seen incremental customer engagement and good satisfaction.”
According to an IDC report commissioned by 2C2P, BNPL spending is “expected to expand by $9.8billion in 2026, a 3.5x increase from 2021.”
In addition, retail sales in Singapore “grew by 11.2% year on year in September 2022, marking the seventh straight month of increase in retail trade this year.”
Amidst the positive outlook for retail trade, “the ease of instalment purchase offerings at the offline point of sale will encourage the continued growth of the retail industry amidst post-COVID-19 disruptions.”