Astound Commerce Extends Partnership With Klarna To Offer BNPL Options To US Retailers

Global digital commerce solution provider, Astound Commerce, has extended its partnership agreement with Klarna, to offer flexible payment services and marketing tools, including Klarna’s interest-free “Pay in 4” service, to its U.S. clientele.

The partnership between Astound and the buy now, pay later ( BNPL) solution provider began in 2020 with joint merchant partners in the U.K., such as Fat Face, Boux Avenue, Boohoo Group and Space NKl, deploying Klarna for Business solutions.

“Astound Commerce is a leader in digital transformation. Combined with Klarna, the leader in payments and shopping, we are able to offer unmatched solutions and results for brands that strive for customer loyalty and higher conversion rates,” said Vanessa Cartwright, Chief Operating Officer, Astound Commerce.

Astound’s extension of its partnership is in response to consumers’ continued shift toward digital-first shopping. Klarna’s recent 2021 Reopening Report reveals that 69 percent of shoppers have formed new shopping habits during the coronavirus pandemic. Furthermore, 80 percent cite online shopping as their preferred way to shop, with 74 percent revealing that they now look for flexible payment options at checkout.

“Consumers today are mindful of budgets and are increasingly moving away from traditional forms of credit towards more transparent and innovative payment options,” said David Sykes, Head of North America, Klarna. “We look forward to continuing to work with Astound to bring significant value and flexibility to shoppers nationwide, while also accelerating the growth of our joint retail partners.”

The news follows Klarna’s latest acquisition of the Stockholm-based SaaS platform, APPRL, which enables content creators to work seamlessly with retailers and offer an immersive and informative content-driven shoppable experience.

Originally published at https://retailbum.com on July 28, 2021.