Consumers who have tried buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) financing are using it frequently, according to research by Fullstory, a behavioral data company.
The 2026 Buy Now Pay Later Survey from Fullstory indicates engagement has evolved to the point that 48% of respondents, consumers who have connected with BNPL services at least once, use the financing option on a weekly basis.
Many consumers who use BNPL tap it multiple times a week, including 37% of Gen Xers, 36% of Gen Zers and 34% of Millennials. Baby Boomers proved less enthusiastic, as only 5% said they do the same.
When asked what types of purchases they make with BNPL, 37% of respondents selected electronics as top choice, followed by clothing and accessories (26%) and home goods and furniture (12%). As they have become comfortable with the financing method, 39% of Gen Z respondents said their BNPL use increased drastically over the past two years versus 10% of Baby Boomers.
In terms of financial status, 54% of respondents with a household income of $150,000–$174,999 said they use BNPL multiple times a week. In contrast, only 4% of those in the $25,000–$49,999 range use BNPL more than once a week. Overall, 57% of survey respondents said they have increased BNPL use over the past two years. Three in 10 said they use BNPL for more than half of their purchases, while 27% said they use the financing for more than one-quarter of what they buy.
Fullstory noted that, when asked about the smallest purchase amount that would make them consider using BNPL, respondents said:
- $25 and under: 6%
- $50–$99: 18%
- $100–$199: 29%
- $200–$499: 20%
- $500 and up: 14%
Despite 81% rating the BNPL experience as convenient or very convenient, 79% of survey respondents said they abandon BNPL checkouts at least sometimes, with 32% saying they abandon “almost always,” Fullstory pointed out. Top reasons for abandonment include cost opacity, including discovery of hidden fees or lack of clarity on interest (34%), an unclear payment schedule (30%), and having to re-enter information (13%).
As for shopping preferences, 51% of respondents said they’ve used BNPL most often when engaged with mobile apps, followed by in‑store/in-person (29%) and web browsers (20%). Mobile apps were the most commonly cited retail format for BNPL users across generations, including 52% of Millennials, 52% of Gen Xers, 47% of Gen Zers, and 45% of Boomers.
When asked about the future, 60% of respondents said they would use BNPL for larger or unexpected expenses, 53% for purchases that are difficult to pay for upfront and 50% for spreading costs over time to manage monthly cash flow.
“Consumers are taking advantage of alternative payment methods, likely as a result of the widespread desire to better manage spending given the challenging economic landscape,” said Jason Wolf, Fullstory president. “To meet consumers where they are and give them the payment options that suit their individual needs, businesses should integrate BNPL into their checkout processes, particularly if they sell big-ticket items like electronics.”
