Fullstory Survey: BNPL is a weekly habit for nearly half of consumers

New buy now, pay later (BNPL) data shows drastic increases in overall use, preferences for certain product categories, and UX challenges

ATLANTA, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fullstory, a leading behavioral data company, today released the results of its 2026 Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Survey, which explored the prevalence and usage patterns of BNPL services of more than 1,000 consumers in the United States.

Key findings:

• Nearly half (48%) of respondents use BNPL services at least weekly.
• Many consumers use BNPL multiple times a week, including 37% of Gen X, 36% of Gen Z, and 34% of Millennials, compared to just 5% of Baby Boomers.
• When asked what types of purchases they make with BNPL, 37% of respondents selected electronics as their top choice, followed by clothing & accessories (26%) and home goods & furniture (12%).
  

“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, president, Fullstory. “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.”

BNPL is Mainstream - and Usage is Surging
39% of Gen Z respondents said their BNPL usage increased drastically over the last 2 years, compared to only 10% of Baby Boomers. More than half (54%) of those with a household income of $150,000–$174,999 use BNPL multiple times a week. Of those in the $25,000–$49,999 range, only 4% use it multiple times a week.

Over half (57%) of respondents have increased BNPL usage over the past two years. Nearly one-third (30%) of respondents say they use BNPL for more than half of their purchases, and 27% say they use it for more than one-quarter of their purchases.

These findings signify that BNPL has transitioned from novelty to habit. When nearly a third of respondents use installment plans to finance their purchases, BNPL is now a primary spending mechanism. This adoption curve occurred due to economic pressure, with consumers increasingly leveraging BNPL as a line of credit. Retailers should treat BNPL implementation as a structural shift in consumer spending behavior and update their conversion and audience strategies accordingly.

BNPL Powers Big Buys and Future Spending Habits
By generation, 40% of Millennials cited electronics as their top choice, followed by 38% of Gen Z, 36% of Gen X, and 28% of Baby Boomers.

Respondents were asked about the smallest purchase amount that would make them consider using BNPL:

• $25 and under: 6%
• $50–$99: 18%
• $100–$199: 29%
• $200–$499: 20%
• $500 and up: 14%
  

These results suggest there may be a sweet spot when it comes to BNPL. Customers are more inclined to use it for relatively expensive items, but there’s a limit. For top-dollar items, shoppers may not want to commit to a payment schedule, preferring a one-time payment (or no purchase at all) instead.

When asked about using BNPL again in the future, most (60%) respondents said they would use it for larger or unexpected expenses, 53% said they’d use it for purchases that are difficult to pay for upfront, and 50% cited spreading costs over time to manage monthly cash flow.

User Experience Gaps Are Costing BNPL Conversions
Despite 81% rating the BNPL experience as convenient or very convenient, 79% admit they abandon BNPL checkouts at least sometimes (and 32% say they abandon “almost always”). Top reasons include cost opacity (e.g., hidden fees or unclear interest, 34%), an unclear payment schedule (30%), and having to re-enter information (13%).

When asked where they use BNPL most often, most (51%) respondents cited mobile apps, followed by in‑store/in-person (29%) and web browsers (20%). Mobile apps were the most common top choice across all generations, including 52% of Millennials, 52% of Gen X, 47% of Gen Z, and 45% of Baby Boomers.

When respondents need to contact BNPL customer support, the majority (52%) use email, followed by phone calls (42%) and live chat (34%).

“Most consumers think BNPL is convenient, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement in UX,” added Wolf. “Businesses risk alienating customers if they don’t have transparency around cost and payment schedules. User-centric platform design and personalization can help boost conversion and ensure consumers receive a frictionless purchase journey.”

Survey Methodology
The Fullstory 2026 BNPL Survey was fielded by a third-party provider in February 2026. Fullstory surveyed more than 1,000 consumers across the U.S. to gather insights on how their BNPL usage has evolved over time. Responses were collected from consumers who confirmed they have used a BNPL payment option at least once.

FAQs:

• What did Fullstory's BNPL survey find?
  • The survey found trends in how BNPL usage has evolved over time within U.S. consumers, including drastic increases in overall use, frequency of use for large purchases, and challenges with UX.
• How often do shoppers use BNPL?
  • 48% of respondents said they use BNPL at least weekly.
• When was Fullstory’s BNPL survey conducted?
  • The survey was conducted in February 2026.
• What do shoppers purchase using BNPL the most?
  • The most popular category of shopping with BNPL was electronics (37%), followed by clothing & accessories (26%) and home goods & furniture (12%).

About Fullstory
Fullstory is the leading behavioral data company that helps technology leaders make smarter, faster decisions by integrating rich behavioral signals into their analytics stack. Its patented technology captures every digital interaction and transforms it into high-fidelity, actionable insights at scale. With agentic AI, Fullstory empowers enterprises to anticipate the needs of both customers and employees, personalize experiences in real-time, streamline workflows, and drive meaningful business outcomes. From boosting efficiency and conversion to increasing loyalty and revenue, Fullstory turns digital behavior into a competitive advantage. Headquartered in Atlanta with teams across North America, EMEA, and APAC, Fullstory is trusted by the world’s most innovative organizations to transform behavioral data into business impact.

Fullstory Media Relations
Alexandra King
Director of Communications
pr@fullstory.com

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