Buy now pay lateris a payment plan that lets you purchase items immediately and pay later. As a general rule, BNPL is structured as an installment loan process that involves consumers, financiers, and merchants. Financiers pay merchants on behalf of consumers when goods or services are purchased by the latter. The buy now, pay lateroption splits a purchase into equal payments. Typically, shoppers go through an online application process that does not affect their credit score unless they fail to make their scheduled payments.