Are these websites encouraging our damaging shopping habits?

The notion of paying in instalments is nothing new — in fact, it's deeply rooted in our retail habits. Long before the internet changed the face of shopping, paper catalogues and mail order giants – think Littlewoods, Freemans, and Parks – reigned, all of which offered shoppers who were strapped for cash to split the cost of a big spree, often across several months. But now, as we're more likely to shop from digital rails compared to those in bricks and mortar, tech companies have adapted to tap into the growing "delay pay" market. 

Today, we have a slew of slick new ways to split up the cost of your online shopping. Klarna is spearheading the phenomenon and has reported that seven million people used its services in the UK in 2019 — double those using the service in 2018.

That said, it's not the only business offering up this service; the likes of Afterpay, Clearpay, and Laybuy are following in successful suit. The big question is, is it ethical?

Many would argue not. 

Spending money when you don't actually have it is worrying at best, but the reality can be much graver — cue high interest rates, late fees, and the very real potential of finding yourself in serious debt. The outcome could be catastrophic on a personal level, but what about the environment?

It's fair to say that the seeming ease of the buy now, pay later model will help propel the pace of fast fashion into overdrive, particularly as we find ourselves on the cusp of a national lockdown. Boredom can lead to a spike in online shopping, which is something we need to bear in mind over the next few weeks. 

We're in no position to preach – we're huge fans of the great Scottish high street – but the impact our ravenous fashion appetite is having on the environment is becoming increasingly difficult to quieten. Our need to have new things now is not just contributing to the global climate crisis; it's one of its major driving forces. 

The lifecycle of our clothing (from material to production, to transport, to use, to disposal) is becoming shorter and shorter, and you could say companies that enable us to buy first and think later are adding fuel to that fire. It's simple—with less financial consequences upfront, we're more likely to make snap buys. This is especially significant as a growing number of consumers are becoming desensitised to making purchases on a whim, and then deciding later if they want to keep it. Factories are working overtime to keep up with demand, are paying staff low wages to keep their profit margins high, and the transportation and subsequent emissions required to get items from said factories to warehouses to consumers is wreaking havoc on our planet. So, is it ethical? Of course, there are two sides to every coin. 

These buy now, pay later models aren't just evident on fast-fashion sites — they're cropping up everywhere, including luxury second-hand website Vestiaire Collective. While we should all be shopping within our means, if that means only buying from brands that make huge environmental and social compromises to squash down prices, then the lines of ethicality become blurred. What makes paying for a sustainably-made piece in a few instalments less ethical than financially supporting fast-fashion? 

This new purchasing landscape could a potential solution to those who have been largely outpriced by sustainable fashion, which almost always comes with higher price tags than the garments found in high street chain stores. New ways of shopping, including paying in instalments and renting, make it easier for customers to work toward aspirational purchases — investment pieces that are sustainably sourced, ethically produced, and built to last.

While there's certainly lots of promise for the ways that these new purchasing methods could change how we buy, it's not clear yet whether they'll convince us to invest in fewer, but better-made, things. But until the likes of Klarna, Afterpay, et al., appear on more considered websites and brands, it's all too far from the truth.

The only certainty is that we collectively need to rethink our consumption patterns, investing only in pieces we truly love and will get appropriate wear out of — before it's too late.