BY JACINTHA JOLENE and ALEXANDRA LORNA
The second part of this three-series focuses on why users depend on BNPL services including insights into their spending habits and financial priorities.
THE rise of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services such as Atome, Grab’s PayLater, Shoppe’s SPayLater and others is changing the way Malaysians shop.
This can be seen especially among young professionals who crave financial flexibility without the hassle of credit cards or personal loans.
For them, BNPL is convenient, interest-free and increasingly accessible and has become a preferred payment option for those looking to spread out purchases without upfront costs.
What was once seen as a niche financial product is now firmly embedded in mainstream e-commerce and even in-store retail.
From fashion and gadgets to airline tickets and groceries, more Malaysians are opting to pay in instalments, even for everyday needs.
However, the growing popularity of BNPL also raises concerns about financial discipline, overspending and lack of regulation.
While these services offer breathing room for many, critics warn that without proper understanding and control, users, especially the younger consumers could find themselves accumulating debt under the illusion of affordability.
What do they say
Sarawak Tribune spoke to three individuals on their personal experiences with BNPL services, highlighting the benefits, drawbacks and hopes for improvement.
For 30-year-old Ariqah Rejab, a corporate communication officer, BNPL services like Atome and SPayLater have become part of her financial strategy especially when it comes to fashion buys and booking flights.
“It helps me split the cost without needing a credit card,” she told Sarawak Tribune.
What draws her most is the ability to pay in interest-free instalments, which she finds especially useful during big sales or unexpected expenses.
“BNPL makes it easier to manage my cash flow,” she added.
Ariqah prefers BNPL over traditional credit tools due to its simplicity and speed.
“You don’t need to apply for a credit card or go through approvals like a loan. Just link your account and start using it,” she said.
While she recognises the benefits, she admits there are risks, having once missed a payment deadline and incurred a late fee.
“After that, I started setting reminders on my phone,” she said.
She also pointed out that BNPL could tempt people, especially youth to overspend as the smaller instalments could make purchases seem more affordable than they actually were.
“It can lead to impulse buying if you’re not disciplined,” she said.
Still, Ariqah would recommend BNPL to those who were financially responsible as it was a helpful tool.
Meanwhile, Gazzini, a 33-year-old sales adviser, uses SPayLater regularly and sees it as a practical option for managing larger purchases, especially in emergencies.
“For someone who doesn’t have a credit card, it’s convenient when buying expensive items or flight tickets,” she said.
What she values most are cashback rewards and the ability to use BNPL services during urgent situations. While she finds it just as convenient as a credit card, she adds that the rewards or points systems can make all the difference.
She is aware of the late fees and other penalties that may apply, but from her understanding, the costs aren’t excessive.
So far, Gazzini hasn’t encountered any issues with repayments. However, she emphasised the importance of using BNPL wisely.
“You have to be careful of your spending and not go over the credit limit.”
For 26-year-old private sector employee Nurul Arfah, it was big-ticket expenses like flight tickets and car insurance that led her to turn to BNPL.
“For car insurance, I have to pay around RM1,300. So I use BNPL to split the payments into three instalments with zero interest,” she said.
Arfah shared that BNPL usage varied based on individual circumstances, but in her case, it was either because she did not have enough funds to cover a purchase upfront or preferred not to dip into her savings.
While Arfah admits to using BNPL for larger purchases, she cautions against it to avoid falling into a debt trap.
“From my personal experience, BNPL makes me want to overspend without thinking of the consequences such as bad spending habits.
“There was a time I had to use my rainy day savings to pay for my instalment,” she shared.
Regulations helps but discipline matters too
She believes government regulation is necessary as more people adopt the service.
“There should be clearer rules to protect consumers like transparency on fees and how it affects your credit score.”
For improvement, Ariqah suggests greater payment flexibility, better customer support and clearer information about repayment schedules.
However, Gazzini disagrees as she doesn’t believe BNPL is a problem in itself as it depends on the user.
“No need for more regulation. Everyone should learn to manage their spending,” she said.
Generally, Gazzini expressed her satisfaction with how BNPL platforms currently operated.
“Customer service and repayment flexibility are okay for now,” she said, adding that she saw no major need for change.
Arfah believes BNPL platforms need stricter controls to protect users from falling into debt unknowingly.
“BNPL should be tightly regulated because it makes it easy to overspend and a lot of people end up in debt without realising it.
“The fees can add up fast and there aren’t many checks to see if you can actually afford it,” she said.
She also called for improvements in how BNPL services operated, including clearer communication and responsible lending practices.
“There should be better credit checks, clearer information on fees and stronger consumer protections to avoid confusion and debt,” Arfah said.
The third part of this series will feature insights from an academic, the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency, and a BNPL provider on promoting responsible financial practices, including BNPL usage and the importance of the recently passed Consumer Credit Bill 2025.
