What role will buy-now, pay-later programs play in inflation?

Buy-now, pay-later might not be a new concept (hello, credit cards and mortgages). However, programs like Affirm, Klarna, Afterpay, and Zip have modernized what could be likened to layaway in the old days with installment plans that are interest-free if you pay within a certain timeframe. This sounds almost too good to be true, but these programs have continued rising in popularity, with 60 percent of American consumers saying they’ve tried buy-now, pay-later programs, according to a survey from The Ascent.