Stores That Accept Afterpay: Where To Shop With Buy Now, Pay Later

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Millions of consumers use Afterpay to pay for purchases in installments. Clearly, it’s a booming success, but what exactly is Afterpay and how does it operate? What stores accept Afterpay, and in a nation buried in consumer debt, is it really a smart way to shop?

For shoppers looking to stretch their budgets, avoid credit card debt, or find flexible ways to pay for fashion, beauty and home essentials, here’s what you should know about stores that accept Afterpay.

What Is Afterpay?

Afterpay was launched in 2014 in Sydney, Australia, and has since rolled out services in not only the U.S. but also Canada, New Zealand and the U.K., where it is called Clearpay. Afterpay employs more than 1,300 people and is in the process of expanding. In 2022, Block acquired Afterpay, but the service is still operational and continuing to expand to more stores.

How Afterpay Works

Afterpay is a free-to-use digital payment platform or app that allows users to BNPL, meaning they can buy something now without having to pay the full amount upfront. Instead, they can pay it off later, over a set period of time.

You may be thinking, “Why, this sounds like a credit card,” but Afterpay is indeed different, namely because it doesn’t charge interest or tack on any other user fees — with the exception of late fees, capped at 25% of the order value. Shoppers pay for a purchase by putting down some money upfront — 25% of the purchase cost — and pay the remaining balance in four installments over the next six weeks.

Afterpay Eligibility Requirements

Keep in mind that you must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible to use Afterpay in the U.S.:

• Live in the U.S., excluding U.S. territories
• Be at least 18 years of age, and be the authorized holder of a debit card, credit card or checking account — savings accounts are not eligible
• The card or account must be domestic
• Have a valid mobile phone number and email address
• Have a valid mailing address
• Commit to paying 25% of the total purchase upfront 
• Commit to paying the remaining amount within four installments every two weeks after purchase

Stores That Accept Afterpay

Afterpay has become a huge sensation, with thousands of shops using the platform. From behemoth brands like Gap and Sephora to droves of small businesses, there’s really no retail category that Afterpay doesn’t have a prominent stake in. Here are some of the superstars on the list in addition to those mentioned:

Fashion and Apparel

Beauty and Skincare

Home Goods and Furniture

Fitness and Outdoor

Kids and Family

• Carter’s
• Gymboree
• Itzy Ritzy
• Little Dog Paper Company
• The Children’s Place

Tech and Electronics

• Dyson
• Igloo

Other Retailers

How To Use Afterpay

Getting started with Afterpay is simple; in fact, you don’t even need to register. Just visit the participating online retailer of your choice and pick out what you want to buy. Then, upon checkout, choose Afterpay as your method of payment. At this point, you’ll enter your payment info to finalize your purchase, and once your first order is approved, voila: Your Afterpay account is created.

Your next step is to visit the Afterpay website or download the Afterpay app, upon which you’ll set up a password and then finalize checkout using your new login credentials.

Once you’ve created an Afterpay account, you can sign in to use it anywhere that works with the BNPL company. Depending on your situation, the ability to easily break up the cost of your purchases could be a game changer. But it’s still a good idea to try to stick to a budget and avoid spending more than you can truly afford.

Does Afterpay Have Spending Limits?

Spending limits start at $600, but they can increase gradually once you build a history of consistent payments.

Does Afterpay Affect Your Credit Score?

Afterpay may conduct a soft credit check on new members. This won’t affect your credit score and is pretty common.

Still, if something pops up that is perceived as a red flag by Afterpay, this could result in your being turned away by the company. Using Afterpay will not affect your credit score because Afterpay doesn’t report to credit reporting agencies.

If you don’t make your payments on time, you won’t be able to buy anything else with Afterpay until you pay the balance. Additionally, you’ll incur a late fee. But neither of these actions should negatively impact your credit score.

Pros and Cons of Using Afterpay

Pros

• No interest if paid on time
• Quick approval
• No credit check required
• Split large purchases into manageable payments

Cons

• You may be subject to late fees
• There is temptation to overspend
• Not available at all retailers

The Ideal — and Nonideal — Afterpay User

If you’re bombarded with piles of consumer debt, Afterpay — and really all BNPL services — might be problematic because it could give you the illusion that you have more money to spend than you actually do, or that the bulk of the payment for a purchase is something you can worry about later, even if you can’t actually afford to do so. The last thing you want to do is be slammed with late fees, which are substantial. 

Afterpay is perfect for the consumer who is only temporarily strapped for cash but knows with absolute certainty that they’re getting paid in the next couple of weeks and so can promptly handle full payment of any purchases made with Afterpay.

The service is also great for people who are getting rid of credit cards, or at least minimizing usage of them, and the outrageous interest they charge — but still want a secure option to BNPL without the catch of interest.

Key Takeaways

Afterpay is a super easy, convenient, safe and free option for shoppers, and considering the millions of consumers embracing the service, it’s satisfying a widespread need for a BNPL tool that has no strings attached — unless you default on timely payments.

Signing up for the app takes practically no time at all, and you can be off and shopping within minutes, if not seconds. Many stores have implemented Afterpay into their suite of payment options, and more are expected to join the club.

And of course, isn’t everyone getting tired of feeding the monstrous system that is credit card interest? With Afterpay, you can use a debit card to pay and, ideally, help you avoid credit card debt. 

If you’re in a secure financial position and could use some flexibility in your shopping life, try Afterpay and find some new deals. Whether you’re buying sneakers or skincare, there’s likely a store that accepts Afterpay.

Sarah Sharkey contributed to the reporting for this article.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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