Rite Aid, Swarovski and Others Add BNPL Options as Adoption Grows

Rite Aid has partnered with Afterpay to offer buy now, pay later (BNPL) services for its customers at more than 2,000 locations. The pharmacy joins other recent Afterpay partners, including Boden, Fresh, Lulu and Georgia, Quince, Swarovski and Wolverine Worldwide in launching or expanding payment over time choices.

“Expanding our partnership with Afterpay allows more customers to obtain offerings that support their whole health needs while providing financial flexibility,” said Justin Mennen, EVP, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at Rite Aid in a statement. “We’re consistently leveraging technology to complement the busy lives of our customers and improve the health and wellness needs of our communities.”

Nearly one-quarter of retailers plan to offer BNPL services, according to Afterpay. Their popularity has led to the rise of competing services, including Apple’s Pay Later offering. The service has been made available to randomly selected Apple Wallet users in the U.S. and will roll out to all users in the coming months. Other competitors in the space range from broad payment providers like PayPal and Mastercard to BNPL-focused companies like Affirm.