H&M Will Give Customers Time to Pay for the Shopping

Swedish fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) is preparing to launch a new customer service in retail stores.

H&M customers will be among the first to be able to pick up clothes from the new collections without paying a cent for them. The traditional e-commerce retailer is getting the trend "buy now, pay later."

To date, this service has already been introduced in many online stores, and H&M will be the first fashion retailer to launch it in conventional "physical" stores. According to the proposed conditions, the client will be able to take the goods home and pay for them only after two weeks. In case the client changes his mind during this time, he can return the goods to the store for free. 

The service will be tested at the H&M retail network in the Netherlands from October 2019 and will then appear in Belgium. "Why are we doing this? For the same reason that we already offer the "return to store" service and free shipping. Customers expect the best shopping experience, whether it's online or offline," said H&M spokeswoman Marianne Nerinckx. 

To be able to pay for purchases within two weeks, the H&M client needs to register through a smartphone and scan a unique QR code in the store. The service will allow the retailer to bill for the performed purchases automatically. The system was for the first time tested at the domestic market in Sweden in partnership with the Klarna company. Now the concept is being introduced at once at several European markets. 

The company expects the trend in demand for postpaid services to grow worldwide. Experts note that over time, an increasing number of large fashion retailers will join the program in the fight for the buyer. Such an initiative has been criticized by consumer organizations in Europe, noting that the practice of post-payment will encourage customers with limited financial resources to spend more than they can afford.

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