emerchantpay adds Visa Instalments for UK merchants

emerchantpay has integrated Visa Instalments Solutions into its payment platform for UK merchants, allowing eligible Visa cardholders to pay for qualifying purchases in instalments.

Available at checkout through emerchantpay's platform, the service lets shoppers split purchases into equal payments over a set period using their existing credit line with participating card issuers. It includes real-time eligibility checks and shows plan terms and costs within the payment flow.

The launch expands emerchantpay's existing checkout options as merchants face growing pressure to offer more flexible payment options. Research cited from The Payments Association found that 40% of businesses identified a lack of flexible payment options as a common cause of cart abandonment, behind only high fees and slow or failed transactions.

Data in the announcement also points to a broader shift in UK consumer behaviour. UK Finance figures show that 25% of UK adults used deferred or instalment-based payment options at least once during 2024, up from 14% a year earlier.

That trend has clear commercial implications for retailers and other merchants. According to emerchantpay, 37% of merchants have reported higher overall sales when instalments are offered at checkout, while The Payments Association estimates the UK buy now, pay later market at £28 billion.

Checkout shift

Visa Instalments differs from some standalone buy now, pay later products because it works through eligible Visa cards and the customer's existing credit arrangement with their card provider. For merchants, the appeal lies in the ability to offer instalment plans within the normal checkout process, without sending customers to a separate lending product at checkout.

emerchantpay operates as a payment service provider and acquirer, working mainly with medium-sized and large businesses across sectors, including travel, eCommerce, retail and financial services. Adding Visa Instalments gives those merchants another option as payment choice becomes a more important part of the conversion strategy.

Jon Horddal, Chief Product Officer at emerchantpay, said the integration is intended to help merchants respond to rising demand for flexible payment options.

"Flexible payment options are rapidly growing in popularity as consumers want choice, flexibility and security. Introducing Visa Instalments into our existing offering will enable merchants to meet consumer demand for faster and more seamless payment experiences. This approach is critical to reduce cart abandonment, boost customer retention and drive conversions," Horddal said.

The partnership also reflects Visa's push to expand instalment payments through issuers and merchant partners within established card environments. Rather than requiring a separate application process, the model is designed to surface available instalment offers at checkout for customers with eligible cards.

For merchants, the key question is whether greater payment flexibility can be introduced without adding complexity at checkout. Simplicity remains a central concern for online sellers, especially in sectors where abandoned baskets directly affect margins and customer acquisition costs.

"As consumer demand for instalment payment options continues to rise, merchants are rightly prioritising solutions that are simple to deploy, work seamlessly at checkout and help them convert demand to completed sales. By integrating Visa Instalments into its platform, emerchantpay is offering flexibility for shoppers without adding complexity," Mark Wilcocks, Vice President of Product and Solution for the UK and Ireland at Visa, said.

The UK market has become a key testing ground for alternative and deferred payment models as consumers respond to higher living costs and seek more control over household spending. Payment companies and card networks have created demand for products that sit between traditional card payments and dedicated buy-now, pay-later services.

For emerchantpay, the integration adds a card-linked instalment option to a platform that already supports online, mobile, in-store and telephone payments. For UK merchants, it offers a way to present instalment choices within the same transaction flow used for standard card acceptance.