Many businesses dedicate enormous budgets to attract clients interested in high-value purchases. Medspas often already have them. The challenge is converting interest into a sale when the total cost of treatment gives clients a reason to hesitate. Buy now, pay later (BNPL) lets clients spread the cost over time without asking owners to extend credit, take on risk, or change their checkout workflow.

This guide explores medspa client financing, including the biggest benefits of buy now, pay later for merchants, and what to consider before signing up with a third-party financial provider. We’ll also look at how Boulevard integrates BNPL into the checkout and customer experience.

What’s Buy Now, Pay Later, and How Does It Work for Merchants?

BNPL lets clients and consumers purchase a product or service today while splitting the total cost into smaller installment payments over time. Medspas can charge clients through their regular point of sale (POS), then a financing provider pays the merchant upfront and manages the client’s repayment separately.

Many retail settings already use BNPL with broad consumer adoption. The appeal of buy now, pay later for business owners in the beauty and wellness industry is the same: BNPL supports more sales potential and less price-driven cart abandonment.

For medspas, it’s less about adding another payment method to payment processing systems and more about capturing demand with a convenient solution.

How the BNPL Payment Flow Works at Medspas

As part of the checkout experience, the client selects BNPL as the payment method and chooses from an available third-party payment provider, such as Affirm or Klarna. They complete an application or sign into an existing account, review the available payment options, and confirm the purchase. If they’re denied by one provider, they can select another payment method to try with another. Once approved, the medspa processes the purchase and receives the funds in full.

Boulevard’s spa and salon software can move part of the BNPL process upstream. Eligible services display BNPL messaging throughout the standard booking and payment processing flows, while confirmations and appointment reminders can include links to check financing options. By checkout, a client may already know whether they qualify or not.

Boulevard also provides pre-built promotional assets for email, SMS, and social media, as well as client-facing educational resources and staff talking points, to help promote financing options.

Why BNPL Matters for Medspa Owners

Most regulars don’t think twice about purchases like a $150 facial. The real opportunity for BNPL benefits for merchants is making a $2,000 big-ticket treatment plan feel within reach for clients.

Higher Average Ticket Value and Treatment Plan Completion

The difference between a single treatment and a full recommendation plan can be hundreds or even thousands of dollars in revenue. Spreading that cost over time through installments can make a comprehensive plan more financially manageable for clients without requiring your medspa to reduce the scope of care or lower prices.

Merchant data points to a meaningful impact on client spending. Affirm reports a 70% lift in average order value, suggesting that payment flexibility can influence purchase amounts clients are comfortable spending with BNPL options.

Turning Hesitation Into Booked Treatments

Elective treatments are easy to put off. A client may want the service and understand its value, but still decide that paying in full is impractical. They may not have enough cash available to budget the full amount, or feel uncomfortable paying high interest rates on a large credit card purchase. Medspa payment plans give clients another way to make treatments fit their finances.

Affirm reports that 76% of clients will delay or not complete a purchase without a payment plan, while PayPal says 67% of its Pay Later users have abandoned carts when BNPL isn’t available at checkout. For medspas, that points to sales lost because of how clients need to pay, rather than whether they do or don’t want the recommended treatment.

Zero Credit Risk and Upfront Payment

Before third-party BNPL payment options became widely available, medspas often offered in-house financing. That meant carrying client balances and collecting payment installments over time. Plus, medspas absorbed the financial risk of abandoned payments, chargebacks, or fraud. The risk often made extending financing options impractical beyond a select group of highly trusted clients.

BNPL shifts the risks to the financial provider. Your medspa receives payment for an approved purchase upfront, while the provider manages repayment installments and assumes the risk of default. BNPL also broadens your potential consumer base, leading to more transactions and increased revenue. Stripe reports up to a 14% increase in revenue on BNPL-eligible sessions.

Note that the soft credit check has no impact on the client’s credit score, which removes a common client objection to financing.

What to Consider Before Enabling BNPL at Your Medspa

BNPL payment options can generate more purchases and revenue opportunities, but they tend to cost merchants more than standard credit card processing fees. Here’s what you need to understand about the added cost of afterpay solutions.

Merchant Fees and Margin Impact

Medspa owners have good reason to scrutinize merchant fees: The United States Chamber of Commerce cites rates of roughly 1.5–7% of the purchase price, compared to just 1–3% for most debit and credit card transactions.

Measuring against standard card processing, a merchant BNPL fee can look like a glaring margin hit, especially on four-figure transactions. The more useful comparison is what that added cost produces across the business, including revenue from higher conversions, larger overall purchases, and greater lifetime value from existing clients.

Client Communication and Transparency

Clients opt for BNPL options at checkout, but that shouldn’t be the first time they encounter an installment plan or split payment methods. Introducing the idea of BNPL financing while clients first consider a service or book an appointment gives them time to understand the payment structure and factor it into a higher-value purchase decision.

There are plenty of opportunities to kick off and reinforce the BNPL conversation before initiating payment. Staff can bring up installment payment methods during consultations, while physical signage at the front desk can reinforce that pay-later options are available. Online, clients should see BNPL messaging while browsing eligible services and booking appointments.

Boulevard’s spa software continues that conversation with Affirm and Klarna pre-qualification links in booking confirmations and appointment reminders, giving clients time to explore financing before finalizing a payment method.

How Boulevard Makes BNPL Simple for Medspa Owners

Adding BNPL payment methods should fit naturally into the way clients already discover services, book appointments, and pay for treatments. Keeping financing connected to existing transaction workflows also makes it easier for staff to introduce pay-later options consistently.

Boulevard builds BNPL payment options into the customer experience. Clients discover financing options before their visit, then use Affirm or Klarna directly through Boulevard Duo when an eligible transaction reaches checkout.

Explore Boulevard Payments to see how financing fits into your spa’s checkout experience.

FAQ

Does BNPL Affect the Client’s Credit Score?

Checking eligibility or exploring BNPL payment options uses a soft credit check, so it doesn’t impact a client’s credit score. Once a client accepts an installment loan, however, their credit might be affected depending on the provider, plan, and repayment history. Front desk staff should understand that distinction, since credit scores are a common concern around financing.

What Types of Medspa Treatments Work Best With BNPL?

BNPL can convince clients to follow through on treatments and packages with high upfront costs. High-value or multi-session treatments, such as laser packages, body contouring, and injectable treatment plans, are more likely to convert when clients can spread payments over multiple installments.

How Much Does Offering BNPL Cost Medspas?

With Boulevard, BNPL transactions carry a processing fee of 6% plus $0.30 per transaction. Clients receive different repayment options based on eligibility, including interest-free, pay-later options.

How Does BNPL Compare to In-House Payment Plans?

In-house payment options leave your medspa responsible for collecting installments and absorbing the loss if a client stops paying. With third-party BNPL, the provider assumes the repayment risk and the medspa receives the approved purchase amount upfront.

Payment options through Affirm are subject to an eligibility check and are provided by these lending partners: affirm.com/lenders. Affirm availability and eligibility may vary. Restrictions apply. See affirm.com/terms#use. CA residents: Loans by Affirm Loan Services, LLC are made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license. Affirm, Inc., NMLS 1883087. Affirm Loan Services, LLC, NMLS 1479506.

See payment terms. A higher initial payment may be required for some consumers. CA resident loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Financing Law license. NMLS #1353190. See klarna.com/us for details.

Boulevard is not a lender. Boulevard does not extend credit, make approval decisions, or set financing terms. Affirm and Klarna are independent providers, and any payment plan is an agreement between your client and that provider.