'Buy now, pay later' may reshape retail prices, inventory, research finds

"Buy now, pay later" plans—which allow consumers to split purchases into a handful of interest-free installments—have become a common way for Americans to pay for everything from furniture to groceries. New research from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis suggests the increasingly popular payment option can have consequences beyond the checkout screen—influencing retail prices, inventory decisions and the financial burden on consumers.