General EvidenceInsights

BNPL by Product Category in Germany

Results as of

Review Jan 2025 – Jul 2026: Fashion orders carry an explicit BNPL tag 2× more often than electronics — 25.6% vs 14.8%

BNPL by Product Category in GermanyBar chart showing the share of German e-commerce order line-items paid with an explicit installment-payment tag (Klarna, Ratepay, or Riverty), broken down by product category — Fashion, Electronics, Home goods, and Other — for January 2025 to July 2026. Fashion leads at 25.6%, followed by Electronics at 14.8%.Bar chart showing the share of German e-commerce order line-items paid with an explicit installment-payment tag (Klarna, Ratepay, or Riverty), broken down by product category — Fashion, Electronics, Home goods, and Other — for January 2025 to July 2026. Fashion leads at 25.6%, followed by Electronics at 14.8%.
Bar chart showing the share of German e-commerce order line-items paid with an explicit installment-payment tag (Klarna, Ratepay, or Riverty), broken down by product category — Fashion, Electronics, Home goods, and Other — for January 2025 to July 2026. Fashion leads at 25.6%, followed by Electronics at 14.8%.
Info
Data date
Jan 2025 – Jul 2026
Segment
All segments
Platform
Email
Market
Germany

Analysis

Fashion orders in the German e-commerce sector featured an explicit instalment payment option from Klarna, Ratepay or Riverty in 25.6 per cent of cases – more than twice as often as electronics orders (14.8 per cent) and significantly more than household goods or other categories. This gap reflects both the structural importance of purchase on account in the fashion sector and the targeted BNPL partnerships of the major fashion platforms.

Why fashion and instalment purchases are a natural fit

Germany has a long tradition of purchase on account, and fashion has always been the core category – driven by high return rates and the desire to try items on first. The extension of the Klarna partnership with Zalando to Germany in January 2025 reinforced this link. The lower rate for electronics (14.8 per cent) is partly due to the fact that 0 per cent finance from specialist retailers such as MediaMarkt or Saturn is not always recognisable as a BNPL signal. Furthermore, the actual proportion of instalment payments in both categories is likely to be higher, as PayPal’s instalment payment option at order level cannot be distinguished from a standard PayPal payment. The gap between fashion and electronics therefore represents a conservative lower limit of an actual behavioural difference.

This analysis is based on public segment data. For deeper cuts, use our Enterprise interface.

Methodology

The rate shown for each product category is the share of order line-items in that category whose transaction carried an explicit Klarna, Ratepay, or Riverty installment-payment tag. Categories are derived from a standardized product taxonomy: Fashion covers apparel and footwear, Electronics covers consumer electronics, Home goods covers furniture and home furnishings, and Other captures the remainder. Note: PayPal Ratenzahlung cannot be distinguished from standard PayPal at the order level and is not included; the true category BNPL rate — particularly for fashion — is therefore understated. The analysis covers German e-commerce orders from January 2025 to July 2026.

These insights are based on the General Evidence Panel. Our data comes exclusively from users who are compensated for their anonymity. Become part of the panel & earn from your data