US Holiday Shoppers Are Flocking to Klarna, Other BNPL Services

Every holiday season brings with it close scrutiny of Americans’ spending, but this year, the gaze cast at shoppers is even more intense than usual. Largely, that’s because no one really understands what Americans are up to. Most measures of consumer confidence suggest the mood has worsened significantly since the 2024 election, with people across the political spectrum concerned about higher prices and a stagnant job market. Consumer behavior has never perfectly mirrored what people say about their own state of mind, but normally you’d expect such widespread fear to be reflected in their holiday shopping decisions.

Not this ...