Paid later and sent it back. Do you still have to pay?
When you send something back, also report the return to your pay-later service. With Klarna, your payment is paused as soon as you report the return in the app. Your bill is only adjusted once the shop has processed the return. If you do nothing, the payment term just keeps running.
How it works
With pay later there are two parties. The shop, where you send the parcel. And the payment service, like Klarna or Riverty, that sends you the bill.
They don’t automatically know what the other is doing. The shop only sees your parcel once it has arrived and been processed. Until then, the payment service thinks you simply have to pay.
So when you return something, you do two things:
- Send it back following the shop’s steps. Keep your proof of postage.
- Report the return to your payment service. With Klarna, your payment is then paused.
The tricky part
Around Black Friday you often have several orders at once. Each with its own payment date and its own last return day. One forgotten report, and you get a reminder for something that went back ages ago. Or you pay twice and have to chase your money.
You send the coat back in time. You think: done. Three weeks later a reminder arrives, with extra costs. The shop hadn't processed your return yet, and the clock at the payment service kept ticking.
Often asked
How do I report a return to Klarna?
In the Klarna app: go to Payments, choose the items and tap Report return. Your payment is then paused until the shop has processed the return.
What if the shop doesn't process my return?
Contact the shop first, with your proof of postage. If it still isn't sorted at Klarna after 21 days, contact Klarna as well.
The shop refunded me outside Klarna. Is that OK?
Careful: according to Klarna you still have to pay the Klarna bill in that case. The same goes if you got a store voucher instead of money. Ask the shop to refund through Klarna instead.
What about Riverty or other services?
The idea is the same: report the return to the service itself, in the app or on the website. Check their terms for how long your payment is paused.
Is anything changing about buy now, pay later?
Yes, stricter rules are coming because of a European directive, including a credit register (BKR) check on every purchase and lower fees for paying late. The exact details and date in the Netherlands may still change.