[ullevaal]

In Europe, strong customer authentication is now required when making credit card purchases https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_customer_authentication

So Klarna delays having to authenticate with the bank which issued your credit card from the time of purchase, to the time of paying your Klarna "credit card bill".

They also delay sending your invoice until the item is actually shipped, and you then have a 14 day due date. This means returns and refunds have no money exchanged from any of your own accounts, so you don't have to worry about how long it takes for the refund to enter your credit card.

Edit: They also remember you address based on your email and name, across any vendors, so check out is really quick even if it is the first time you shop at a specific site. This is of course great for smaller vendors.

[the_mitsuhiko]

Klarna in Europe I think for most people I know is a "i made this mistake once" experience. I know nobody who picked the Klarna transaction type more than once.

The checkout is super quick only to be frustrated with the payment process later. And since it's Klarna that comes after you to collect payment it can eventually backfire on the business that you ordered from as well.

[ullevaal]

What's wrong with the payment process in your country? Where I am it's as easy as paying any invoice I get from a credit card company or I can by with debit card.

Also in my country, in Europe, Klarna is mentioned more and more in news articles about consumer debt and predatory lending, so I think their market share among people who keep credit card balances is increasing. They have stopped or kept pending unusually large purchases by me pending a credit check, but they could probably do a lot more to not get a reputation as lumped together with the most predatory consumer loan banks.

[the_mitsuhiko]

The issue is you order something, your significant other unpacks the thing and disposes the paper which includes the invoice to be paid. Only weeks later you get notified that you did not pay.

[tyldum]

Could be different in your country, but here in Norway there wouldn't be an invoice in the box. The whole idea is that payment is totally separate. Email invoice or separate invoice per post, unless you pay immediately when ordering.

The shop you ordered from does not know or care how the transaction is done between you and Klarna.

[the_mitsuhiko]

Quite honestly I don't care enough to give it another try. Credit cards work just fine.