Did you know, the Indonesian Credit Card Association (AKKI) said that the credit card business in Indonesia over the past year has decreased by at least 20% when compared to normal conditions? (cnbcindonesia.com). The main factor in the decline in credit card sales was due to limited community activities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though the focus of credit cards is as a means of payment for travel and entertainment, both at home and abroad, which is currently still very limited. Another factor is the emergence of other transaction methods using paylater (payment at a later date) provided by financial technology (fintech) companies that cooperate directly with e-commerce platforms.
This has also been strengthened by an independent research institute in February. The Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development (RISED) entitled "Perceptions of the Indonesian Market on the Utilization of Paylater Payment Features" also concluded that the 'pay later' (paylater) service method has become an alternative solution for save and easy manage for the community in financing daily activities, especially during pandemic.
Installment services without a credit card for purchasing goods on e-commerce platforms or commonly known as paylaters are increasingly being found. Simply put, the service allows consumers to buy goods in installments with a certain deadline. Demand continues to grow, along with the increasingly massive use of e-commerce to meet various types of needs. According to the 2019 Fintech Report data released by DSResearch, paylater (56,7%) is the third favorite service after digital wallets (82,7%) and investment applications (62,4%) (dailysocial.id).
Currently in Indonesia there are several fintech companies that provide paylater services. Its implementation appears in many applications, ranging from digital wallets, ticket reservations, to the most popular on e-commerce platforms and/or online marketplaces. Each provider has different specifications and coverage.
Despite having high commercial opportunities, the digital financial industry in Indonesia continues to be overshadowed by low financial literacy and inclusion, especially among the underbanked. So, the presence of Paylater is believed to be able to contribute to increasing financial inclusion in Indonesia by presenting various innovations in financial products in Indonesia that are easy, fast, and affordable (mediaindonesia.com).
With this Pay Later service, it is undeniable that a culture of consumptive can be created. Especially is an uncertain regulatory environment, especially in Indonesia, where there are additional hidden costs. So, which team are you in? Paylater or conventional credit card? (Ruhmaya Nida Wathoni. Illustration: thenationalnews.com)
Kartu Kredit vs Paylater
Tahukah Anda, Asosiasi Kartu Kredit Indonesia (AKKI) menyebutkan bahwa bisnis kartu kredit di Indonesia selama setahun terakhir mengalami penurunan minimal 20% jika dibandingkan dengan kondisi normal? (cnbcindonesia.com). Faktor utama penurunan penjualan kartu kredit ini karena aktivitas masyarakat yang terbatas selama pandemi Covid-19. Padahal fokus kartu kredit adalah sebagai alat pembayaran untuk perjalanan dan hiburan, baik di dalam maupun luar negeri, yang saat ini masih sangat terbatas. Faktor lainnya adalah munculnya metode transaksi lain dengan menggunakan paylater (pembayaran di kemudian hari) yang disediakan oleh perusahaan financial technology (fintech) yang bekerja sama langsung dengan platform e-commerce.
Hal ini juga diperkuat oleh lembaga riset independen pada Februari lalu. Research Institute of Socio-Economic Development (RISED) bertajuk "Persepsi Pasar Indonesia terhadap Pemanfaatan Fitur Pembayaran Paylater" juga menyimpulkan bahwa metode layanan 'pay later' (paylater) menjadi salah satu alternatif solusi pengelolaan keuangan yang aman dan mudah bagi masyarakat dalam membiayai kegiatan sehari-hari, terutama selama pandemi ini.
Layanan cicilan tanpa kartu kredit untuk pembelian barang di platform e-commerce atau yang biasa dikenal dengan paylaters semakin banyak ditemukan. Sederhananya, layanan tersebut memungkinkan konsumen untuk membeli barang dengan cara mencicil dengan tenggat waktu tertentu. Permintaan paylater terus bertambah, seiring dengan semakin masifnya penggunaan e-commerce untuk memenuhi berbagai jenis kebutuhan. Menurut data Fintech Report 2019 yang dirilis oleh DSResearch, paylater (56,7%) merupakan layanan favorit ketiga setelah dompet digital (82,7%) dan aplikasi investasi (62,4%) (dailysocial.id).
Saat ini di Indonesia terdapat beberapa perusahaan fintech yang menyediakan jasa paylater. Implementasinya muncul di banyak aplikasi, mulai dari dompet digital, pemesanan tiket, hingga yang paling populer di platform e-commerce dan/atau pasar online. Setiap provider memiliki spesifikasi dan cakupan yang berbeda.
Meski memiliki peluang komersial yang tinggi, industri keuangan digital di Indonesia tetap dibayangi oleh rendahnya literasi dan inklusi keuangan, terutama di kalangan masyarakat yang belum memiliki rekening bank. Maka, kehadiran paylater diyakini mampu berkontribusi dalam meningkatkan inklusi keuangan di Indonesia dengan menghadirkan berbagai inovasi produk keuangan yang mudah, cepat, dan terjangkau (mediaindonesia.com).
Dengan adanya layanan paylater ini tidak dapat dipungkiri bahwa budaya konsumtivisme dapat tercipta. Apalagi dalam ranah regulasi yang tidak pasti, khususnya di Indonesia, yang masih ada tambahan biaya tersembunyi. Jadi, Anda berada di tim yang mana? Paylater atau kartu kredit konvensional? (Ruhmaya Nida Wathoni. Ilustrasi: thenationalnews.com)
