Karna Partners With Blackhawk Network To Launch Its UK BNPL Gift Card Store

Klarna, a global payment company, is joining hands with Blackhawk Network, a firm that specializes in branded payments. They are working together to let people in the United Kingdom buy gift cards from top brands and pay later with Klarna. Klarna uses AI-powered tools to help with payments, and now, the firm is bringing this feature to UK shoppers.

Shoppers in the United Kingdom can now buy gift cards from famous stores like Argos, Airbnb, Adidas, Uber, and IKEA through Klarna’s app. Klarna offers different payment choices, such as paying now or paying later with its BNPL service. This new way of shopping lets people buy gifts and decide how they want to pay.

Klarna Plans To Expand Its Gift Card Offerings To Other European Regions This Year

Klarna’s Gift Card Store was first launched in the United States last year, where it was a big success. Shoppers in the US were able to buy gift cards from brands like Airbnb, Uber, and Target. Klarna has plans to bring this service to other European countries before the end of 2024.

Raji Behal, who is in charge of Klarna in Western and Southern Europe, said the company is excited to bring the Gift Card Store to the UK after seeing its success in the US. Behal stated that gift cards are popular in the UK, especially before Christmas. He added that Klarna is happy to give UK shoppers an easy way to buy gift cards.

One special feature of the Klarna Gift Card Store is that users can send gift cards to friends and family. People can also include a personal message with the gift card and choose when it will be delivered. According to the update, this is Klarna’s first step into the UK’s large gift card market, which is worth about £7 billion and is expected to grow.

Klarna Plans To Include New Features Like Barcodes To Its BNPL Platform

Gift cards are becoming more digital, with over half of the market now using digital gift cards. Klarna is also adding features like barcodes so that people can use their gift cards both online and in stores. This makes it even easier for shoppers to redeem their gifts.

Anna Uprichard, the Vice President of commerce at Blackhawk Network, said the firm believes the trend of buying gifts and paying later will become more popular. According to her, Blackhawk Network’s research showed that many people who bought gift cards last year used Klarna to pay for them.

Uprichard added that the partnership between Klarna and BHN gives shoppers a simple and flexible way to buy gift cards. She noted that this is especially useful during the busy Christmas shopping season when people buy the most gift cards.