Installment payments in Portugal are gaining more and more prominence as a modern alternative to the traditional "fiado". In this article, we explore how this interest-free solution is transforming the shopping experience and boosting business in various sectors.
O "buy now, pay later", a payment solution that, in Portuguese, means "buy now, pay later", is already widely used around the world and, for more than a year, has also been available in our country through the app Instalment plan with UNICRE and the Smart terminal.
If, in Portugal, the payment instalments is still relatively new, in markets where competitiveness is enormous and all factors count for a business to win points over the competition, as is the case in Germany, Brazil or the United States of America, this form of payment that allows for interest-free instalment purchases has already become commonplace among retailers and consumers.
The growth of instalment payments in Portugal
As we mentioned, the instalment payments are fairly recent in Portugal, although we can go back in time and find something similar in Portuguese tradition in the form of "fiado", a way for retailers to continue selling even if the consumer didn't have the money to buy at the time.
However, there is a very significant difference between the old "fiado" and the Parcela Já instalment payment solution with UNICRE: the retailer receives, at the time of purchase, the total of the instalment sales they have received.
As we'll see below, the advantages of adopting flexible payment methods, such as payments in instalments, are contributing to the fact that, in the short space of time between the launch of Parcela Já with UNICRE and today, businesses from the most diverse sectors of activity are signing up month after month.
The proof is in the variety of shops in Portugal that allow you to pay in instalments, covering areas as diverse as fashion, dental health, technology and Opticians or the Mechanical workshopsand present from the north to the south of the country, including the islands.
What drives the adoption of payment in instalments?
The great driving force behind the adoption of instalment payment solutions is undoubtedly the offer of a shopping experience that adapts to the needs of customers and provides them with more flexible payment methods with a view to their enjoyment. loyalty.
2 to 6 interest-free instalments
This flexibility is given, first and foremost, by the possibility for customers to take advantage of interest-free financing to pay for their purchases in between 2 and 6 instalments, even if the first one has to be paid off at the time of the instalment (minimum amount of 20 euros).
Furthermore, since the solution Instalment plan with UNICRE is installed in the TPA SmartCustomers can pay in instalments with credit cards from the main international networks, such as Visa and Mastercard.
Potentiate purchases with a higher average ticket
Another of the advantages associated with payments in instalments is the promotion of higher-value purchases and a higher average ticket (average amount spent on a purchase), since customers are no longer limited to the money they bring with them to purchase the products and services they need, and can therefore better manage their personal finances without worrying about default costs or collections.
Businesses receive the full amount of the sale at the time of purchase
Finally, it's also important to stress that, as well as having a competitive edge over the competition and not paying an annual fee or additional commissions, businesses receive the full amount of the sale, even if it's paid in instalments.
The sectors most affected in Portugal by instalment payments
From the list of businesses already offering instalment payments in 2025 to their customers, the strong presence of companies in the following sectors stands out Fashion, Opticians, Workshops e Health and well-being (beauticians, nutritionists, etc.).
Among the explanations for the predominance of businesses in these sectors, we can talk about the relationship with the high value of bills, which pushes customers to look for those who offer them a "lighter" way of paying that suits their economic situation.
Another explanation may be linked, especially in the case of the car workshopsIn the case of a loan, it is possible to pay for unforeseen expenses that can unbalance the client's personal finances and which, with the possibility of paying in instalments, are easier to negotiate.
Finally, it is undeniable that the fact that the Instalment plan with UNICRE no interest, no collections and no costs for defaults means that these neighbourhood businesses maintain and cement the relationships they establish with their customers.
The future of instalment payments: will they continue to grow?
Are instalment payments the future of digital payments or are they just one of the many payment trends that are coming on strong, only to be eclipsed in no time?
According to Statista dataIn fact, payments in instalments are here to stay.
If between 2019 and 2021, the years that marked the strong entry of instalment payments into the global market, the most repeated word was "growth" (+400% between 2019 and 2021), between 2021 and 2026, forecasts point to an increase in this type of transaction in the order of 450 billion dollars, around 418 billion euros.
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