Skip to main content
Acima Leasing Logo

What’s In Store for 2022? Financial Inclusion and More Flexible Ways to Shop Top the List

Dec 29, 2021

Customer interacting with virtual shopping cart eluding to many possibilities

2022 is fast approaching, and as we say goodbye to another year, now is the time to think about—and prepare for—the trends that will shape the industry in the new year. In 2021, perhaps more than ever before, inclusion became top of mind across industries. Not only will this trend continue in 2022, it will become even more widespread and necessary for business success. For example, expect more retailers to implement buy now pay later (BNPL) and lease-to-own (LTO) solutions in order to offer more consumers choices when they shop and make purchases.

Consumers demand more ways to shop

In a mobile-first era, consumers expect—and even demand—more flexible ways to shop. Offering consumers more choices enables them to shop when and how they want, whether that’s on their mobile device, in-store, or on a desktop computer. In addition to ways to shop, consumers are also looking for more flexible purchase options. For example, BNPL and LTO options are becoming more popular ways to make purchases, and retailers must keep pace to retain loyal customers and attract new consumers. In fact, research shows that 44.1% of the US Gen Z population are expected to use BNPL in the coming year.

Inclusivity becomes a fintech trend

The FinTech sector will facilitate merchants’ implementation of LTO and BNPL solutions in 2022 to help them serve a broader range of consumers, including those who are banked or unbanked. This will be particularly important in 2022 as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue impacting people on a global scale.

At Acima, we’re proud to offer the Acima Ecosystem that includes the Acima Mobile App, Marketplace, Browser Extension, and LeasePay Card, to provide consumers with the solutions they’re looking for in 2022, and beyond.