BNPL And Digital Platforms Boost Retail Growth As Transaction Volumes Climb Sharply

Recent industry data pointed to steady growth in transaction values and volumes over the Easter period, with digital payments continuing to gain ground.

That momentum is echoed more strongly in PayJustNow’s independent data, which suggests that where digital shopping environments and alternative payment options are embedded, spending behaviour shifts more noticeably.

Across the 1-13 April 2026 period, PayJustNow, which offers instore and online BNPL and retail credit payment options through their digital payments and shopping platform, recorded year-on-year Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) or transaction value growth of 71.5%, with order volumes up 72.9%.

For the full-month comparison GMV is tracking to grow at 83.3%, with order growth at 82.9%. Yet the average basket size remained largely flat, dipping slightly by 0.8% in the earlier period.

This combination matters.

“Consumers are still under pressure, but they have not stopped spending,” says Dean Hyde, chief operating officer at PayJustNow. “What has changed is how they are doing it. We are seeing more frequent and deliberate purchases, often across a broader mix of categories and price points.”

The data suggests that growth is being driven less by larger once-off baskets and more by sustained engagement across digital retail environments.

Emporium-style merchants, offering a range of both value-driven and everyday items, are contributing more meaningfully to overall performance, alongside traditional higher-value categories.

For retailers, this points to a shift in where and how demand is being captured.

“Digital shopping destinations are no longer just channels. They are becoming environments of repeat engagement, where consumers browse, compare, and return before committing to a purchase. When you combine that with structured payment options, you remove friction at the point where decisions are made.”

PayJustNow reports that more than 11,000 transactions are processed daily. The business also reports an 88% repeat customer rate, suggesting that consumers are returning to structured payment options as part of their ongoing shopping behaviour.

Importantly, this is not being driven by unrestrained credit use. PayJustNow continues to maintain a default rate below 2%, supported by a data-led “low and grow” model that increases spending limits in line with proven repayment behaviour.

PayJustNow also functions as a digital shopping destination, enabling retailers to surface products, promotions, and deals directly to an engaged customer base already primed to transact.The platform currently connects over R7.8bn in available consumer spend to its retail network.

“For retailers, the implication is that access to digitally engaged consumers, combined with structured payment options, is translating into higher participation, more frequent transactions, and stronger customer retention over time,” says Hyde.

As digital payments and alternative credit continue to evolve, retail growth remains. However, it is driven by accessibility, frequency, and control rather than traditional spending patterns.