One of the absolute head-scratchers to me amidst all the debates/controversies over the (admittedly) high inter-change fees charged by banks and credit card companies is the media's absolute refusal to hold the retailers to account for the mass adoption of services like Afterpay, Partpay and Laybuy etc where consumers are offered interest free weekly instalment payments by these providers in return for fees (paid by the retailers) described by Partpay as being similar to accepting credit cards. Retail NZ constantly carps on about how people paying by cash or EFTPOS are forced to subsidise those paying by CC. Well, by offering those services, aren't they doing the same thing on the majority who don't need/want to use such services?

The other thing that makes me laugh is that if the 0.5 to 1% extra supposedly unjustified interchange fees charged by the card issuers/banks are so unbearable, imagine what kind of margins are being added by these instalment providers, when as I understand it most of them take payment out of the user's registered debit and/or credit card. As usual, important debates about important issues are just endlessly clouded by BS and spin from both sides.

As someone who have provided voluntary credit law and financial advice, these services also massively concern me. Really, anyone who "needs" to use these to be able to afford a shirt or whatever from a mid-market boutique has a lot more to think about than where to shop.