Klarna extends desktop flex payment reach with browser extension

Klarna is introducing a tool to streamline digital “buy now, pay later” purchases for desktop shoppers.

The global payments provider and shopping platform is releasing a browser extension, following beta testing with over 100,000 consumers. The extension enables consumers to shop with Klarna's flexible buy now, pay later payment options on their desktop at every online store, even if the retailer is not yet a Klarna partner. 

Released on the heels of an all-in-one mobile shopping app with similar universal online flex payment capabilities, the new Klarna browser extension enables consumers to shop with Klarna at any retailer’s desktop e-commerce site through the creation of one-time virtual Visa cards.

Klarna's collection feature allows consumers to save any items they find on the browser to personal folders and activate price drop notifications on those items. An automatic couponing feature instantly adds coupon codes into shopping carts. Whenever a consumer makes a purchase or saves an item with the browser extension, it is automatically reflected in their Klarna app.

The app provides further post-purchase features, such as tracking deliveries from order placement to delivery, managing purchases and returns, and tracking carbon footprint. This synchronization also enables consumers to switch seamlessly between devices while shopping. 

Consumers that have the browser extension installed can also obtain exclusive rewards for purchases at merchants in the form of cash back (U.S. and Germany) or gift cards (U.K. and France). Klarna is supporting this offering with its recent acquisition of browser extension Piggy.

“While mobile shopping is surging, we also see that many consumers still enjoy the comfort of browsing and comparing items on a larger desktop screen,” said David Fock, chief product officer of Klarna. “At Klarna, we want to offer consumers the world's best shopping and payments experience - no matter what device they are using. With the introduction of our browser extension, consumers shopping on their desktop can now benefit from the convenience, control and flexibility of Klarna's 'pay later' services at all of their favorite online stores. Combined with the automatic couponing and cash back features, our new extension offers the ultimate shopping hack, saving time and money for consumers at every checkout."

"Online retailers are constantly looking for ways to reduce cart abandonment and improve the checkout experience -- especially during the crucial holiday shopping season,” said Nicholas Mahalec, product director at Klarna and former CEO of Piggy. “By automatically adding coupons to shopping carts and enabling consumers to pay later with Klarna's secure and convenient one time cards, the new browser extension not only saves consumers valuable time and money, but also boosts engagement and retention for retailers -- regardless of whether they are Klarna partners already."

The Klarna browser extension is available as of Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021, and can be installed with two clicks. It is compatible with Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, with support for Firefox and Safari will be rolled out in the near future. The extension is available in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France and will be rolled out to the rest of Klarna's markets in the near future.