Key Takeaways:
- Shoppers fall into three main affordability segments: mandatory, conditional, and opportunistic affordability seekers.
- Snapmint offers affordability solutions for all segments with EMI on UPI, mostly inaccessible by credit cards and without any processing fee or hidden charges.
- Impact for brands: higher AOV, increased site conversions, reduced cart drops, and stronger loyalty.
- Partnering with Snapmint unlocks “affordability offer” as a growth lever, not just a payment option.
Introduction
Every seller/merchant is vying for the same share of the buyer's wallet, that much is known. However, how affordability effortlessly solves for better Add To Carts, Buyer Loyalty and overall stickiness is still being discovered. By offering a “Pay In Parts” affordability offer such as Snapmint, during the product discovery and buying decision making, and later as the best value proposition during checkout/payment, the Buyer is superbly enabled to make the purchase and not postpone to a more opportune time. Or never!
But, there's more to affordability when viewed purely from the buyer's lens. The conditionality and circumstance of choosing affordability while making a purchase vary from buyer to buyer. Here's a deep dive.
3 Types of Affordability Seekers
Affordability is not a one-size-fits-all concept. Every customer thinks about payments differently: some can’t buy without an EMI option, while others happily use it for convenience, rewards, or to stretch their budget, i.e high AOV for the seller.
Broadly, shoppers can be classified into three types of affordability seekers:
1. Mandatory Affordability Seekers
While making a purchase, availability of an EMI or “payment-in-parts” option is a major buying decision criteria.
In the absence of an affordability offer both at PDP/Category page, and as part of checkout, the buyer would abort the purchase leading to abandoned carts during checkout.
Notwithstanding the buyer's need or product affinity.
Primary research projects this number to be as high as 40% of your site visitors.
The purchase would be deferred for a more suitable time or it may not materialize at all.
Example: A college student looking to buy a smartphone from Cashify. Without a no-cost EMI option, the purchase won’t happen, as it is a deal breaker for them.
2. Conditional Affordability Seekers
These shoppers don't factor affordability as the primary driver of buying decisions. However, affordability ensures that they can still go ahead and buy if the purchase value exceeds their planned budget.
Without an EMI option, they may settle for a lower-ticket item or skip the purchase altogether. But with flexible payments, they’re willing to upgrade their choices and stretch their budget in the process rewarding the merchant with higher AOV, better buyer experience and loyalty.
Example: A young couple browsing for a mattress might choose one from Sleep Company. With Pay-in-Parts, they don’t need to restrict themselves to an ₹8,000 budget. Instead, they can comfortably opt for a premium ₹15,000 mattress with the latest features and superior comfort - while still paying in easy installments.
3. Opportunistic Affordability Seekers
This group validates an offer or checkout method in a more holistic manner while not just leaning on the deferred payment aspect.
When they fully understand the merits of a pay in part offer such as no late payment penalty, no processing fee, attractive cashback, keeping your credit card unblocked for other recurring expenses such as grocery and fuel; to name a few. It becomes clear that availing an EMI or pay in parts option is a smarter choice.
This further drives adoption and overall repeat behaviour.
Example: A young professional is eyeing a Titan smartwatch worth ₹18,000. Instead of blocking his credit card - already reserved for monthly spends like rent, groceries, and fuel - he chooses Snapmint’s Pay-in-Parts option. By splitting the cost into easy installments without extra charges, he enjoys premium quality today while keeping liquidity intact for other essentials.
Where Most Brands Go Wrong
Most brands operate with a limited view of affordability, treating it solely as a mechanism to assist buyers who cannot pay up front. Accordingly, the majority of solutions are designed only for the mandatory affordability seeker, with a narrow focus on credit card EMIs or bank-led financing.
This single-dimensional approach results in two critical blind spots:
- Conditional seekers: buyers who may willingly stretch their purchase budget if flexible payment options are presented. In the absence of affordability, the outcome is either a downgraded purchase or a deferred one.
- Opportunistic seekers: buyers who consciously evaluate value propositions, cashbacks, and zero-cost EMIs. Overlooking them means forgoing repeat transactions, advocacy, and loyalty.
In effect, by catering to only one segment of affordability seekers, brands are leaving significant value unrealized, missing conversions, suppressing average order values, and weakening long-term customer engagement.
How Snapmint Wins Across All Three Affordability Segments
Snapmint’s EMI on UPI is built on the premise that affordability is not a one-size-fits-all construct. Its design goes beyond the limitations of conventional credit card EMIs, offering a flexible and inclusive framework that maps seamlessly to each affordability archetype.1. Capturing the Mandatory Seeker
For buyers where affordability is a non-negotiable criterion, Snapmint eliminates barriers with instant approvals, no credit card dependency, and no-cost / low-cost EMI options. The result: reduced cart abandonment and higher conversion rates, irrespective of product category or ticket size.
2. Enabling the Conditional Seeker
Affordability is no longer confined to high-ticket categories. Snapmint empowers brands to offer EMI on UPI starting from ticket sizes as low as ₹80.
This structural flexibility allows customers to expand their consideration set — for example, trading up from a ₹1,000 purchase to a ₹3,000 one — directly contributing to higher AOVs and improved customer satisfaction.
3. Engaging the Opportunistic Seeker
For buyers who perceive affordability as a value-maximizing tool, Snapmint provides zero-cost EMIs, exclusive deals, and cashback-linked incentives. Even buyers with sufficient liquidity opt-in, since the proposition preserves their credit capacity for recurring obligations. This creates habitual usage and strengthens repeat purchase cycles, thereby enhancing GMV for the brand.
Bottom line: Whether affordability is a necessity, a conditional choice, or an opportunity for smarter savings, Snapmint ensures brands never miss a shopper, turning affordability into a true growth engine.
Business Impact
From increasing add-to-cart rate to boosting new revenue for your business, these are not just promises; these are proven impacts of Snapmint.
Snapmint advantage for your business:
- Up to 30% more add-to-carts
- 40% higher AOV
- 25% boost in total orders
- 15% higher site-wide conversion rate
- 30% Newer Revenue
- 15% RTO Reduction
Conclusion
Brands that only cater to mandatory seekers are missing out on a massive opportunity. By addressing all three affordability segments, you don’t just prevent cart drops; you unlock higher order values, better conversions, and stronger loyalty.
That’s exactly where Snapmint comes in. With instant approvals, no credit card dependency, flexible EMIs on UPI, higher penetration in tier 2 & 3 cities, and rewarding offers, Snapmint ensures every affordability seeker finds a reason to complete their purchase.
When you partner with Snapmint, you’re not just adding an EMI option, you’re unlocking growth by turning affordability into a competitive advantage.
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