Abstract:

The retail landscape has evolved from physical stores to digital ecosystems, transforming payment methods from cash to “Buy Now Pay Later” (BNPL) services. The existing literature on BNPL focused as sales-driver and impulse buying behaviour of Gen Z by offering interest-free credit, that covers purchase aspect of the customers. A significant research gap exists regarding the post-purchase experience. Specifically, previous studies neglect the role of Post-Purchase Dissonance such as financial anxiety or regret and how it influences product return behaviour, particularly within the Indian market.

This study aims to conduct systematic literature review on the topic of “impact of BNPL usage intensity on product return frequency among Gen Z consumers” along with mediating role of post-purchase dissonance (product dissatisfaction versus financial anxiety). The literature review was performed using the Scopus database, screening by using keywords related to consumer behaviour, impulsive buying, and digital payments.

The analysis was executed on 71 records using R-Studio and the Biblioshiny web interface.  Out of 71 initial records, 17 core studies were selected via the PRISMA framework for a rigorous thematic review. The analysis generated geographic visualizations (identifying India as a rising leader in research output), author productivity rankings, and thematic maps.

The present study utilizes concept mapping to visualize the interactions between BNPL service attributes, motivational factors, and consumer behaviour risks. A conceptual framework was developed which identified variables such as risk perception and impulsive buying as mediators.

Keywords:

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), Post-Purchase Dissonance, Consumer Behaviour, Bibliometric Analysis, Fintech, PRISMA. JEL Classification: M310, M390

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