If I Pay My Overdue Afterpay, Can I Use It Again?
Facing an overdue Afterpay balance? Understand the path to resolving your account issues and regaining access to the service.
Afterpay is a buy-now-pay-later service, enabling consumers to make purchases and pay in installments. Users often wonder about their account status and ability to continue using the service if a payment is missed. This article clarifies what occurs when an Afterpay account becomes overdue and the steps to regain full access.
Understanding Overdue Afterpay Accounts
When an Afterpay payment becomes overdue, the account is immediately paused. This prevents the user from making any new purchases until the outstanding balance is resolved. This automatic suspension helps manage financial exposure and prevent further debt accumulation.
Late fees are applied when a payment is missed. For orders under $40, the late fee is capped at $10. For orders of $40 or more, an initial $10 fee is charged, with an additional fee up to $7 if unpaid after seven days. Total late fees are capped at 25% of the order value or $68 per order, whichever is less. Afterpay communicates these statuses and fees through reminders and alerts.
Afterpay does not typically perform traditional credit checks or immediately report missed payments to credit bureaus. However, an account that goes to collections could eventually impact a user’s credit score. The system also considers missed payments when determining future spending limits, which may result in a decrease.
Resolving Overdue Afterpay Payments
Resolving an overdue Afterpay account involves making the outstanding payments to bring the account back to good standing. Users can pay overdue amounts directly through the Afterpay mobile application or website. Begin by logging into your Afterpay account and navigating to the “Orders” or “Payments” section.
Within this section, identify the specific order with the overdue payment and initiate a manual payment. Afterpay accepts various payment methods, including linked debit cards, credit cards, or direct bank payments (ACH). Users have the flexibility to pay a custom amount, any payments due within the next 15 days, or the entire owing balance in a single transaction.
Once a payment is made, it generally takes a few hours for the account freeze to be lifted if the issue was solely due to a missed payment. For payments made via ACH, it may take up to five business days for the funds to fully clear and reflect on the account. After a successful payment, Afterpay typically sends an email confirmation detailing the amount paid and how it was applied.
Resuming Afterpay Usage
After all overdue amounts, including any accrued late fees, have been paid in full, Afterpay typically reviews the account for re-eligibility. While paying off the balance is a necessary first step, it does not guarantee immediate full restoration of previous spending limits or instant re-activation for new purchases. Afterpay’s system assesses several factors to determine if and when a user can resume making new purchases.
Key factors influencing re-eligibility include the user’s payment history, the length of time they have been an Afterpay customer, and the frequency of any past declined orders or payments. A consistent history of on-time payments following an overdue period can gradually improve a user’s standing. Users might find their spending limit is lower than before the overdue incident, as Afterpay increases limits over time with responsible use.
Afterpay’s spending limits are determined automatically by their system and cannot be manually increased by customer service. To regain full usage and potentially increase spending limits, continue making all future payments on time and demonstrate consistent responsible spending behavior. Users can check their eligibility status within the Afterpay app, which will reflect their current spending limit and ability to make new purchases.