Klarna Seeks to Attract Creators by Linking Them With Retailers

Klarna is expanding its Creator Platform, tapping into the creator economy to drive sales.

“With the launch of the Creator Platform,  the Klarna joins the $16 billion influencer marketing economy and opens up a crucial new channel for its 450,000 retail partners worldwide,” the Swedish company said in a news release provided to PYMNTS Tuesday (Nov. 29).

The payments and buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform initially launched in the U.S. last month and is now expanding to the U.K. and the rest of the company’s 45 regions, Klarna said.

The company calls creators the new “heart of online shopping,” with many shoppers buying directly from influencer pages.

“However, creators still struggle to balance running a scalable business with creating unique content that stands out in a crowded market,” Klarna said. “Retailers meanwhile report difficulties in sourcing the right creators and measuring engagement with their target audience.”

Klarna said its platform deals with this issue by connecting retailers to creators and streamlining everything from initial outreach to analyzing performance, tracking sales and handling billing.

The creator platform is part of a larger attempt by Klarna to diversify its offering by introducing new features, including a price comparison tool, shoppable video content, a donation feature and an upgraded CO2 tracker.

“The new products…mark a major milestone in Klarna’s evolution to becoming a place where consumers and retailers can now search, discover and create,” CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski said last month.

Klarna joins a number of companies that have been catering to creators and the people who follow them recently.

Earlier this month, financial services platform Bump launched a collaboration with Mastercard and card issuer Highnote to launch the Bump Creator Card. The company said the card is meant to lower the financial barriers facing independent creators face while helping them build brands and businesses.

This month also saw American Express team with TikTok for the “#ShopSmall Accelerator,” a program to help small businesses attract the Gen Z consumers who flock to TikTok’s platform. It also connects business owners with creators seeking advice on using the social media platform.