What is HSN FlexPay, and should you use it?
Why pay everything all at once when you could use FlexPay?
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Looking to buy now and pay later? If you like the Home Shopping Network, you’ve got a number of payment plan options, including FlexPay, ExtraFlex, and VIP Financing.
Some shoppers may be skeptical about payment plans, but HSN’s FlexPay slices the amount owed on purchases made on the website or shopping channel into easier-to-make payments—without interest or hidden fees. But how does this payment option compare to other offerings from HSN?
What is HSN FlexPay?
You can pull up the payment options when you select products on HSN's website.
FlexPay is a payment plan through HSN that allows users to pay for their purchases in five installments. FlexPay offers 0% interest and has no extra charges and hidden fees on payments. Each payment through FlexPay amounts to one-fifth of the price of your purchase, and payments are made monthly. So that’s five monthly payments and the item of your choice will be bought and paid for. Your order through FlexPay ships right away, and the first payment you make will consist of the first monthly installment and your shipping fees and taxes.
Certain items are not available for FlexPay, including cell phones over $500, jewelry over $1,000, coins over $500, TVs over $2,500, computers over $1,500 (including desktops, laptops, and tablets), HSN gift cards, home protection plans, and more. If you’re looking to spread out payments on specifically those items, then FlexPay may not be the right method for you.
Does HSN do a credit check for FlexPay?
In order to qualify for FlexPay, you simply need to sign up for the FlexPay option at checkout. HSN may elect to obtain a consumer report on you when you sign up from a credit reporting agency in order to verify your eligibility. Any inquiry will not impact your credit score (HSN will perform a “soft inquiry” rather than a full credit report check), and if it’s determined that you’re ineligible for FlexPay, HSN will give you the opportunity to pay for the item in a single purchase.
What’s the difference between FlexPay, ExtraFlex, and VIP Financing?
HSN offers FlexPay, but they also have VIP Financing as an option or ExtraFlex through the HSN Card, QCard, or a Zulily credit card. VIP Financing is similar to FlexPay in that it lets you take the payment amount and pay in installments, but it allows you to expand those payments over 12 months rather than five payments. Unlike FlexPay, VIP Financing is only available for items more than $399 (for the 12-month term payment period).
ExtraFlex, unlike VIP Financing, is not a different payment method, but a perk of having a credit card associated with HSN, such as the HSN Card, QCard, or Zulily credit card. ExtraFlex will allow you to get an extra FlexPay period with your FlexPay purchases—lengthening the installment period from five payments to six. ExtraFlex isn't available on the entirety of the HSN catalog, and is limited primarily to beauty, fashion, shoes, and jewelry purchases.
VIP Financing is essentially a perk inherent to establishing credit directly with HSN or an associated entity, which doesn’t lend it the same kind of flexibility that you’d get with FlexPay, but if you plan on shopping with HSN long-term, it may make sense to look at VIP Financing or ExtraFlex. Items eligible for VIP Financing are not eligible for ExtraFlex, though, so keep that in mind when choosing your payment alternatives.
What happens if you miss a FlexPay payment? Can you change your payment schedule?
One of the biggest advantages to FlexPay is the lack of hidden fees or extra payments if you miss a payment. If you do miss a payment through the credit card or line of credit used to sign up for FlexPay, you’ll incur overdraft or additional interest charges through your credit card company or credit provider, rather than HSN itself.
To avoid missing payments, you can sign into your HSN account and select the FlexPay Manager option in the dropdown. There, you can find how many installments you've already paid and the installments you have left. You can also pay your outstanding installments earlier, if you prefer.
Is it worth it to use FlexPay on HSN purchases?
If you want the convenience of a service like Afterpay while you’re shopping on HSN, considering FlexPay as a way to break up your payments isn’t a bad idea, especially if you’re used to paying in installments or building credit through services that let you pay bills over time. You can also use FlexPay on deals, which means that you’ll not only pay a reduced price for popular items, but you can pay that reduced rate over time, potentially making your budget stretch longer in the short term. If the deals are on one or more featured brands that you like, you’ll be getting the items you want all on a budget you can stick to. Just make sure the payment agreement is something you can afford.