Klarna Expands Creator Shops as Consumers Embrace Social Commerce

Payments network Klarna has expanded its ad and marketing tools for creators and retailers. 

The new offerings, announced Monday (Nov. 13), include new versions of the company’s Ad Manager and Creator Shops.

“Building on our suite of marketing and ad solutions for retailers, Klarna’s Creator Shops and Ads Manager continue to transform the company beyond BNPL into a growth partner and retail media network within the industry,” said David Sandstrom, Klarna’s marketing chief. 

“Our combined network of over 1 million retail partners and creators globally now have even more powerful ways to reach Klarna’s 150 million high-intent shoppers, while consumers can enjoy a more relevant and personalized shopping experience.”

Among the offerings is the expansion of Ads Manager to retailers in the U.K. and Sweden. Already available in the U.S., this tool lets customers share their information with Klarna and enjoy more personalized shopping. 

“Ads Manager ensures relevant content is shown to consumers by enabling retailers to reach the shoppers who are actively seeking brands and products similar to their own,” the release said. “The platform offers brands an easier and more efficient way to advertise, from ad creation and audience targeting, to in-platform reporting for campaign optimization.” 

Meanwhile, Klarna is bringing Creator Shops to the U.S. after debuting the program in Europe. This offering lets the company’s network of creators launch their own storefronts on Klarna.com and the tools to “power a consistent shopping experience,” allowing “shoppers to easily find and shop all their favorite creators’ product recommendations in one place.”

The company points to in-house research finding that more than half of younger consumers receive shopping inspiration from social media.

That’s in keeping with recent PYMNTS Intelligence showing that more than 40% of consumers use social media to find products.

“In today’s digital age, social media has become a powerful tool for consumers to discover and purchase products,” PYMNTS wrote recently. “Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have transformed the way people shop, with each channel catering to different consumer interests. The influence of these platforms is evident in the billions of views and viral purchases associated with hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt, for example.”

But as Klarna noted, many consumers are challenged when searching for products, and find the journey from browsing to buying unpredictable.