BNPL Flexibility and Higher Conversions: Virid’s Afterpay Launch for Journeys

THE OVERVIEW

Journeys, a leading footwear retailer with over 800 stores and nearly 10,000 SKUs, wanted to give shoppers more ways to pay. Their goal was to bring flexible payment options to their eCommerce site and meet growing customer demand.

THE PROBLEM

To offer greater flexibility for their customers, Journeys asked Virid to launch Afterpay on their US website. The integration would expand Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) capabilities and allow customers to split purchases into four payments over time, making their must-have footwear even more accessible.

THE SOLUTION

Virid took the lead on integrating Afterpay into the Journeys site, built on the marketAgility eCommerce platform. They delivered a smooth, on-time launch across five core areas:

  1. API Integration 
    Working directly with Afterpay, Virid built the technical foundation for integration. The team connected Afterpay’s REST API endpoints, set up payment authorization flows, implemented capture logic for completed orders, and developed refund operation handling for returns and cancellations.
  2. Technical Requirements
    Security and reliability were non-negotiable. Virid partnered with Afterpay and Journeys to implement proper token handling and HTTPS requirements for secure API communications and real-time payment status updates. Virid also ensured compliance with PCI and data security standards to protect customer data.
  3. Checkout Flow
    Virid refreshed each aspect of the checkout flow. The team integrated installment displays, set up payment capture triggers tied to order fulfillment, built helpful error messaging for customers, and built logic to manage declined payments.
  4. Front-end Elements
    Virid also transformed front-end elements to ensure a seamless customer experience. The team implemented payment breakdown displays at checkout, added A/B testing capabilities for messaging, optimized page load times to prevent cart abandonment, and ensured everything worked flawlessly on mobile.
  5. Country Locale & Internationalization
    Virid extended the integration to Journeys Canada, translating front-end elements and messaging for the French language site. Virid adapted Afterpay messaging to reflect Canadian market requirements, tested locale-specific checkout flows, and coordinated with Afterpay on regional API configurations.

From contract signature to production launch, Virid hit every deadline, coordinating closely with Journeys stakeholders and Afterpay’s technical team.

THE IMPACT

The Afterpay integration delivered real results for Journeys:

  • More completed purchases. Payment flexibility boosted conversion rates and average order volume. Since Afterpay typically doesn’t perform hard credit checks, customers without strong credit history can make larger purchases without impacting their credit.
  • Peace of mind for shoppers. Clear payment schedules and upfront fee structures (charges only apply for missed payments) give customers confidence in their purchases.
  • Smarter fraud detection. Afterpay’s built-in fraud detection replaced Journeys’ existing provider, simplifying operations and transferring fraud liability away from Journeys.
  • Seamless cross-border experience. The implementation supported both US and Canada markets with mobile-optimized experiences for Journeys’ core customer base.

Ready to tackle a complex eCommerce integration or boost your site’s revenue? Reach out to our team to see how Virid can help.

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