A trend toward larger ring styles with more ornamentation has driven up the price of engagement rings. It drove something else for Kristin Coffin Jewelry, too: customers asking about financing.

Kristin Coffin, the company’s founder and owner, said the requests were understandable—the majority of her customers are about to get married and expect other large expenses, like a wedding and honeymoon. But her small business wasn’t able to take on administering its own layaway or installment plans.

“Finding a company like Affirm not only took the liability off of us, but it also did away with the cumbersome paperwork that typically burdens the business owner,” she said.

She chose Affirm over Klarna in February 2019 largely because the transfer of funds was much more immediate. She also loves that Affirm checks customers’ eligibility without affecting their credit scores, and the monthly payment amounts are clearly laid out for shoppers.

“Not putting our clients in a compromising financial situation was extremely important in our decision to go with Affirm,” she added. 

Her brother Nick, who works for the jewelry company and doesn’t have a coding background, was able to complete the Affirm implementation during an afternoon. “Updating our website is usually a beast of a process, so it was amazing to have the integration process go so seamlessly,” Kristin said. “We saw our first sale via Affirm the day after integration!” 

Since then, the business’s average order value has risen 16%, mostly from customers opting for features like accent stones and different metals. “These customizations add on anywhere from $100 to $1,500 in upgrades, and we've seen that clients are customizing at a rate they never used to.”

She also revealed a benefit of working with Affirm that she hadn’t expected. “We haven't fielded a single email from a customer about any aspect of the financing process, let alone any issues. I don't know what you're doing from your end, but we’re thrilled—and relieved—it hasn't added to our workload!” 

To drive AOV and conversion with Affirm’s self-service integration (without adding to your workload), visit our site.