# Pay in 3

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⏱ 3 min
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👤 Merchant Onboarding Team (Marcel K.)
###### Ratepay Pay in 3 lets shoppers split purchases into three interest-free instalments, helping merchants increase conversion and basket size while Ratepay handles the operational complexity.

## Overview

Pay in 3 gives shoppers a simple way to spread the cost of a purchase across three instalments over 90 days.

For merchants, this means:

- higher checkout flexibility
- stronger conversion and AOV potential
- full brand control in the buyer journey
- less operational effort after purchase


Pay in 3 payments can be processed via **direct debit** or, depending on the contractual agreement, via **bank transfer**.

## Your benefits at a glance

## Why shoppers love Pay in 3

## Process in a nutshell

1. The buyer selects **Pay in 3** during checkout.
2. The merchant sends a [PAYMENT_REQUEST](/docs/developer/api_integration/payment_1.8/payment_api_documentation/the_ratepay_gateway_operations/payment_request) to Ratepay with:
  - buyer data
  - SEPA bank data
  - shopping basket data
  - payment data
3. Ratepay returns the transaction result.
4. If the transaction is **rejected**, the reason should be shown and the buyer should choose another payment method.
5. If the transaction is **accepted**, the merchant can continue with order confirmation.
6. When the goods are shipped, the merchant sends a [CONFIRMATION_DELIVER](/docs/developer/api_integration/payment_1.8/payment_api_documentation/the_ratepay_gateway_operations/follow_up_operations/confirmation_deliver) request to Ratepay.


After successful delivery confirmation:

- the contractually agreed payout timeline starts
- the claim is transferred to Ratepay
- Ratepay sends the instalment plan to the buyer
- the required buyer communication, including the [invoice](/docs/legal/a_legal_requirements_for_the_integration/customer_correspondences/pay_in_3/), must be sent
- for **direct debit**, collection from the buyer’s account takes place on the **2nd day** of each month
- for **bank transfer**, the buyer due date is the **28th day** of each month


## Get started

To implement Pay in 3 successfully, use these resources:

- [Pay in 3 Integration Guide](/docs/developer/api_integration/payment_1.8/payment_api_documentation/how_to_integrate_ratepay/pay_in_3)
- [Pay in 3 legal requirements](/docs/legal/a_legal_requirements_for_the_integration/pay_in_3_integration)
- [Buyer correspondence for Pay in 3](/docs/legal/a_legal_requirements_for_the_integration/customer_correspondences/pay_in_3/)