Sezzle Adds New BNPL Merchants Ahead of Holidays

Pay later platform Sezzle expanded its merchant list ahead of the holiday shopping season.

“Holiday budgets are under pressure,” a Tuesday (Oct. 7) company news release said, adding that PwC found that price sensitivity is expected to drive many purchase decisions this year.

“Retailers are preparing accordingly, and many are turning to Sezzle,” the release added.

Joining Sezzle are women’s fashion retailer Cato Fashions and sporting goods and apparel seller SCHEELS. Also joining the platform are D&B Supply, a regional farm and ranch store bringing Sezzle to Oregon and Idaho, and Dermstore, a beauty and skincare retailer, per the release.

“This holiday season, shoppers want smarter, more flexible ways to pay, and merchants want proven tools to lift sales and build loyalty,” Sezzle President and co-founder Paul Paradis said in the release. “Our latest partnerships show how Sezzle is scaling across major retailers and new verticals, while delivering measurable value at checkout.”

Generation Z consumers, in particular, are facing price pressures and are projected to spend 23% less this year, the release said. As a result, Sezzle is moving into “verticals that mirror Gen Z’s shifting priorities,” such as spending on experiences and digital communities rather than traditional goods.

“Reflecting that shift, Sezzle recently partnered with Whop, a fast-growing social commerce platform where millions of monthly users purchase digital products like courses, coaching and exclusive communities,” the release said. “With Sezzle at checkout, Whop users gain more flexibility to access and engage with content.”

Young shoppers are expected to drive a surge in buy now, pay later (BNPL) offerings this holiday season, PYMNTS reported Monday (Oct. 6). They are adopting hybrid installment behaviors that bridge credit cards and BNPL platforms.

“As the 2025 holiday season approaches, those dynamics are poised to converge,” the report said. “BNPL’s appeal, rooted in instant approval, perceived affordability and convenience, aligns neatly with the surge in seasonal discretionary spending.”

PYMNTS Intelligence data comparing spending between April and September showed growth in pay later adoption. The number of consumers who said they used some form of pay later option in the past three months rose from 29.5% in April to 37.8% in September.

Among Generation Z, only BNPL usage came to 6.4%, while credit card use climbed 27.4%, up from 17.1% earlier in the year.