Sezzle Adds Leading Retailers and Emerging Verticals as Shoppers Seek Flexibility This Holiday Season

Rhea-AI Summary

Sezzle (NASDAQ:SEZL) announced an expanded roster of merchant partners ahead of the 2025 holiday season, adding retailers across fashion, sporting goods, beauty, fitness, and digital content.

New partners named include Cato Fashions, SCHEELS, D&B Supply, Dermstore, and a partnership with social commerce platform Whop to enable BNPL for digital products. Early merchant results showed Sezzle orders at Cato averaged nearly double the retailer’s baseline order value in the first month. The release also cites macro pressure: PwC projects overall holiday spending to dip ~5% and Gen Z to spend ~23% less year-over-year.

Positive

• Added major retailers: Cato, SCHEELS, Dermstore, D&B Supply
• Expanded into digital content via partnership with Whop
• Cato pilot: Sezzle orders averaged nearly 2x baseline order value in month one
• Early enterprise launches showed consistent growth in unique shoppers and total orders

Negative

• PwC projects U.S. holiday spending to dip ~5% year-over-year
• Gen Z spending expected to decline about 23%, pressuring discretionary purchases

Insights

Payments Partnerships Analyst

Sezzle expands merchant roster ahead of the 2025 holiday season, showing early increases in order value and broader vertical reach.

Sezzle's merchant additions, including Cato Fashions, SCHEELS, Dermstore, and a rollout with Whop, extend its checkout footprint across fashion, sporting goods, beauty, farm & ranch, fitness, and digital content. Early metrics cited—orders at Cato averaging nearly double baseline and consistent growth in unique shoppers, total orders, and Sezzle-driven volume—demonstrate the platform can lift conversion and basket size when integrated effectively.

Key dependencies include merchant-level implementation quality, consumer take-up during constrained spending, and the ability to convert Whop's digital buyers into repeat users. PwC's data points that Gen Z may spend 23% less and overall spending could dip around 5% add caution: holiday demand may be muted, so partnership performance will hinge on promotional alignment and checkout visibility.

Watch merchant-level KPIs over the coming weeks into holiday 2025: incremental orders, average order value, repeat conversion, and Whop transaction mix. Those metrics will show whether early gains scale across larger retailers and new verticals or remain isolated wins during launch periods.

New brands, including Cato Fashions, SCHEELS, Dermstore, and more, join Sezzle’s network as merchants prepare for peak holiday demand.

Minneapolis, MN, Oct. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sezzle Inc. (NASDAQ:SEZL) (Sezzle or Company) // Sezzle, a leading buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform,  today announced an expanded roster of merchant partners across fashion, sporting goods, beauty, fitness, and digital content just in time for the 2025 holiday shopping season.

Holiday budgets are under pressure. According to PwC’s 2025 Holiday Outlook, price sensitivity will be the top factor driving purchase decisions, with Gen Z expected to spend nearly 23% less than last year. Across all generations, spending is projected to dip around 5%, as shoppers prioritize discounts and value over splurges. As PwC’s U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader, Ali Furman, notes: “Price is Gen Z’s love language. They’ve been raised in an era of rising costs and are laser-focused on value and cost transparency.”

Retailers are preparing accordingly, and many are turning to Sezzle. Among the newest merchants to join Sezzle are Cato Fashions, one of the nation’s leading women’s fashion retailers; SCHEELS, a top sporting goods and apparel destination; D&B Supply, a regional farm and ranch store introducing Sezzle across Oregon and Idaho; and Dermstore, a premier beauty and skincare retailer.

Sezzle is also expanding into verticals that mirror Gen Z’s shifting priorities. Research shows this generation is channeling more discretionary spend toward 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. With Sezzle at checkout, Whop users gain more flexibility to access and engage with content.

Early results across Sezzle’s growing network underscore the impact for merchants. At Cato brands, Sezzle orders in the first month averaged nearly double the retailer’s baseline order value. Additional enterprise launches have shown consistent growth in unique shoppers, total orders, and Sezzle-driven volume, reinforcing Sezzle’s ability to drive meaningful results at scale

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

As consumers tighten their budgets this holiday season, Sezzle provides a win-win: helping shoppers budget responsibly while giving retailers a competitive edge in reaching price-conscious customers.

For more information on Sezzle, visit www.sezzle.com.

About Sezzle Inc.

Sezzle is a forward-thinking fintech company committed to financially empowering the next generation. Through its purpose-driven payment platform, Sezzle enhances consumers' purchasing power by offering access to point-of-sale financing options and digital payment services—connecting millions of customers with its global network of merchants. Centered on transparency, inclusivity, and ease of use, Sezzle empowers consumers to manage spending responsibly, take charge of their finances, and achieve lasting financial independence.

For additional assets and news on Sezzle please visit https://my.sezzle.com/news/  

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Sezzle US Media Contact:

Erin Foran

Tel: (651) 403-2184

Email: erin.foran@sezzle.com

Erin Foran
Sezzle
6514032184
erin.foran@sezzle.com

FAQ

Which new merchants did Sezzle add to its network on Oct 7, 2025 for the holiday season (SEZL)?

Sezzle added Cato Fashions, SCHEELS, D&B Supply, Dermstore and expanded into digital content via Whop.

What early results did Sezzle report from the Cato Fashions launch (SEZL)?

Sezzle said Cato orders in the first month averaged nearly double the retailer’s baseline order value.

How might Sezzle’s new Whop partnership affect digital product purchases (SEZL)?

The Whop partnership lets users split payments for digital courses and communities, aiming to increase access and conversions at checkout.

How do macro trends cited on Oct 7, 2025 affect Sezzle’s holiday outlook (SEZL)?

PwC projects overall holiday spending down ~5% and Gen Z spending down ~23%, which could shift demand toward value-based payment options like BNPL.

Will Sezzle’s merchant additions likely impact holiday sales volume (SEZL)?

Sezzle reports early merchant pilots produced higher average order values and growth in orders, suggesting potential upside to holiday volume.

Where can investors find more information about Sezzle partnerships and platform features (SEZL)?

Investors can visit www.sezzle.com for details on merchant partnerships and product offerings.