Sezzle Launches BNPL Partnership With Vallarta Supermarkets

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) platform Sezzle launched a partnership with California’s Vallarta Supermarkets.

“Sezzle’s evolution into the grocery sector meets the increasing demand from shoppers to use BNPL for everyday essentials,” the company said in a news release Monday (June 3).

The release points to a 2024 survey by PYMNTS Intelligence showing that — despite concerns that using credit for groceries may indicate financial strain — a third of U.S. consumers used a traditional credit card for their last grocery purchase, a figure that has held steady since 2021.

“The use of credit isn’t new to the grocery industry; Sezzle’s payment platform simply presents a modern adaptation of credit in the evolving landscape of consumer finance,” the release said.

Pay later methods are not only a popular way to shop but are increasingly becoming a method for consumers to manage spending, with about 60% of consumers saying these plans help them facilitate better budgeting.

Meanwhile, additional PYMNTS Intelligence research showed that 35% of merchants offer BNPL online during checkout, while just about half of that share do so during checkout in the physical store.

At the same time, consumers are twice as likely to be informed of BNPL options before checkout online as they are to be told via signage in brick-and-mortar stores.

Many consumers want in-store BNPL options, with a separate PYMNTS Intelligence study showing that about 33% of consumers expressed their desire for BNPL to be more widely available in brick-and-mortar businesses.

Technology providers are looking to meet this demand. For example, Celerant Technology announced in May it now enables the users of its eCommerce platform to offer their customers BNPL options when checking out in-store as well as online, having implemented new integration functionalities with Sezzle to permit these options at stores’ point of sale.

“In recognizing the challenging financial landscape retailers face, Celerant understands the necessity of seamless shopping experiences and encouraging purchases, both online or in-store,” Celerant President and CEO Ian Goldman said at the time. “Our retailers can now offer the same seamless payment experience to customers whether they shop online or visit brick-and-mortar stores.”

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