Issuers hold the advantage of existing credit lines and post-purchase flexibility compared to fintechs, but only for existing credit cardholders, per JD Power.

Sezzle partnered with David’s Bridal, per a press release. Shoppers will be able to select Sezzle’s buy now, pay later (BNPL) financing at checkout in-store, with ecommerce solutions rolling out in the following weeks. Strategic partnerships will be critical to helping an underdog BNPL competitor capture volume. While BNPL firms are embracing partnerships with mobile wallets and POS providers to fast-track their acceptance networks, striking individual partnerships in largely untapped industries like wedding wear can be critical to gaining market share—especially while the biggest players compete in more concentrated industries like travel.

PayPal will make its Pay Monthly installment loans available in-store in the US ahead of the holiday season. For competing BNPL providers, PayPal’s rewards structure now far outstrips what most of them offer. Competitors should consider more strategic partnerships with desirable Gen Z and millennial brands to strike directly at the root of where young consumers are shopping, and cut deals with those merchants for more favorable cash back rewards.