Dive Brief:
- Stitch Fix is integrating Affirm’s buy now, pay later services as a payment option, according to a press release.
- At checkout, Stitch Fix shoppers choosing Affirm will go through a real-time eligibility check. If approved, customers can split their purchase cost across monthly payments without late fees, Affirm said.
- The service is available on Stitch Fix’s website and mobile app, per the Feb. 27 press release. Stitch Fix also offers BNPL services from Klarna and Afterpay, according to its website.
Dive Insight:
The Affirm integration follows the San Francisco-based company’s efforts to add new features and bolster its business, which offers online personal stylists and recommendation software to help people select fashion apparel.
“Stitch Fix’s personal styling service has long been known for helping its clients discover the styles they love, and we’re excited to work with Stitch Fix to offer those clients more flexibility and control over how they pay for their purchases,” Pat Suh, Affirm’s senior vice president of revenue, said in a statement.
In addition to adding a new payment option for customers, Stitch Fix has been highlighting its stylist talent. Last year, the company began testing stylist profiles with information about their interests, work portfolios and expertise. Then it introduced the feature incrementally with more details about their stylists, such as fun facts, client testimonials and specialties.
As the company introduces new payment and stylist features for customers, it has been orchestrating a turnaround. In September, Stitch Fix CEO Matt Baer said the company will begin growing again by the end of fiscal year 2026. Over the past few years the company has laid off some of its employees, closed its U.K. business and shuttered some distribution centers.
Stitch Fix isn’t the only retailer offering more BNPL options. Consumers spent $16.6 billion online using buy now, pay later services over the holiday season, a 14% jump from last year and an all-time high, per Adobe Analytics. BNPL purchases on Cyber Monday last year spiked 42.5% over 2023 to $940 million, marking the biggest day on record for BNPL purchases.
Hotels.com and Discount Tire also added the Affirm option last year. Meanwhile, Staples and Rite Aid added Klarna’s BNPL offering.
