The problem Sezzle set out to solve
Most people do not get to pay on their own terms. Traditional credit is rigid, not everyone wants it or qualifies for it, and a single way to pay rarely fits every purchase or every budget. Sezzle was built for the shoppers that system leaves out: a way to split purchases, stay in control of cash flow, and pay over time without the traps of conventional credit.
While Sezzle maintained this commitment at partnered checkouts, the greater challenge was in extending that same flexibility to a shopper’s entire spending footprint. Sezzle addressed this with the Sezzle Card, an in-app Visa card that empowers shoppers to apply their preferred payment experience to routine, daily purchases at any merchant that accepts Visa.
But the value of this card for a shopper depends entirely on its accessibility and ease of use at the moment of purchase. A new card living in an app does nothing for the Amazon order, the Walmart cart, or the Uber ride that already has a different card saved on file. The Sezzle Card’s success depended on actual adoption in real-world spending; it needed to be the primary card shoppers used naturally.
Why this is hard
Getting a flexible payment option into a shopper’s hands is one thing. Getting it into their everyday checkout is another. The default path asks the shopper to do the work: open each merchant app, find the payment settings, copy a card number across, and repeat it everywhere they shop. As a result, the payment flexibility Sezzle offers remains trapped behind these manual hurdles, causing the card to sit idle while shoppers default to the existing, less flexible payment methods already stored at the checkout.
“CardSwitcher helped us close the gap between offering the Sezzle Card and making it useful in everyday spending. By removing the friction of updating payment methods across merchants, Knot made it easier for shoppers to use flexible payments wherever they already shop.”
How Sezzle closed the gap with Knot
Sezzle integrated Knot’s CardSwitcher to remove the setup friction entirely. Inside the Sezzle app, a shopper picks a merchant where they want to use the Sezzle Card, logs into that merchant, and Knot sets the Sezzle Card as the default payment method there. From then on, every purchase runs on the Sezzle Card automatically. And because Knot detects where a shopper already keeps accounts, Sezzle can point users straight to the merchants that matter to them.
Switching the card on file, inside the Sezzle app
Delivered to shoppers in two weeks
What stands out about the build is how quickly Sezzle got this in front of users. It only took Sezzle two weeks of development to start running real card switches in production. The team then ran end-to-end tests and began a phased public rollout.
A single React Native integration covered both iOS and Android, so the work stayed small and Sezzle’s engineers stayed focused on the product. Speed was critical because it dictated how quickly Sezzle could fulfill its core mission: bringing flexible payment options into every facet of its shoppers’ daily lives.
What it means for shoppers
Flexibility they can actually use. Setting the Sezzle Card as the way they pay at the places they already shop takes a few taps, not an afternoon of copying card numbers between apps. The pay-your-way option Sezzle built is there when they want it, on the everyday purchases where it helps most. Shoppers are averaging about 2.8 switches each, setting the card across several of the merchants they use most.
What it means for Sezzle
The Sezzle Card goes from being a “sometimes” choice to the go-to for daily spending. In the 30 days after a switch, per-user spend rose 2.6x at Walmart and 3.2x at Amazon against matched shoppers who did not switch. By becoming a natural part of a shopper’s routine, Sezzle stays top-of-mind, providing more value to users while keeping them engaged with the platform every single day.
“CardSwitcher gives us a foundation for a more connected financial experience—one that can help shoppers manage subscriptions, receive more personalized communications, and get more value from the Sezzle app over time.”
Where it is headed
Making the Sezzle Card usable everywhere is just the start. The same connection that puts the card to work across a shopper’s merchants opens the door to a richer financial experience inside the Sezzle app: surfacing and managing subscriptions, delivering more personalized communications, and providing enriched transaction data. Each new development extends the same idea Sezzle started with: giving shoppers more control over how they pay and manage their financial lives.
About Sezzle
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 more information, visit sezzle.com.
About Knot
Knot is the leading merchant connectivity platform, simplifying how consumers, merchants, and financial institutions interact. CardSwitcher is the foundation of Knot’s product suite, letting users update and manage card-on-file payments across hundreds of merchants. Building on the same connectivity infrastructure, TransactionLink delivers SKU-level transaction data, and SubManager gives users a single place to view and manage their subscriptions. By removing friction at every step, Knot helps financial institutions grow engagement, loyalty, and spend. Visit knotapi.com to learn more.
