New Ace Partnership with Affirm Brings Buy Now, Pay Later to Stores

Ace Hardware is rolling out a new payment option designed to make home improvement purchases more accessible. In a partnership announced October 1, 2025, Ace will begin offering Affirm’s buy now, pay later solution in participating in-store locations.

Under the program, customers making purchases of $50 or more can scan a QR code at checkout to undergo a quick eligibility check. If approved, they’ll be presented with transparent payment terms that include no late fees or hidden charges.

Andy Enright, senior vice president of retail strategy and operations at Ace, framed the move as a natural extension of the company’s “Helpful” brand promise. He said the partnership with Affirm gives customers more flexibility to take on the projects that matter to them, whether it’s refreshing a room, enhancing the backyard or tackling a to-do list.

From Affirm’s side, Pat Suh, senior vice president of revenue, emphasized that home improvement is a category where flexible checkout options can matter more than ever. By underwriting each transaction in real time and avoiding hidden fees, Affirm aims to make the payment experience more predictable and customer friendly.

This partnership signals a shift in how Ace is supporting its independent retailers in a changing retail environment. While Ace has long leaned into community, advice, and product support across its more than 5,200 independently owned and operated stores, adding a modern payments tool gives its retailers a new lever to compete.

For Ace store owners, this could help close more sales on bigger ticket items such as outdoor power equipment, smart home products or larger renovation supplies, especially for customers who might otherwise hesitate at a higher up-front cost.

As the feature rolls out in select stores, the key will be execution: educating associates, optimizing checkout flow, and measuring how buy now, pay later impacts average ticket size, cart abandonment and repeat business.