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With Afterpay, premium Christmas brand Balsam Hill made shopping more accessible, and in return saw faster growth, higher conversions and new customers.

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Balsam Hill is synonymous with Christmas magic. Known for its ultra-realistic trees and festive décor, the brand helps customers create lasting holiday memories.But the company also knows the festive season isn’t just about celebrating; it also comes with added expenses. That’s why Balsam Hill partnered with Afterpay, giving customers the flexibility to spread costs in installments.What began as a way to ease holiday budgets has since become a powerful driver of customer acquisition.“We’ve seen meaningful growth in terms of both revenue and orders,” says Jennifer Howard of Balsam Hill, which saw $1 million in sales with Afterpay within the first five weeks of the partnership, during the crucial festive period. “Balsam sees Afterpay as more than a payment method. It’s a way to broaden our reach, deepen engagement and help new customers bring home joy during the holiday season.”

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<h2>A tradition reimagined</h2>Today, Balsam Hill trees stand in millions of homes worldwide. But the brand began nearly 20 years ago when founder Mac Harman spotted a gap in the market for artificial Christmas trees designed to&nbsp;look like trees found in nature, but without the challenges that come with a cut tree.&nbsp;Balsam Hill went on to pioneer True Needle technology to create highly realistic, artificial trees. Today, the brand’s collections – spanning trees, wreaths, garlands and other festive décor products – are sold across the U.S., Canada, Australia, U.K. and Europe.“Balsam Hill is about creating joy,” says Howard. “Christmas trees are quite often at the center of family photographs – so it should be as beautiful as you want it to be.”

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“Christmas trees are quite often at the center of family photographs – so it should be as beautiful as you want it to be.”

<h2>Spreading joy, spreading payments&nbsp;</h2>When Balsam Hill first launched with Afterpay, the primary goal was clear: make the&nbsp;brand’s premium products more accessible.“We are the premium artificial Christmas tree brand in the category,” says Howard of Balsam Hill trees, which start at $499 and retail for up to $9,299 for its tallest trees.&nbsp;Offering Afterpay allows customers to choose flexible payment solutions that match their purchase size – from splitting payments into four installments to extending them over several months. This flexibility is particularly valuable for premium purchases at Balsam Hill.

During the holiday season, when household budgets are stretched, these payment options become even more crucial. A striking 52 per cent of Balsam’s Hill’s Afterpay sales come through the Pay Monthly option, and these customers make larger purchases – spending 156 per cent more on average compared to Afterpay’s Pay-in-4 transactions1.This festive season, a quarter of shoppers will spend $1000 or more, up from 18 per cent in 20242, making flexible payment solutions increasingly important for high-ticket seasonal purchases.“A lot of our customers shop during the Christmas-time period, when there are a lot of expenses. Afterpay lets them figure out how they want to achieve their look, their goal, their family ambience, but be able to space out their payments in a way that fits their budget."

That accessibility fuels business results. “We have seen tremendous growth year over year in conversion, as well as a reduction in cart and checkout abandonment in the US. We absolutely think Afterpay had a large part in that.”

"We have seen tremendous growth year over year in conversion, as well as a reduction in cart and checkout abandonment."

<h2>Seamless experience, smarter payments</h2>Exceptional customer service is core to Balsam Hill’s brand. From premium products to thoughtful post-purchase experience, every detail is designed to feel special. “The entire Balsam Hill experience is what really sets us apart.”Afterpay enhances that promise. A recent survey found that convenience (65%), reliability (59%) and better budget management (39%) were the top reasons for paying with Afterpay3.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Our customers value quality and ease, and Afterpay offers another layer of flexibility,” says Howard. With demand for pay-later options only accelerating, she adds, offering them has become even more important.

<h2>Growth at speed</h2>For Balsam Hill, the benefits went beyond customer satisfaction. Adding Afterpay alongside another Buy Now, Pay Later service, quickly translated to growth.&nbsp;“In year one, we brought in new customers and were able to expand our brand. Our numbers show we grew the pay-later business, and drove incremental revenue.”

<h2>Expanding into new markets</h2>Afterpay has also helped Balsam Hill expand into new markets and reach new customers, including Australia.Balsam Hill worked closely with Afterpay’s local team to craft a strategy to grow the Australian customer base. “I said, ‘I want to grow customers in Australia’. That was the number one goal. And so the Afterpay team sat down with us and helped strategize on what we could do to grow that market.”Together, Balsam Hill and Afterpay refined the brand’s search strategy, to capture customers looking for Christmas décor, and promoted Afterpay on its site. It paid off.&nbsp;Today, more than one in 10 Australian sales is made using Afterpay – and of those the vast majority (85%) are new customers to Balsam Hill.“There’s no doubt about it. The penetration of Afterpay sales in Australia was exactly what we were looking for.”

"The penetration of Afterpay sales in Australia was exactly what we were looking for.”

<h2>Reaching new audiences</h2>Alongside elevating the customer experience and expanding its global footprint, Balsam Hill set out to connect with a new generation of shoppers.&nbsp;“Globally, our mission is to spread joy. A lot of people celebrate Christmas. A lot of people celebrate holidays. We want to be part of those celebrations - and that means opening the door to a wider audience. “With more than 70 percent of Afterpay customers falling into the Gen Z or Millennial4 brackets, the partnership with Afterpay offered Balsam Hill a natural way to reach a younger audience.&nbsp;

<h2>A true growth partnership</h2>From the beginning, Afterpay was “unbelievably responsive” and the initial integration was “straightforward from a tech standpoint.”But the partnership went beyond responsiveness, says Howard.“Balsam looks for long-term partners that have a similar DNA and culture to our business. We want to work with businesses that offer candor, transparency, strategic partnership and care about our business – and that’s what Afterpay has delivered.“Afterpay has always supported our business goals to make it the best partnership possible.”

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1 Afterpay internal data; 2&nbsp;<a href="https://cash.app/press/afterpay-holiday-report-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Holiday Insights Unwrapped, 2025;</a> 3&nbsp;<a href="https://cash.app/press/afterpay-holiday-report-2025" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Holiday Insights Unwrapped, 2025</a>; 4 Source Afterpay, Internal Customer Demographics as of Q1 2025; Behaviors metrics U.S. averages from full year 2024

All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only.

With Afterpay, premium Christmas brand Balsam Hill made shopping more accessible, and in return saw faster growth, higher conversions and new customers.

See how Balsam Hill uses Afterpay to boost seasonal sales, attract new customers and convert high-intent holiday shoppers with flexible payments.

How Balsam Hill Drives Seasonal Sales Growth With Afterpay

How Afterpay delivers seasonal magic, year-round growth for Balsam Hill

How Afterpay delivers seasonal magic, year-round growth for Balsam HillⓇ

Shopper sentiment, spending plans, and strategies to help you win the seasonWhile shoppers are heading into this coming holiday more financially stressed, they’re approaching it strategically by using flexible payments, shopping earlier, and seeking discounts. Our latest report unpacks how they’re adapting, and where your business can capture the opportunity.

<h3>Key holiday highlights </h3>Financial stress is up, but the holidays remain a priority38% of consumers feel more financially stressed than last year. 35% are specifically anxious about holiday costs. Still, 25% of shoppers plan to spend $1,000 or more this season, up from 18% in 2024.

Early planners and deal-driven buyers will both be active2 in 5 shoppers are starting early in September and October while 34% will hold off until November for deals.

Mobile-first shopping is accelerating Apps are the top online channel (61% vs 60% last year), followed by store websites (51% vs 69%) and e-commerce platforms (46%). Retailers expanding their digital footprint are prioritizing marketplaces (69%), social platforms (67%), and their own websites (63%).

Self-care is surging 71% of shoppers plan to buy self-care gifts, from beauty and wellness to hobbies and home comforts. Nearly half (46%) say they’re more likely to do so than last year

BNPL drives choice and conversion Nearly half (44%) of financially stressed shoppers will consider BNPL this season. 21% say they’re more likely to shop with a retailer who offers it, and 20% are more likely to complete a purchase when it’s available].

<h2>What this means for your business</h2>Holiday shoppers aren’t pulling back. They’re shopping smarter. They’re comparing value, planning earlier, and making room for purchases that deliver both joy and practicality.

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<h2>Get your free holiday insights report</h2>The Holiday Insights Unwrapped Report dives deep into shopper sentiment, spending patterns, and category shifts. It’s packed with data and insights to help you understand how shoppers are approaching the season and where your business can capture the opportunity.

<h2>Put insights into action</h2>We’ve created ready-to-use Holiday Marketing Assets to help you turn shopper intent into sales. Adding Afterpay messaging across your channels gives customers more reasons to shop with you. Whether they’re planning a big trip or finding gifts that make the season memorable, Afterpay helps them shop with confidence while managing their budgets responsibly.

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All references to any registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Afterpay does not endorse or recommend any one particular supplier and the information provided is for educational purposes only. Morning Consult’s Afterpay Global Holiday Shopping Survey (July 2025) was conducted between July 17th - 25th, 2025 among n2,200 Adults aged 18-65 and n264 Retail BDMs in the U.S. All interviews were conducted online. The margin of error was +/- 2% for Adults, +/- 6% for Retail BDMs, and varied among subgroups. All subgroups highlighted in reporting have a base N size of 100 or more unless otherwise stated.

Explore 2025 US holiday retail trends with key insights to boost sales, attract shoppers & maximize success this festive season.

Explore 2025 holiday retail trends with key insights to boost sales, attract shoppers & maximize success this festive season.