Wal-Mart Stores to Cease Layaway Service

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will end layaway service this year due to falling demand and rising costs, scrapping a tradition started when Sam Walton founded the chain in 1962 catering to cash-strapped rural shoppers ...

[Kansas]

The propaganda from the government tells it's citizens America is the richest country in the world, so how could anyone be "cash-strapped"?

[Kaye]

I think that this will be a disaster removing the lay a way dept. so many people depend on it to be able to have a decent Christmas for their families. At what other time of the year besides back to school can the average family afford such large purchases for so many people with out using lay a way? It is also not fair to force them to use and in house credit card that will charge you after time and drive more Americans further into debt. That is wrong.
I think that you should up grade the lay a way system to where if they (the customer) don't come back and collect what they (the customer) put on lay a way then they loose their money and Wal-mart gets to put it back on the shelf to sell again too.
So then both ways the lay a way system wins and if the customer comes back they still get their items. Or you could just keep the lay a way open from say August until 2 weeks before Christmas and it would cut down on all the wimsy shopping. I know that it would for me, or even just having it for items over a certain price say for items over 100.00 or Jewelry. That is my opinion, and that is the only way that I use lay a way, not just going through the store and on a whim, "oh what a cute outfit" and use layaway to death and when you get home realize that you don't really want it or can't afford it anyway. That is what is clogging up the layaway system at Wal-mart, it is the whim shoppers, the ones that can't say no to something cute or a fad thing that stores are so famous for stocking the shelves with to make money. Needless items that no one really uses and regrets buying. Anyway, you asked for my comments and here they are. I am a frequent shopper at Wally world, I even bank at the instore bank I am so loyal. I just think that trashing the whole layaway department is a big mistake.
Kaye L. Mesquite, Tx

[Skittles]

I think its a discrace why end something that probaly helps alot of people especially around Christmas, some people like myself cant just go out and buy, buy, buy we depend on that layaway policy, who cares what Target has going on, they need to focus on Wal Mart, its not fair, I know my grandparents and parents depend on it cause they are on fixed incomes, EVERYBODY IS NOT RICH, Wal Mart is making a huge mistake and they will see how their sales will begin to decline, I guess everyone will be a K Mart, so compare them sales next year and see what they are. I heard a rumor but I was like this cant be true, but I guess I was wrong.I just think its a mistake!!!

[Laura]

I think Walmart is trying to give more to the people then just low prices and cheap items. They want better quality items. It just may take alittle change to get there. Then when its all said and done everyone will be happy. But now we all just complain about change.

[Candy]

Why would you quit layaway.It does help the lower class of people.What about them?Do you not want to target them also?I'm upset that there will be no more layaways.I quess there is always K-Mart or Target

[Pam]

I usually do two layaways a year, Back to School and Christmas.

I owe Walmart no loyalties... I shop there out of convenience. K-mart, here I come!

[Cyndi]

I was floored when I first heard about the ceasing of the layaway program. We may make $30-35,ooo but we still have to purchase items on layaway. Our household expenses don't leave a lot of room for large purchases at one time so the layaway is the best option. Single parent homes with low incomes will also suffer. This is all about the money. Greed is taking over and the everyday working stiff is getting the crappy end of the stick once again. Big business and profit margins are ruining this country.

[Kansas]

Live like your poor and you will survive very nicely. Buy a trailer house or double-wide, drive a common car that parts are cheap and easy to get, don't pay for kids college, limit dining out to lunch buffets, never buy anything trendy, buy old technology it's cheap and refined to perfection, don't be afraid to admit America is becoming weaker.

[Tina]

I feel the say way as other shoppers. Being a single parent, having layaways helped me in getting my child prepared for school and also assisted with Christmas for the family. I hate to see this end. This helped me to save and stick to my budget. I wonder how people will purchase those $400-$1,000 TVs now that you have on the shelves, Wal-Mart. Looks like you might be seeing them for a long time. Texas

[Cindee]

I agree that this is a mistake I use layaway at school time and Christmas also. The really bad thing here in San Antonio we don't even have K-Mart to go to. I think that is very sad for Walmart to do this to people who have been customers for years.

[Kansas]

Wal-Mart is trying to move upscale and away from the welfare and living below the poverty line shoppers. Their trying to be more like Target and less like Dollar General. See it cost the store money to keep something on layaway for shoppers who don't have money to begin with. Honey, have you tried finding it at the junk stores or at a garage sale? Now you know why the other women got themselves a husband BEFOR they got themselves a baby. Ain't you got no man to buy you things?

[layaway]

i work for wal-mart,and i to will have no choice but to go somewhere else when it come to buying christmas and birthday presents.My 10% discount wont even help me if i cant put high merchidise in layaway.I have been employed with wal-mart for 4 years,and i have always shopped their and I have been a loyal associate and customer.With me working for Wal-mart,I have seen alot of big changes go on,some for good and some for bad,and this is proberly the worst thing to happen ever.
I honnestly think it will really hurt
wal-mart,especially when The day after Thanksgiving sale comes,The layaway was the buziest place on that day.Well i guess they will have to find out themself,and like I said I work for Wal-mart and starting next year i wont even be able to shop there for christmas.It is pretty bad when associates cant even shop there.

[layaway]

I know that nobody is happy with Wal-mart lossing Layaway,so I am telling all of You to please call
1-800-walmart and complain if they get enough calls they may bring it back,we just have to keep praing that we get it back.

[Jessica SanAntonio TX]

So many of Walmart's customers rely on the lay away program for Christmas..I am one of them.. I think that if it comes down to cost you should at least put a walmart in every section of the city with layaway. North east south west. At least one at let us who dont make billions of dollars a year give our families decent christmases.

[Hateful]

layaway wrote:

I know that nobody is happy with Wal-mart lossing Layaway,so I am telling all of You to please call
1-800-walmart and complain if they get enough calls they may bring it back,we just have to keep praing that we get it back.

Calling wal-mart want hurt but it want do any good,They have made up their mind on trying to bring in more of the higher income shoppers.The layaway program make us look cheap,that a quote from a manager.

[James Beaulieu]

I do not like that the layawy is being taken away from Wal-mart. K-mart is the only one left with a layaway dept and I do not like kmart at all. I loved walmart's layawy plan. They will lose a lot of business because no most will be unable to afford the items now. Christmas will be ruined for most people, including my family. Bradlees, when they were around stopped their layaways but brought it back 1 - 2 years later because of a loss of business. This will happen to Walmart, as well.

[ksp]

I to believe that Wal-mart will will bring layaway back. I think I get the idea of why their doing this. They are probably thinking they will right up there with Target and Kohls as far as the "kind"of people that shop at those stores. I got news for them I know plenty of middle class and higher who like the layaway plan ,especially at Christmas. I worked at Target and one of the things the personnel manager stressed as to why they don"t have a layaway is because they don"t want the "kind " of customers like Wal-mart has. Needless to say I did not work there for long. Very seldom can I shop at any store but Wal-mart because of the layaway. I really don't care for Kmart, but I have no other choice since they will be the only store with a layaway department. Why does Wal-mart always bite the hands that feed them?

[aLifeUncommon]

Kansas wrote:

Wal-Mart is trying to move upscale and away from the welfare and living below the poverty line shoppers. Their trying to be more like Target and less like Dollar General. See it cost the store money to keep something on layaway for shoppers who don't have money to begin with. Honey, have you tried finding it at the junk stores or at a garage sale? Now you know why the other women got themselves a husband BEFOR they got themselves a baby. Ain't you got no man to buy you things?

You're a flaming idiot. Where do you come off "assuming' about folks you don't even know? Aren't you the jerk going around telling folks to live like they're poor? Isn't the removal of a lay away program contradictory to what your statements on 4 other blogs? Get a life.

[the realist]

Nothing to lay away in future, is that coming?

[Someone in USA]

Kansas wrote:

Wal-Mart is trying to move upscale and away from the welfare and living below the poverty line shoppers. Their trying to be more like Target and less like Dollar General.

Actually, Wal-Mart thinks it can have it both ways. It does not wish to alienate its low-income shoppers, but it also wants to capture market share from its competitors.

As far as layaway is concerned, if sales drop off because of it, then it will be back. My post in the other layaway thread provides more insight into why Wal-Mart is closing it, but, in short, it is costly to operate.

http://someoneinusa.blogspot.com/