littlesdcen Posted October 28, 2008 Posted October 28, 2008 Just talked with a person of intrest who commented this may be coming back. For the holidays. Isn't it a little late for this?
mtsuboy Posted October 28, 2008 Posted October 28, 2008 I don't see how this could be done honestly for this year. Some stores took out their layaway bins and other stores use the old layaway bins for overstock merchandise. If the economy stays the way it is into next year and sales suffer at Wal-Mart this Christmas, who knows about 2009? I have noticed more shoppers at a nearby K-Mart when I go in there. May be due to them having layaway. Who knows?
blakes_mommy Posted October 28, 2008 Posted October 28, 2008 Kmart ad on TV stated they were the only mass merchant that offered layaway. I can't see Walmart doing this again. Our layaway is now the site to store pickup, would be nice but I am not holding my breath!!
MeliesMom Posted October 28, 2008 Posted October 28, 2008 I saw on the news a story about layaway and I saw the commercial for kmart in the story. The story was about stores and layaway and I think something about stores bringing it back. I do not think they specifically mentioned walmart but that some stores are thinking of bringing it back and that kmart is the only store right now who does it. And my walmart also uses their layaway place as the site to store now. I think it is too late now because people usually start putting stuff on layaway before now and they have to get it paid by a certain date which I thought was like early december maybe. Wouldn't have much time to pay on it now.
arci122 Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 Walmart needs to do something to earn people's business back.
booga12345 Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 You got me excited :), but it doesn't appear to be true http://www.usnews.com/articles/business/your-money/2008/10/28/layaway-programs-come-back-into-style.html
boldbear Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 I work for walmart part time and there is no mention of restarting layaway. It was crazy, alot of orders were lost, and alot were not picked up, which means someone else could have bought that special toy no one could find. Organazation was also a problem, they should have limited how many layaways they took. The lines were so long all day on black friday with so many of us working the best we could. When we had to search for the layaways, the customers were so mad that they had to wait 15 minutes or longer, when they stood in lines to put the layaways on for over 1/2 hour or longer. We did the best we could, I also used the layaway, I miss it also, but I was glad when xmas was over, because layaway, customers would get upset with the associates if they could not find something. We are also human to. Go to KMart, they keep advertising it as a thorn in our backs, I hope they do well, and have the best customers in the world Just remember xmas Is about the birth of Jesus, and with a recession on the way, let us all just be nice, friendly and just take our time and be glad of what family members we are going to celebrate the holidays with.. Who knows where of when some of us will be next year. Just have gread holidays, and don't worry about layaway at Walmarts, just be happy for what we can find, and get out there on black Friday and have a great start to the holy and happy season.
Illinoismom Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 The biggest retailer, Wal-Mart, canceled its layaway program in 2006 and says it has no plans to revive it. Customers are also out of luck at JC Penney and Target. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Ashley Hardie says layaway programs are expensive and ultimately force stores to raise their prices. This is marlkey, Walmart made all kinds if money on Layaway, But noooo they had to puch their credit card on people and hurt the working class who used it for what it was intended
wnielsen1 Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 One thing and one thing only will determine if layaway ever comes back: Whether Walmart is more profitable with it or without it. Walmart is one of the largest companies in the world that has to answer to shareholders; they will have layaway ONLY IF it is more profitable to have it then to not have it. They wouldn't offer it just to be nice to the working class (although they may spin it that way), they would offer it because of $$$.
littlesdcen Posted October 29, 2008 Author Posted October 29, 2008 It was proposed as a way to boost the economy on BF. Lots of people used to get the BF deal and put it on layaway until they got there checks. In our store the layaway line was longer than the register lines.
hannahs_momma Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 The biggest retailer, Wal-Mart, canceled its layaway program in 2006 and says it has no plans to revive it. Customers are also out of luck at JC Penney and Target. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Ashley Hardie says layaway programs are expensive and ultimately force stores to raise their prices. This is marlkey, Walmart made all kinds if money on Layaway, But noooo they had to puch their credit card on people and hurt the working class who used it for what it was intendedI think its funny that they say they had to raise prices because of Layaway because after Layaway was shut down I did not see a very big lowering of prices from Money saved lol
ObiRich Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 Actually, Layaways probably are money pits for retailers. 1. It takes employees and space to run layaway. The small layaway fees don't even come close to covering the costs. 2. Layaways are cancelled. If this is done after a certain time, then the retailer loses...if it's after the appropriate season, then it's clearance time for the items, if they can even be moved at all. 3. From an accounting perspective, they can't actually book the sale and revenue until the layaway is paid in full and the item is picked up.
sjmmclark Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 Here in Canada, Walmart still does layaways. You have 30 days to pay in full and you have to but 15% down that day. If you don't pay it off in the 30 days the items get returned to the shelf and I think they keep the deposit.
amdskip Posted October 29, 2008 Posted October 29, 2008 I will call it that it will never happen. I know firsthand how much of a money pit layaway is. Now if walmart charged $5 a layaway then maybe they would break even. The amount of storage space in the back room and then the container rental along with employee wages just doesn't all add up.
crashcartjockey Posted October 31, 2008 Posted October 31, 2008 With the current economy and people having credit cards canceled, or their APR increased, layaway is a good thing. I wouldn't be too surprised to see Wal-Mart bringing it back in the coming months, in time for next holiday shopping season. They'll use it to pull those customers they lost to KMart back.
fuzzylogic Posted November 1, 2008 Posted November 1, 2008 (edited) They'll use it to pull those customers they lost to KMart back.WalMart lost customers to Kmart? Guess that's a national thing.... locally, you'd be lucky to see more than 20 or 30 cars parked in the Kmart parking lot at any given time. Guess how many of those are employees...? Anyway, yeah it'd be a total mess trying to re-introduce layaway, especially this close to Christmas. Here's an example. One big problem is that is all that space in the back room have been converted for other uses. At my store, our former layaway bins are full to the brim with toy department stock and Site2Store shipments. Moving things is an option, but horribly time consuming. (Where would you move that stuff to?) To complicated maters, my store is currently testing a system similar to the old layaway software, which is used to track where every box of overstock merchandise is located. It took over a month to train people how the system works and get all the bins audited. Edited November 1, 2008 by fuzzylogic
lilac100 Posted November 1, 2008 Posted November 1, 2008 I would love to have layaway back. It kills me knowing I need to spend hundreds at a time. If I could split it to two payments even it would be great.
guilliam Posted November 2, 2008 Posted November 2, 2008 I was at a Kmart yesterday (first time in a long time) and the line for layaway was looooong! I overheard one lady comment that it took her 45 minutes to put in a layaway. This Kmart is NEVER busy, not even on BF, like it was yesterday. It may just make them win the war against Walmart this Holiday season. I definetly think the no layaway policy is going to hurt Walmart this year with the bad economy. But I agree with others that I don't see them bringing it back this year.
littlezar Posted November 2, 2008 Posted November 2, 2008 My SIL is one of those people who is shopping Kmart this year because of layaway. She said she'd rather pay a little more for something and know she can get what she wants.
rjjan Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 Wal-mart will not bring it back because only 33% of people picked up layaways and took far too many expenses to get these little amount of sales!!!! ;)
frogz60 Posted November 3, 2008 Posted November 3, 2008 I loved layaway when my kids were younger and I didnt have much money! It was a lifesaver to me, I could find the perfect toy get it while they still had it and put it in layaway before they were all gone! Kids thought it was ok cause I gave it to the layaway lady to show to Santa what they wanted! Tricked em that way! I can understand the expenses of a layaway and the need for employees and they were always overworked and stressed out! And it did take a lot of storage room and PODs for storage for them. And took forever for them to sometimes find your Layaway when you were ready to get them out! Im sure it would help out in this years economy for some families this year tho!
Uberfemme Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 I was coming here to post the same thing. I heard from someone that they're considering doing seasonal layaways. With the economy being so bad, they're hoping this could up sales more. I don't know if they'll definitely do it, but it looks like they're at least thinking about it.
Scanner420 Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 My morning show was actually talking about this, this morning. LOL. They had people call debating the issue on both sides and then one of the guys on the show, went into a comedic rant about using lay-away for everything from food shopping to cars. Man- Yea! I'd like to get this Corvette! Dealer- How much do you want to put down! Man- I'll put $15.00 down and come back next week with another twenty towards it next week! (laughter) Man- The way I'm going! I'll be the proud owner when I retire!
Guest CS.Dean Posted November 4, 2008 Posted November 4, 2008 I know on TV here there are alot of ads running stressing that Kmart has layaway. Wal-Mart so shot themselves in the foot when they took out Layaway. Now with the economy so bad people will be using layaway more than ever. It shows how big of a money hungry monster Wal Mart has become. I believe that if Sam Walton was still alive it would not be this way.
coleman4905 Posted November 5, 2008 Posted November 5, 2008 i use ot use walmart layaway every year this year I had to use kmart which sucks becuase i cant find clothes my kids like there but i did find a few toys and some perfume sets etc...i am so mad that walmart doesnt have layways it was my one stop shop except for on BF i could go there get clothes, toys, games, stuff for family etc..a few nice size layaways bi weekly payments and i was good to go..
lookingfordeals3 Posted November 5, 2008 Posted November 5, 2008 We also loved Walmart's layaway. Dh gets a bonus check but it comes in about 2 weeks after BF so we would put all our BF deals on layaway and then get them out with his bonus. It was nice to be able to pick up everything we wanted in one stop and know we had the items the kiddos put on their wish lists. I sure wish they would bring it back, even if it's just for the holiday season.
lisajonathan00 Posted November 5, 2008 Posted November 5, 2008 I think I have to agree that yes it is hard to not have law-a-way at Wal-mart, but I still shop there and get a lot of my Christmas things there. As another person stated this is Jesus' birthday not a day to think of just presents. I love shopping on BF for things for all reason's. If I don't have the money to pay for it that day than I don't do my shopping. I make sure I have the money up front and don't miss BF for nothing. So therefore I take a debit card so I don't have cash on me and have the money to pay for it than. Yes there is times I would like to have lay-a-way since my 3 year old has found all his toys so far and kinda sucks that it is here and he finds it, but I will learn as the years go by to hide things better.
Princessarky Posted November 18, 2008 Posted November 18, 2008 I spoke with one of the managers at my local walmart this weekend. She told me she even contacted the CEO of walmart to express her interest in getting layaways back. She was then contacted not by the CEO but his assistant who told her to either A) push the credit card or If they don't get it tell them to get a gift card and put X amount on it each week
BrotherFlounder Posted November 18, 2008 Posted November 18, 2008 I spoke with one of the managers at my local walmart this weekend. She told me she even contacted the CEO of walmart to express her interest in getting layaways back. She was then contacted not by the CEO but his assistant who told her to either A) push the credit card or If they don't get it tell them to get a gift card and put X amount on it each weekWal-Mart still doesn't get this whole "credit" crisis, huh? Well, maybe the Kmart/Sears layaway will be wildly successful and show up Mall-Mart this year.
Recommended Posts