???Should Walmart bring back layaway???

**MRAHoffman** · 11-13-2008, 09:09 AM

I saw this poll and decided to post it here. Please respond to it.

http://couponing.about.com/b/2008/11/04/walmart.htm

**tbs727** · 11-13-2008, 10:35 AM

I think it would be to their benefit to bring it back in this economy.

**Grayce** · 11-13-2008, 10:43 AM

Some other stores are bringing it back so they may need to so they can compete. I don't use layaway at all but Walmart said it was costly to run, if they had to put prices up to make up for the cost of layaway then I wouldn't be for it.

**Lady_V** · 11-13-2008, 11:08 AM

When our local Kmart stopped doing layaway... I said "There are other Kmarts around"... when they all stopped doing it as well... "There's always WalMart".

When WalMart stopped doing layaway and tried to push credit cards to the lower income bracket (who, btw, aren't the only group that uses layaway) I said "This is going to bite them in the a**".

Some people -do- use layaway because they can't afford to pay for the item all at once... but then there are people who say "Don't buy if you can't pay".

What if what you needed was on sale? You still need it. You still have to wait for it, but you got it for a lower price than if you had to 'save to buy'.

What if, like me, used it to hide Yule gifts from peeking eyes? When DD was younger (she's 8... teeter on the Santa line) I would gladly pay $5 for them to babysit DD's gifts rather than watching her fill-up with tears because she stumbled upon Santa's workshop.

Now that the economy is 'not so good', people don't want to rack up credit card debit... even the word 'credit card' turns their blood to ice and they run away screaming.

The people WalMart once tried to target are the very people who are either too scared or financially unable to qualify for their credit cards. They can't pay 'all at once'... so, they don't buy at all.

The people who used it for the holidays have either switched stores, or had to get seek out nooks and cranies in their home... and they no longer pay 'babysitting fees'. $5 doesn't seem like a lot... but when there are 100,000 (example) holiday law-awayers... it does seem a bigger number to lose every year.

**LynnLC** · 11-13-2008, 11:09 AM

My WM has always had layaway.

**Greebo** · 11-13-2008, 11:10 AM

Done right, Layaway should make Wal*Mart, K-Mart, etc. money. With computers, administration of the program should be relatively inexpensive, and the layaway money can be stored in an interest bearing account, making money for the store while they hold it.

**Jayne** · 11-13-2008, 11:16 AM

I would use layaway if they had it..Actually in any store not just walmart

**monkeywrangler71** · 11-13-2008, 11:18 AM

Walmart is very good at reading trends, if layaway will increase profits - and even more importantly, market share - they will do it.

**Michelle68** · 11-13-2008, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by LynnLC

My WM has always had layaway.

Unfortunately, IIRC, Walmart did way with layaway a couple of years ago or so.

**Nana2two** · 11-13-2008, 12:18 PM

They don't have iy here any more. People were putting stuuf on layway and just forgetting about it.

**outnumbered** · 11-13-2008, 12:49 PM

I would think it would be in their best interest to re-instate it, even if they ONLY open it for the Holiday Season. It IS hard for the average person to make ends meet AND buy for the holidays.
We do not plan on buying our sons a lot, but they will get a few things, and the option of layaway is both cost effective for us AND it would give us a place to hide the stash aways from inquisitive 3 year old and 15 month old eyes.

**hmcart** · 11-13-2008, 01:08 PM

I dont think any of our stores have it here. It created huge lines and lots of choas when they did. I guess I could see where some would benefit from it though.

**Nishu** · 11-13-2008, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by hmcart

I dont think any of our stores have it here. It created huge lines and lots of choas when they did. I guess I could see where some would benefit from it though.

Yeah that. Our walmart had lines that wrapped all the way around the store days before Christmas, and once you pay so much into it you really have no choice but to stick it out and wait. Plus there's the little bit about stocking, storing, organizing and then pulling the orders again.

**DJ1972** · 11-13-2008, 01:35 PM

Isn't that Kmart's new ad? The only store that has lay a way. I never used lay a way but my mom did every year. It worked well for her.

**Nana2two** · 11-13-2008, 01:55 PM

I remember growing up and we did most of the shopping for school clothes at kmart and had them on layway and took them out a week before school.This was back in the late 70's and 80's.