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NO MORE LAY AWAY!


kndy

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For those that didn't know, Wal-Mart will stop accepting layaway items on November 19th with a pickup deadline of mid-December.

 

For those who disliked the early morning people putting those action figures at layaway before you had a chance to get your hands on them and buy them can finally feel relieved.

 

Especially since the new upcoming video game consoles are coming out very soon and on launch such as the XBOX 360, you waited in line to get your hands on one...with money in hand, just to find out that several people waited in line in front of you, just put them on layaway.

 

Now granted, not everyone can afford to buy all the things they want immediately but curious....

 

Are you happy that Wal-Mart is eliminating layaway or are you ticked off by that?

 

I would assume those who buy Marvel Legends and Star Wars who tend to have the money and ready for purchasing are relieved because that cuts competition for the figures by a bit. Maybe/Maybe not. Chime in.

 

kndy

 

p.s. the subhead...meant just Wal-Mart (not Target)

 

==================

OK, I'll chime in.

 

I think layaway helps a lot of people. Especially as they prepare for the Christmas holidays. As with this thread here, you can see many people upset about it: http://www.topix.net/forum/business/T0JIPKEUME5APL97S

 

But in terms of toys and action figures, I feel that it does suck that layaway is being eliminated from Wal-Mart because in this time and age, with everything from gas and just overall consumption is just up and things are expensive, layaway did help many people.

 

Although, if on the video game console front and since I buy on opening day. I won't miss people waiting in line and putting the console on layaway after waiting in line for hours to find out that you can't get one.

 

But other than that...elimination of lawaway is a bit unfair for people who depend on it. And in this day and age, with the holiday season coming up, it's unfortunate that Wal-Mart couldn't wait until after the holiday season but it's all about business and making money.

 

kndy

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I think lay-away should not be closed down for items over a certain dollar amount. Say $75 or $100. If I want a television set that's $250 I'd like to be able to put it on lay-a-way and work towards the sale price. But for smaller items, like action figures, then it can be abused by people who simply don't have the cash for the new item but want to get it out of the hands of other buyers who have cash-in-hand. It's like everything else - find the middle-ground! Don't just get rid of lay-away, but set it to a dollar amount that makes sense for the average working joe!

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I agree that layaway is a nice service to provide for high price items, but that it gets abused for stuff like action figures. I know there are a few people here who use it, but I think most of the ML that ends up on layaway is put there by scalpers or skeezy Hotwheels guys. Probably a lot of times because they haven't done their research and need to go see if the secondary market prices are worth the purchase, e-bay fees, and shipping supplies.

 

I think overall this move will be good for collectors, not so good for the people it was originally intended to help.

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I am very happy layaway is gone!!! Now we won't have scalpers in my area who put stuff on layaway, list it on ebay, If it sells they pick it up, If it doesn't sell they return it to stock. It screws up Walmart's inventory and messes things up for the rest of us when old figures are dumped back on the pegs that no one wants so forget about getting a new case anytime soon!

 

Besides, what is so hard about saving up in your bank account or "piggy bank"? Most items that are expensive tend to stick around for quite a while and if they don't it is because something newer and better comes out anyways. So why worry about having it on layaway now?

 

I say yay Walmart! Laywaway SUCKS!

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I have to say nay. Back when I was growing up my mom was a single mother with four kids working three jobs (one full-time, two part-time) to put food on the table. But she still wanted us to have stuff for christmas so yes she would use layaway to help for things that she knew we wanted but couldn't get at that time.

 

People seem to forget the fact that there are people in the world besides toy collectors and idiots who want X-Box 360s. This kind of thing especially for people who have limited funds and mouths to feed is the difference between toys for Christmas and nothing for Christmas.

 

This makes me sad when I think about all the kids who are going to suffer for this.

 

Forget about some stupid toys think about people.

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I'm a toy collector, not scalper, who uses layaway quite a lot. I don't think that getting rid of layaway will deter scalpers at all. I've run into a collector or two who just hide toys under shelves or in other impossible to find locations if they don't have the cash on hand or if layaway is closed. Sclapers will find a way to get the toys, that's why they're scalpers.

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I'm a proponent of getting rid of layaway everywhere. It's just another contributor to the incredible debt society; people buying things they can't afford. If you don't have the cash to go buy something (short of a car or a house), you can't need it -that- badly.

 

But I think a compromise might be preferrable. Perhaps a limit to what can be put on layaway, or how many items you can have on layaway at once.

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I couldn't be happier it's gone. If you don't have the money to buy something via cash, check or credit card...you don't need it. Leave it for those of us who want it and have the money for it right now (this applies really only to toys).

 

jrice0978 mentioned something that I have said in the other threads about lay-a-way...what the hell is wrong w/ KEEPING IT IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT? Anybody remember those? Saying that people are going to go without because this service is gone is an extremely lame point. The fact that some people can't be trusted to save the money on their own until they have enough to buy the item is probably *part* of the reason they don't have enough money in the first place.

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I couldn't be happier it's gone. If you don't have the money to buy something via cash, check or credit card...you don't need it. Leave it for those of us who want it and have the money for it right now (this applies really only to toys).

 

jrice0978 mentioned something that I have said in the other threads about lay-a-way...what the hell is wrong w/ KEEPING IT IN A SAVINGS ACCOUNT? Anybody remember those? Saying that people are going to go without because this service is gone is an extremely lame point. The fact that some people can't be trusted to save the money on their own until they have enough to buy the item is probably *part* of the reason they don't have enough money in the first place.

 

When you are a single mother raising four kids because her husband decided to run out on her and get high on crack every night then I don't think you really have much money to put away on savings. Trying to pay a mortgage, car note, etc and working three jobs to support that doesn't leave much money for anything else. So the fact that she wants to give her kids the things they want without being able to pay for it fully upfront is wrong?

 

Sure that is just one instance but this really hits close to home with me because that is exactly what happened to my mom. Sure she had savings but they got wiped out pretty fast when she was trying to keep food on the table, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads all by her lonesome. She had no way of knowing that her husband was secretly a crack addict and that one day he would leave her and his family for the stuff.

 

I'm sure there are also many many other people like that in similar situations. You can't control what life throws at you. Hell you might be one of those people one of those days who has to use layaway (but won't have it) to get your kids toys for christmas. You just never know.

 

Honestly people who say things like that are people who have never had it hard a day in their life. Good for you.

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I'd have to disagree with Wal-Mart's decision to do away with their layaway option. I think Wal-Mart may be somewhat blind by doing this, since their initial plan was to accomodate to lower income families with their prices, layaway, etc. Now they are going to leave their main customers hanging by taking away the layaway option which does in fact give some extra help to low income families who want to be able to give their kids something for Christmas. They may just lose a small portion of business to Kmart which still has their layaway option and even possibly to Target who i have heard they are in the talks of putting in a layaway as Wal-Mart gets rid of theirs...

 

I agree with Devon, my parents used to depend on layaway when I was little for my clothes, and to be able to have at least SOMEthing under the tree for me during Christmas. I feel if you haven't been in the position to actually have to depend on layaway(and not by choice) then I truly think you have no room to talk about doing away with it.

 

It seems to me this idea of "good, they are taking away layaway, so now I can get the toys I want" sounds like sour grapes to me. Last time I checked anything available at ANY store is a first come first serve type of thing, REGARDLESS if someone pays with cash, check, credit card, or puts it on layaway to make payments on the items. If you didn't get the toys you wanted right at that moment, better luck next time, or go at a better time of day.

 

My goodness look BEYOND the fact of toys and scalpers and take the time to see that people actually do use the layaway for legitimate reasons and many DEPEND on the extra help layaway can give, and not because you didn't get what YOU wanted at the time!!

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taking away lay away is total crap. I think there is going to be a mass amount of people that #$## about it and get it brought back.

 

since walmart caters more to the poorer crowd so to speak (in many cases anyway) I would think that this crowd would be the ones to raise their voices and demand it stay/be brought back.

 

Ive only used it like 3 times and yes, only for toys, over the past 5 years. Twice this year actually, and it was very helpful. It keeps any notion away of using a credit card for those impulse buys which is excellent because I f*cking LOATHE credit cards and all that they are.

 

as far as competition, i feel that if anyone gets to the goods before I do in the early morning, they are probably going to buy it right away anyway, especially since layaway doesnt open til 7am anyway

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I heard about this happening awhile ago in one of these random topics. I don't judge those who use the layaway service, but I personally don't. So when this happens, I can only imagine that it will help my chances of finding figures.

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Okay, so now that we've heard all the sob stories I'm still waiting on someone to explain to me what the difference is between L.A.W. and a savings account? There is nothing wrong w/ not having the money to pay for something on the spot. But why do people have to "reserve" something for weeks or months (we are not talking about toys here) and pay on it little by little? Why can't that money be set aside in a savings account until they have enough built up? All this whining is a friggin' cop-out. If you really, truely need something you will make sure you save up enough to get that item(s) for your kids. If you can't be trusted to leave money in savings account for something your kids need and have to put it in L.A.W. so you're not tempted to spend it, then that is half of your problem right there....

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Well I for one think it kinda stinks. I have only used it a few times but it sure was a huge plus at the time. For example when the Wal-Mart ML Wave, Series One Face Offs, and Two Boxed sets showed up all at once and I was able to put everything including variants on Layaway all at once. Total came close to $300 if I recall, it was nice to be able to walk back to Layaway and stash it all away untill I could pay it off. Which only took me about a month to pay it off. Honestly I am not totally surprised that they are eliminating layaway. I mean who else really offers it in these days of easy credit, with 35% interest.. LOL I also heard a rumor that Wal-Mart employees are going to have to wear polo shirts instead of their vests at the start of the new year. Seems like they are trying to improve their image. Probably the biggest reason they are ridding them selves of Layaway is because of people who abuse it. People who walk back with $25 worth of clothes and put them on Layaway is a major waste of money for Wal-Mart with their margins being as narrow as they are I am sure they end up loosing money on alot of Layaways due to labor costs. They probably should have changed the rule to only offer it on items that exceed $100 or something along those lines. But alas it is no more.

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Working at Walmart myself, here is the "official" (ie, the crap they fed the employees) line:

Basically it was decided to close layaway due to the personel involved (most will end up in other needed areas), the storage space needed for layaway, tracking said items and inventory issues (it should also be noted they are changing their scheduling early next year as well).

 

Personally, I see where this came about:

the abuse of the system (as mentioned)

deadbeat layaways (most have no idea how many things get put on layaway and then forgotten, especially in a military town)

the said inventory issues

 

I see this as Walmart trying to cut costs and to push for the use of credit cards (which a vast majority of people DO have), and while there is a significant number who can't/won't use cards, well, there is always someone put out by such a big change

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layaway is great for people who can't get all the stuff they need for birthdays and holidays. but for scalpers it is a sanctuary that collectors hate. I always find some way to get what is there if I want is toy wise. It will suck on electronics though. I say they do lay away for electronics ONLY. Nothing else. At least in that, being as that stuff is the most pricey, people can still ahve a chance at owning giant TVs and so on.

but for toys..Nah! Buy or let the next person buy. It will make scalpers poor quick if they try and keep up now.

So a good/bad type of thing i suppose...mainly good

Chad

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Forget about some stupid toys think about people.

 

Amen brother. Yeah it sucks to have to wait a few extra weeks to get a toy we want, but think of all the kids that only got toys on Holidays, becuase their families can't afford them. Takeing layaway away hurts them a lot more then it helps us out. I should know up until I was old enough to work my family couldn't afford a G.I. Joe. Except around Christmas on a layaway plan.

 

Don

 

@firedevil@

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first off, who gives a #$### if the scalpers will be defeated?? this is effecting thousands of family's who can't afford to buy things they want/need. For those of you who say "put it back if you don't have the money"......kiss my white ass.......there are some of us who have to work hard to get what we want, and with oil prices the way they are, and with the economy going down the drain like it is, things are getting tougher on the middle class.....if one even truly exists anymore....i think that some of the people on here are too young to understand how the world really works. my suggestion is that if you don't like the lay a way being taken away, then do something about it. call wal-mart and leave a comment. their phone system is blowing up right now due to this news.

 

the number is: 1-800-wal-mart

 

call and let your voice be heard!!!!

 

oh and if u want a store that still does lay a way, go to sears or k-mart and boycott wal-mart.

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first off, who gives a #$### if the scalpers will be defeated?? this is effecting thousands of family's who can't afford to buy things they want/need. For those of you who say "put it back if you don't have the money"......kiss my white ass.......there are some of us who have to work hard to get what we want, and with oil prices the way they are, and with the economy going down the drain like it is, things are getting tougher on the middle class.....if one even truly exists anymore....i think that some of the people on here are too young to understand how the world really works.

Like I've said, I'm not against the layaway service, or the people who use it, and I know that poor people work just as hard, if not much harder than the upper american classes. But honestly, nobody is buying something that they NEED from layaway. People should be able to have what they want, but still, wanting a Bicycle isn't the same as needing a roof over your head or food in your stomach. I seriously doubt anyone is putting a grocery list on layaway. And as far as a big screen tv goes, there will always be plenty to go around. There is no reason someone couldn't save the money up rather than pay towards it in the store. Layaway is really only necessary to get things that sell out, toys and clothes.

 

As for not understanding how the world "really" works, those who are forced to use layaway for financial reasons, they aren't affected by the way the world "really" works. Even America's homeless have no idea how hard it is to live in the "real" world in some aids and malaria ridden african village.

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