Layaway Programs Come Back Into Style

In response to Sherry, I remember when it was Woolworth that was the one big store in the area. They pushed a lot of the local stores out, and you had no choice. Then it was K-Mart. I still remember hearing the blue light specials. K-mart was followed by Sears.

Same thing, different year, different name. Be it Walmart or Target or whomever, if you are not willing to adapt to the changing times, you will not survive. And don't worry, someone will grow up to beat up on Walmart.

Victor Cruz-Saez of NC 9:50PM October 31, 2008

I agree that Walmart should bring it back, and should not have gotten rid of it 2 years ago, but give them SOME credit for offering it far longer than most retailers, who dropped layaway decades ago. Walmart knows who their customer base is (low-to-working class). And most of these low-end retailers aren't offering layaway out of the goodness of their hearts--they know that some of their customers are "unbanked" and don't have credit cards. (Hard to believe, and it's not a huge number, but there are people without credit cards even today).

AMY V BUTTERY of MI 12:17PM October 30, 2008

Yes walmart should do the right thing and bring back layaway. But since they have gotten to be such business giants they have forgotten just on whose backs they became these giants. They no longer are concerned about the poorer joe and jane public. They have pushed other business out of the area so many are left with few options for shopping. With high gas prices many of us can not drive 15 miles or more to a target or k mart. When you do go into the belly of the beast that is walmart do not ask for help, more likely than not they will look at you as if you were a alien with two heads. They want you to buy gift cards, sure they do, given that not all gift cards are used right away. They get put aside for later, usually for after the holidays for the sales. A lot are misplaced or put in a drawer and forgotten and that means free money for walmart. We did it to ourselves, we let the excitement of a new store push out the mom and pop stores that took care of their customers. If walmart were the same store that they were when they were sucking us in it would be different. Walmart kept up the mask while they wooed us and once we were commited they let the mask fall revealing just another unfeeling corporate giant thriving on the backs of people who can afford it the least.

sherry of LA 10:31AM October 30, 2008