Content about Layaway

December 10, 2012

A 4.1% third quarter same store sales decline and $105 million loss hasn’t diminished holiday spirits at Toys "R" Us.

A 4.1% third quarter same store sales decline and $105 million loss hasn’t diminished holiday spirits at Toys "R" Us.

The company reported the sales decline for the period ended October 27 late Friday and attributed a portion of the dip in same store sales to a less promotional stance and an earlier start to its layaway program. The layaway program was launched on September, seven weeks before the end of the third quarter, but sales related to items placed in layaway can not be recognized until customers pick up their orders.

October 18, 2012

Toys"R"Us has extended its free layaway program through Dec. 16. The program, announced in September, was originally slated to end on Oct. 31.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has extended its free layaway program through Dec. 16. The program, announced in September, was originally slated to end on Oct. 31.

October 8, 2012

Kmart and Sears are eliminating layaway service fees, starting a layaway home-delivery service and new in-store mobile features for what the company expects to be the busiest shopping season since 2007.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart and Sears are eliminating layaway service fees, starting a layaway home-delivery service and new in-store mobile features for what the company expects to be the busiest shopping season since 2007.

October 3, 2012

Layaway program have become all the rage the past few years as retailers seeks to offer shoppers every conceivable convenience to capture every available sales dollar.

Layaway program have become all the rage the past few years as retailers seeks to offer shoppers every conceivable convenience to capture every available sales dollar.

October 3, 2012

Sears Holdings is now offering its Kmart and Sears customers the option of ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears Holdings is now offering its Kmart and Sears customers the option of ship-to-home delivery for items purchased through online layaway.

The new service – also available on store kiosks now enables shoppers to select, purchase and have the items delivered directly to their homes, bypassing the layaway line altogether. Both retailers will begin the exclusive layaway ship-to-home service starting Nov. 7.

October 3, 2012

A survey of 2,339 shoppers by CouponCabin.com found that 34% are at least somewhat likely to purchase items on layaway this holiday season.

WHITING, Ind. — A survey of 2,339 shoppers by CouponCabin.com found that 34% are at least somewhat likely to purchase items on layaway this holiday season.
 
The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, also found that 9% are very likely to use layaway; 29% said maybe.

When asked what they believe are the benefits to using a layaway program for holiday shopping, U.S. adults said the following:

  • 54% said layaway helps them to buy larger items that they couldn't afford to buy all at once;

October 3, 2012

Target this week entered the seasonal fray dominated so far by Walmart and Toys "R" Us attempting to outdo one another with announcements about their layaway offers, product reservation programs and top toy lists.

Target this week entered the seasonal fray dominated so far by Walmart and Toys "R" Us attempting to outdo one another with announcements about their layaway offers, product reservation programs and top toy lists.

September 17, 2012

Fred's on Friday launched a holiday layaway plan featuring no fees and a down payment of only $1.

MEMPHIS — Fred's on Friday launched a holiday layaway plan featuring no fees and a down payment of only $1.

"Fred’s realizes that the current economy presents difficult challenges to its customers and Fred's wants to offer as much assistance as it can," Fred's SVP sales and marketing Dave Mueller said. "That’s why we came up with a layaway plan that — with just one dollar down and absolutely no fees — is unlike any others and will stretch shoppers’ dollars during a time when it will be most welcome."

September 14, 2012

Walmart unveiled its top toy list Friday morning and couldn’t resist taking a shot at Toys "R" Us which launched a toy reservation program earlier in the week.

Walmart unveiled its top toy list Friday morning and couldn’t resist taking a shot at Toys "R" Us which launched a toy reservation program earlier in the week.

Walmart said its layaway program and top toy offering gives parents the confidence to shop now for the toys kids want at every day low prices. And in an obvious dig at Toys "R" Us, the press release for Walmart’s top 20 toys declared, "no reservations required: America’s largest toy seller’s hassle-free layaway program begins this Sunday."

September 12, 2012

Get them in early and often seems to be the motto for Toys”R”Us this year, as the toy retailer is hoping new initiatives will encourage customers shop for holiday toys well before December.

WAYNE, N.J. — Get them in early and often seems to be the motto for Toys”R”Us this year, as the toy retailer is hoping new initiatives will encourage customers shop for holiday toys well before December.

September 7, 2012

The trend of doing away with layaway fees continues, this time with Kmart announcing that it has removed its layaway service fee both in stores and online through Nov. 17.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — The trend of doing away with layaway fees continues, this time with Kmart announcing that it has removed its layaway service fee both in stores and online through Nov. 17.

The retailer follows suit with Toys"R"Us, which said it would drop the $5 upfront service fee and eliminate the minimum purchase requirement for all orders created in stores through Oct. 31 and Walmart, which, while not cutting back its layaway fee, has rolled it back to $5 from $15.

September 6, 2012

Walmart this week modified a layaway program that had yet to begin after Toys "R" Us said it wouldn’t charge a service fee and lifted minimum purchase requirements for its program.

Walmart this week modified a layaway program that had yet to begin after Toys "R" Us said it wouldn’t charge a service fee and lifted minimum purchase requirements for its program.

The layaway saga began in late August when Walmart said the start date of its layaway program would begin on September 16, a month earlier than the prior year. Curiously, Walmart also said at that time the fee to open a layaway account would increase to $15 from $5 the prior year.

September 4, 2012

Toys "R" Us enhanced its layaway program by dropping some fees and Walmart quickly responded.

Toys "R" Us enhanced its layaway program by dropping some fees and Walmart quickly responded.

Toys "R" Us dropped the $5 service fee and minimum purchase requirement from its layaway program in a bid to capture sales of those who begin their holiday shopping early.The company said it changed the rules for its layaway program, instituted in 2009, to waive the $5 upfront service fee and eliminate the minimum purchase requirement for all orders created in stores through October 31.

August 20, 2012

Christmas layaway begins Sept. 14 on Facebook.

Walmart will offer its holiday layaway 30 days earlier this year and extend the program to more product categories, the company announced Monday.

August 8, 2012

Kmart is responding to changing trends affecting the "back-to-school" experience with a number initiatives designed to meet the needs of its consumers.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart is responding to changing trends affecting the "back-to-school" experience with a number initiatives designed to meet the needs of its consumers.

According to Kmart, more public schools are requiring uniforms and others are now adopting a year-round school calendar. In response, Kmart has adjusted its approach to back-to-school by increasing the number of stores that sell uniforms and aligning its back-to-school sales periods by region to match that of the local school districts.

November 18, 2011

By Donna L. Wilson and Kirk D. Jensen

Illustrating the adage that no good deed goes unpunished, retailers offering financially-strapped or credit-challenged consumers the option of layaway are facing criticism and threats of litigation and regulatory scrutiny. 

October 24, 2011

Walmart announced that it is helping ensure customers pay the lowest price on holiday gifts with the launch of its Christmas price guarantee.

Target is facing new holiday pricing pressure as Walmart announced the launch of its Christmas price guarantee.

Customers who purchase eligible products at Walmart anytime between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25, and then find those same products advertised for less at another store, will receive a Walmart gift card for the difference through Dec. 25. 

October 24, 2011

Walmart announced that it is helping ensure customers pay the lowest price on holiday gifts with the launch of its Christmas price guarantee.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it is helping ensure customers pay the lowest price on holiday gifts with the launch of its Christmas price guarantee.

Customers who purchase eligible products at Walmart anytime between Nov. 1 and Dec. 25, and then find those same products advertised for less at another store, will receive a Walmart gift card for the difference through Dec. 25. 

October 17, 2011

Competing with Walmart is nothing new for Target, but what appears to be different this holiday season compared with the last few years is, to borrow a football metaphor, Walmart has eliminated its turnovers and is now showing some signs of momentum.

Competing with Walmart is nothing new for Target, but what appears to be different this holiday season compared with the last few years is, to borrow a football metaphor, Walmart has eliminated its turnovers and is now showing some signs of momentum.

At least that’s what the retailer told financial analysts gathered in Northwest Arkansas last week for an all-day meeting. 

October 5, 2011

While Toys"R"Us and Kmart were among the first retailers to release their hot toy lists, Walmart wasn't too far behind this year, offering many of the same toys as the aforementioned companies, and even some exclusives.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — While Toys"R"Us and Kmart were among the first retailers to release their hot toy lists, Walmart wasn't too far behind this year, offering many of the same toys as the aforementioned companies, and even some exclusives. 

October 4, 2011

Ahead of the holiday season, Toys"R"Us announced that it will expand its layaway program and incorporate flexible payment options in order to spur holiday sales.

Wayne, N.J. — Ahead of the holiday season, Toys"R"Us announced that it will expand its layaway program and incorporate flexible payment options in order to spur holiday sales. The retailer is offering its layaway service along with Bill Me Later to enable customers to complete purchase through a series of smaller payments over time.

Toys"R"Us introduced layaway in 2009 for such big-ticket items as bicycles and swing sets and on Oct. 15 will expand the program to include playthings in 450 of its 600 stores.

September 15, 2011

Walmart is bringing back its layaway program this holiday season, responding to pressures on low income consumers, MarketWatch reported.

NEW YORK — Walmart is bringing back its layaway program this holiday season, responding to pressures on low income consumers, MarketWatch reported.

Walmart, which canceled the program in 2006, except for fine jewelery, based on costs and limited use, is bringing back the program at its Walmart U.S. stores for Oct. 17 to Dec. 16 for electronics and toys, according to the report.

September 8, 2011

Wal-Mart Stores will introduce a holiday layaway plan, effective Oct. 17 through Dec. 16.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores will introduce a holiday layaway plan effective, Oct. 17 through Dec. 16. The program has a minimum layaway purchase of $50, and requires a 10% down payment. If the program is successful, Wal-Mart said it may extend it throughout the year.

When Wal-Mart phased out its previous layaway offer in September 2006, such programs had fallen out of popularity. But Sears and some merchants brought back layaways as the recession cut into spending.

July 19, 2011

Kmart announced that as part of its back-to-school campaign it would offer college students and their parents the ability to reserve purchases by making four payments throughout the summer and allowing students to pick up items at a Kmart store near their campus.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart announced that as part of its back-to-school campaign it would offer college students and their parents the ability to reserve purchases by making four payments throughout the summer and allowing students to pick up items at a Kmart store near their campus.

The promotion is part of the retailer's "Epic Year, Epic You!" campaign seeks to meet customers' evolving BTS needs.

January 11, 2011

A 2.3% same store sales gain at Kmart was not enough to offset a 6% decline at Sears resulting in an overall 1.7% decline for the combined companies domestic operations during the five week December reporting period ended Jan. 1.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- A 2.3% same store sales gain at Kmart was not enough to offset a 6% decline at Sears resulting in an overall 1.7% decline for the combined companies domestic operations during the five week December reporting period ended Jan. 1.