Bad thinking on WalMart's part

I fully understand your frustrations. I have all but stopped but shopping at walmart. I am and ( please exuse my language) mad as hell over the way they have short changed us, you know the hard working majority who simply doesnt have the extra cash. I was really upset that they advertised a computer for $398 like it was a real deal knowing that the only people who could purchase it were those who had that kind of money or those with that kind of credit. I dont know when they are going to get it people simply need layaway. I called there customer care and I was simply told that they only offer credit or cash and carry. I now only will buy things if I just have too but thats not much im sure im putting less than $40 a month into there buisness and if I could get more people to follow my lead I would encourage them to do the same. I think instead of the company being so worried about loosing money to layaways that perhaps they need to revamp the option and bring it back before us hard working people take our hard earned money else were. I know this christmas I wont be shopping there, my money is just as good somewere else which is why I intend to spend it some were else.

As I understand it, it's simply a matter of money. For example: Mary puts a $698 computer on layaway in Aug for 3 months and pays her 10%. She makes no further payment because "something always comes up". She gets a 10 day extension and does this a couple times after pleading with the asst mgrs and possibly threatening to call 1-800-walmart. After all that, she decides she cannot afford the payoff on the computer and gets her money back. Since the time Mary put the computer on layaway in Aug, it went on rollback in Sept to $598, Clearance in Nov to $498 and another clearance price reduction to $398. The company lost $300 because her computer was sitting in the back when it could have been sold in Aug for $698, or $598. Now that's just 1 example in 1 store with 1 customer. I would imagine this happened ALL THE TIME. As the saying goes...a few bad apples.....

The main reason why Walmart stopped making layaway available to customers is because people started using it as "an emergency fund". They would say that they would buy something, and then they would say that "something came up" and they needed their money back. So, their actions stopped layaway at Walmart. At least Kmart still has layaway.

Thanks Mark for the comment; no matter what Walmart does they have made a big mistake. I am also unhappy with my local wally again. I dont know if it just in my local stores but in my store it has been unbearable hot when I am shopping. Its like a sauna every time I am the store. I even asked several associates about it and they themselves complained about the heat. I took it upon myself to call 1800walmart, I might as well wasted my time on a portal fan. I am over the whole experience. Its too hot, they dont give anything back to the customers except the things that could careless about. I really think shopping in a hot store is a direct disrespect towards there customers. It is as dumb as the cancellation of layaway. I am sure if things dont make a change we will be shopping there in the winter time in winter coats.

I have asked associates before, and in fact asked a manager before. They have all stated that the temperature in the store is dictated by Bentonville (their "home office"). Seems like the ultimate example of micromanagement.

Yes I can see how in this economy layaway would be a great idea. One of the problem with the old layaways is a group of customers would layaway a high ticket item that was sold on a seasonal basis only, like lawn mowers or snow blowers, leaving the items in layaway until the end of the season when it goes on clearance then they cancel the layaway to purchase the same item for less. So they have a guaranty that they will get that item, that is on layaway while other willing to pay full price the same day they see it have to go without. The layaway item that was once full price now get put back after canceling the layaway, going back as clearance out of date item that no one wants or needs once the season is over. In my opinion what they need to do is to charge the normal 10% that goes toward the purchase, and if the layaway is canceled then keep the 10 % that was put down to start the layaway to begin with.

I fully understand, I have taken the majority of my buisness elsewhere. I have completed atleast 6 layaways at Kmart this season and I feel good about it. I now do more Biglots Kmart stores over Walmart. I can even begin to express how dissatisfied with Walmart. I do know that if more people would pull there money away from the store they would make changes but its impossible to get so many people on board. I didnt realize just how obsessed people really are about Walmart but they are; I am not anti-walmart, I just would like to see Walmart with its multimillion profits do something more for there customers. Is that so bad to ask for?