Wal-Mart Ending Its Layaway Program

33girl · #1 09-15-2006, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

K-Mart left my state.

Seriously? They conciously left the state (i.e. they said "we will no longer do business in Oklahoma") or they just closed all the stores?

I know that sounds like nit-picking, but I just had a similar discussion about Burger King in Pittsburgh - some people think they left the market when actually I guess the local franchisor is in some sort of contract dispute. They're in some of the outlying suburbs.

Then again don't you have that Butt store down your way?

valkyrie · #2 09-15-2006, 11:34 AM

I don't shop at Walmart or use layaway (I had no idea this still existed anywhere) so I don't give a crap.

I really don't get the "snoopy kids" thing. If your kids can't behave themselves and just have to snoop, it's their own damn fault for ruining their surprise at Christmas. Maybe it would be a good learning experience.

Also, Walmart is never the only place to shop, unless you live in some remote tundra lean-to where there is no mail/UPS delivery. INTERNET.

blueangel · #3 09-15-2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by valkyrie

I don't shop at Walmart or use layaway (I had no idea this still existed anywhere) so I don't give a crap.

I really don't get the "snoopy kids" thing. If your kids can't behave themselves and just have to snoop, it's their own damn fault for ruining their surprise at Christmas. Maybe it would be a good learning experience.

Also, Walmart is never the only place to shop, unless you live in some remote tundra lean-to where there is no mail/UPS delivery. INTERNET.

I agree with most of what you said, but I do want to point out that its difficult to shop on the internet without a credit card. There are some people who are unable to secure one.

valkyrie · #4 09-15-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueangel

I agree with most of what you said, but I do want to point out that its difficult to shop on the internet without a credit card. There are some people who are unable to secure one.

Debit cards work just as well -- but I suppose there are people who don't have checking accounts.

AlphaFrog · #5 09-15-2006, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueangel

I agree with most of what you said, but I do want to point out that its difficult to shop on the internet without a credit card. There are some people who are unable to secure one.

Debit card. If you can get a checking acct, you can get a debit card.

Still BLUTANG · #6 09-15-2006, 01:59 PM

i don't get why it's so hard for people to understand that
(1) some people use lay-a-way
(2) some people aren't able to obtain checking accounts and or debit cards

Kevin · #7 09-15-2006, 02:09 PM

Only people who have mismanaged their own affairs can't get checking accounts/credit cards. They're not victims.

33girl · #8 09-15-2006, 02:20 PM

Well, and some people just like to deal strictly in cash. One of my uncles NEVER had a checking account. When he needed to send a gas bill or whatever, he got a money order. I hate that our society is forcing everyone into using plastic, whether it be a credit card or debit card.

-33
--It's the Mark of the Beast!!
---But seriously, sometimes it freaks me out.

xo_kathy · #9 09-15-2006, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

Only people who have mismanaged their own affairs can't get checking accounts/credit cards. They're not victims.

Mismanagement isn't always about spending your cash on booze, cars, and crap you don't really need.

My mother did exactly that when she was first divorced from my father and trying to raise two young kids while working full time. She racked up a credit card debt she couldn't afford so we could have clothes and food - silly her.

(Disclaimer for my poor dad - he gave us child support. Mom was a little too proud perhaps and had him give less than required b/c she wanted to make it on her own).

So, because she couldn't (and shouldn't) get any more credit cards, she often used layaway at Kmart to get Christmas presents, school clothes, new towels and/or sheets we'd eventually need, etc.

There ARE people who use it for things they know they will need in the future - not just frivolous things. And as someone pointed out, my mom's situation is probably really similar to a lot of people in rural Arkansas who got Wal-Mart off the gorund in the first place.

MysticCat · #10 09-15-2006, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Still BLUTANG

i don't get why it's so hard for people to understand that (1) some people use lay-a-way

I'm not having a hard time understanding that some people still use layaway. I'm surprised, but I understand. When someone here says they or someone they know uses layaway, I believe them.

But I think many here are expressing the idea that there are still viable alternatives to layaway, including some that Wal-Mart may put in place.

Kevin · #11 09-15-2006, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 33girl

Seriously? They conciously left the state (i.e. they said "we will no longer do business in Oklahoma") or they just closed all the stores?

I know that sounds like nit-picking, but I just had a similar discussion about Burger King in Pittsburgh - some people think they left the market when actually I guess the local franchisor is in some sort of contract dispute. They're in some of the outlying suburbs.

Then again don't you have that Butt store down your way?

When they downsized during the bankruptcy, they closed down a lot of stores which may not have been doing very well. It turned out that for some reason, that included nearly all of their stores in Oklahoma. I have heard rumors that we have a K-Mart out in Shawnee (if you know where that is) which is about 45 minutes East of Oklahoma City -- I'm pretty sure that's false though.

It could be that Wal-Mart is so popular here and K-Mart didn't like the competition (Oklahoma is a test bed for new Wal-Mart store concepts, I've heard they plan on opening 30 supercenters in the OKC metro area). I'm not sure how likely that is though. Target came behind K-Mart and opened locations near or at wherever K-Marts were located.

kstar · #12 09-15-2006, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin

When they downsized during the bankruptcy, they closed down a lot of stores which may not have been doing very well. It turned out that for some reason, that included nearly all of their stores in Oklahoma. I have heard rumors that we have a K-Mart out in Shawnee (if you know where that is) which is about 45 minutes East of Oklahoma City -- I'm pretty sure that's false though.

It could be that Wal-Mart is so popular here and K-Mart didn't like the competition (Oklahoma is a test bed for new Wal-Mart store concepts, I've heard they plan on opening 30 supercenters in the OKC metro area). I'm not sure how likely that is though. Target came behind K-Mart and opened locations near or at wherever K-Marts were located.

There is a K-Mart in Shawnee, which is only 20 minutes out I-40, or you can go to Tulsa.

NO more Walmarts in the Metro! They're ugly! Oh well, I haven't set foot in a Walmart in about 2 years now. I guess I don't really have a say other than I voted with my money.