---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: JB
Subject: Re: Response from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Ref #000000014237808)
To: "CUSTOMER REPLIES: WM Stores - Sams Clubs" < cstreply@wal-mart.com>
Thank you for your message.
Thank you for your inquiry concerning our Layaway Department. Today's consumers have several payment plan options that were not available when layaway programs were first created. Because of declining use and increasing costs, Wal-Mart will phase out layaway service this year as the company joins most other retailers who phased out layaway years ago. To assist our customers, we are offering one last opportunity to use the layaway service this Christmas season. Customers will have until November 19th to place items in layaway and merchandise must be picked up by December 8th.
Wal-Mart is also working to offer customers new payment options. We already have zero interest offers for 6 and 12 months for current Wal-Mart cardholders. And for the first time, customers who apply for a new Discover or Wal-Mart Credit Card will receive $20 cash back when they apply at the register and purchase at least $100 on their card the same day.
Thank you,
Wal-Mart Customer Service
For further correspondence regarding this issue, please reply to this email.
----Your Original Comments Were----
Shopping today at my local supercenter, I read a sign at the layaway area stating that layaways would only be excepted until Nov, 18, 2006 and must be picked up by Dec 8, 2006. I asked about this and was told by the associate that WALMART was stopping it's layaway program. With all due respect, are you nuts?
In my area there is a Kmart, a Walmart and a Target. Walmart is the most shopped store of it's kind. One of these reasons is due to it's prices and for the local population, exspecailly during the holiday season, the layaway program your stores provide which allow those of us in the lower income brackets the ability to purchase more high priced items "over time" without having to extend ourselves on credit. Without the layaway program at Walmart, I am afraid alot of people in my income bracket and lower will be shifting to Kmart just to be able to purchase these higher priced items the way we have for years.
Again, I think the closing of this program ought to be thought out and reconsidered.
Thank you.
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