Layaway Leads to Early Holiday Toy Rush: Have You Started Buying Holiday Gifts?
SodaHead Living
2012/10/08 05:22:21
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It’s not even Halloween yet and some of the most popular holiday toys are already selling out. The reason behind the early start: the growing popularity of layaway plans.
Holiday layaway programs are pretty much a win-win for consumers and retailers. In a touch economy, shoppers need time to pay off their purchases and brick-and-mortar stores need to find ways to compete with online retailers. Layaway plans are especially popular this year at stores like Wal-Mart, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, and Sears because the programs are starting earlier—giving consumers more time to pay—and because many have dropped service fees.
Additionally, for the first time, Toys “R” Us is allowing shoppers to reserve any of the 50 toys on its hot list. As a result, the company has already had to stop taking reservations for the Wii U gaming console and certain kids electronic tablets until it receives additional shipments. And come December, some children will have to make do with the “plum fairy” Furby doll because all the available “pink puff” and “voodoo purple” models have been claimed.
What about you SodaHeads? We know it’s really early, but have you started buying your holiday gifts?
Holiday layaway programs are pretty much a win-win for consumers and retailers. In a touch economy, shoppers need time to pay off their purchases and brick-and-mortar stores need to find ways to compete with online retailers. Layaway plans are especially popular this year at stores like Wal-Mart, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, and Sears because the programs are starting earlier—giving consumers more time to pay—and because many have dropped service fees.
Additionally, for the first time, Toys “R” Us is allowing shoppers to reserve any of the 50 toys on its hot list. As a result, the company has already had to stop taking reservations for the Wii U gaming console and certain kids electronic tablets until it receives additional shipments. And come December, some children will have to make do with the “plum fairy” Furby doll because all the available “pink puff” and “voodoo purple” models have been claimed.
What about you SodaHeads? We know it’s really early, but have you started buying your holiday gifts?
Read More: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100008723963904442...
Top Opinion
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Louisa - Enemy of the State 2012/10/08 13:10:26No
+7I'm going to wait for 12/21/2012 and if the world doesn't end, then I'll shop. But I can't see putting out all that effort if I'm going to die.
edit to say I have already turned my "Toys for Toys" gifts into the local fire dept a couple of weeks ago.
:)
I'm pretty much all done shopping, except for 1 special gift...
It saves so much time and money.
Plus, my family is small, so that helps too.
Friends get original artwork or baked goods.
=D
For those who have small children wanting specific toys, I would buy them now and tuck them away. By so doing you are not killing yourself trying to find the must have toy a week before Christmas.
Because my Christmas schedule is so hectic I do everything I can ahead of time. I am currently baking and freezing Christmas cookies.
But procrastinating until the very last minute every year doesn't make much sense, either.
Sounds like such fun.
:D
I'll stick with shopping year round, like I've been doing for the last 10 years or so; its way less stressful, and way less of my money spent in the long run.
Cheerz
"deals" I missed, especially for black friday. It's not a deal at all if retailers mark up prices by 30% so they can slash the price by 5% or 10%! You're one smart lady!
I used to work retail; I'm already hip to the game.
Thanks, hon.
;-)