More on the end of Layaway

I was right about the death of Layaway.

I worked in Layaway Friday, Saturday and Sunday. New procedures came down from the head office.

Now, there are huge signs everywhere apologizing that we're ending Layaway. And more huge signs trumpeting the "Instant Credit" program."

When a customer rolls up to the Layaway counter now, we're not supposed to start the layaway. We're supposed to try to sell that high-interest Wal-Mart credit card.

This is the line we're supposed to deliver: "Instead of layaway, would you like to apply for instant credit and be able to take these items home with you today?"

Only if the customer refuses the credit card do we then start the layaway.

And we all got re-trained on how to do the instant credit application. And they're talking about making the associates that work in areas that can do the instant credit - Layaway, Electronics, Customer Service, Vision Center and Photo Lab - either have a certain number of instant credit applications per day/week or instituting a bonus program for whoever can get the most sign-ups!