eBay

emerald40 · ‎10-28-2017

This was brought up by another poster asking if a seller could offer layaway. I believe most told him no, it was not possible to do so.

But I have seen it offered in the fine diamond jewelry categories, and here is one example of how a seller is choosing to handle it.

Layaway Plan

Choose which plan you wish to use from the three below:

1. I just want to delay my payment". Delayed payment (buy it now but take up to two weeks to pay)

2. One Month Plan (payments divided into 2 parts and invoices sent every two weeks.)

3. Two Month Plan (payments divided into 4 parts and invoices sent every two weeks.)

We will send you invoices directly to your paypal account. No interest is ever charged and you may pay off as early as you like.

Please note that once you've placed an item on lay-a-way, it is not refundable.

emerald40 · ‎10-31-2017

@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@tunicaslot wrote:
Right now - the only stores I see as having online layaway are Sears, Toys R Us and Kmart. When the kids were little - I used layaway at Hills all the time - but we're talking about an online venue with millions of individual sellers and each would want to have their own layaway policies. It's hard enough informing people about Ebay policies - let alone all the hassle individual layaway policies would cause.

You might have buyers deciding not to take an item because they found it cheaper on Black Friday at their Walmart B&M - whereby the seller has pulled that item out of the inventory as it's supposedly sold.

Not a good idea in my opinion - if you want layaway - go to a B&M - better yet start a Xmas Club and then you'll be able to pay cash when you start shopping.
I agree. Also, something I don't understand--please no one throw stones at me for this but--why can't people just save their money? Why make payments to the retailer when you can just save the money and shop when you have the cash in hand? We were not rich growing up. My parents lived paycheck to paycheck. The only way we were able to afford a christmas was because my mom had $25 deducted from each pay check & put into a special account at the credit union all year long, it was called the "christmas club" or something like that. And then in December she cashed it out & thats how our christmas was paid for. I understand that some things "may not be available" but this is material objects.....save your money and your kids get what they get.
The way your parents did it was one way. So did mine.

But I believe you have to have a relationship with a bank to open it.

Many poor people do not, they have to use a check cashing store to cash their paycheck.

So for them, layaway is the way to go.

Others may live in unsafe neighborhoods or with questionable family members so keeping money at home might not be a good idea.
But layaway isn't the only way to go. You don't need a relationship with a bank to save money.
I am trying to be careful in my wording. You have people who cannot produce ID, might not drive or may be illegal. So opening up a bank account is not an option.
Um...what does have to do with what I said? You don't need anything but a cookie jar to put money in said cookie jar. Or a mason jar. Or a pub mix container. That is what I was talking about--an old fashioned savings account. if you have money to pay a major retailer every few weeks then you have money to set aside in the cookie jar.

If you look back at my posts I responded to that.

Some live in bad neighborhoods or live with iffy family members, so keeping money at home is not safe.

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-31-2017

@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@tunicaslot wrote:
Right now - the only stores I see as having online layaway are Sears, Toys R Us and Kmart. When the kids were little - I used layaway at Hills all the time - but we're talking about an online venue with millions of individual sellers and each would want to have their own layaway policies. It's hard enough informing people about Ebay policies - let alone all the hassle individual layaway policies would cause.

You might have buyers deciding not to take an item because they found it cheaper on Black Friday at their Walmart B&M - whereby the seller has pulled that item out of the inventory as it's supposedly sold.

Not a good idea in my opinion - if you want layaway - go to a B&M - better yet start a Xmas Club and then you'll be able to pay cash when you start shopping.
I agree. Also, something I don't understand--please no one throw stones at me for this but--why can't people just save their money? Why make payments to the retailer when you can just save the money and shop when you have the cash in hand? We were not rich growing up. My parents lived paycheck to paycheck. The only way we were able to afford a christmas was because my mom had $25 deducted from each pay check & put into a special account at the credit union all year long, it was called the "christmas club" or something like that. And then in December she cashed it out & thats how our christmas was paid for. I understand that some things "may not be available" but this is material objects.....save your money and your kids get what they get.
The way your parents did it was one way. So did mine.

But I believe you have to have a relationship with a bank to open it.

Many poor people do not, they have to use a check cashing store to cash their paycheck.

So for them, layaway is the way to go.

Others may live in unsafe neighborhoods or with questionable family members so keeping money at home might not be a good idea.

Way back when, anyone could go in and open a Christmas Club. Banks gave a little promotional gift with it as well.

castlemagicmemories · ‎10-31-2017

@emerald40 wrote:
@castlemagicmemories wrote:
There is also the high probability that the buyer will become disenchanted with the purchase and stop paying on it, and ask to get his money back.
Stated right in the layways I have seen, all payments made are not refundable.

I actually bought my last diamond ring here that way on layaway in a store, person did not make all the payments, so he relisted it here with offers. and because he already received money for it I was able to get it at a good deal.

Thank you for that, I meant to say they might ask for their money back but unable to get it back. Some stores do do layaway and will give you your money back if you want to stop the layaway.

Congrats on your good diamond deal!

missjen831 · ‎10-31-2017

@castlemagicmemories wrote:
Do they still have Christmas Clubs?

I thought they did away with them in the 80's. Seriously.

They didn't get rid of them in the 80s. My mom contributed to hers through the 90s. And I think into the early 2000s. She retired in 2003. We bank at the same credit union her Christmas club was through and I honestly don't know if it still exists!

One life is all we have to live
Love is all we have to give

**Formerly known as MissJen316**

missjen831 · ‎10-31-2017

@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@tunicaslot wrote:
Right now - the only stores I see as having online layaway are Sears, Toys R Us and Kmart. When the kids were little - I used layaway at Hills all the time - but we're talking about an online venue with millions of individual sellers and each would want to have their own layaway policies. It's hard enough informing people about Ebay policies - let alone all the hassle individual layaway policies would cause.

You might have buyers deciding not to take an item because they found it cheaper on Black Friday at their Walmart B&M - whereby the seller has pulled that item out of the inventory as it's supposedly sold.

Not a good idea in my opinion - if you want layaway - go to a B&M - better yet start a Xmas Club and then you'll be able to pay cash when you start shopping.
I agree. Also, something I don't understand--please no one throw stones at me for this but--why can't people just save their money? Why make payments to the retailer when you can just save the money and shop when you have the cash in hand? We were not rich growing up. My parents lived paycheck to paycheck. The only way we were able to afford a christmas was because my mom had $25 deducted from each pay check & put into a special account at the credit union all year long, it was called the "christmas club" or something like that. And then in December she cashed it out & thats how our christmas was paid for. I understand that some things "may not be available" but this is material objects.....save your money and your kids get what they get.
The way your parents did it was one way. So did mine.

But I believe you have to have a relationship with a bank to open it.

Many poor people do not, they have to use a check cashing store to cash their paycheck.

So for them, layaway is the way to go.

Others may live in unsafe neighborhoods or with questionable family members so keeping money at home might not be a good idea.
But layaway isn't the only way to go. You don't need a relationship with a bank to save money.
I am trying to be careful in my wording. You have people who cannot produce ID, might not drive or may be illegal. So opening up a bank account is not an option.
Um...what does have to do with what I said? You don't need anything but a cookie jar to put money in said cookie jar. Or a mason jar. Or a pub mix container. That is what I was talking about--an old fashioned savings account. if you have money to pay a major retailer every few weeks then you have money to set aside in the cookie jar.
If you look back at my posts I responded to that.

Some live in bad neighborhoods or live with iffy family members, so keeping money at home is not safe.

They carry it on them. My county has a large population of people that fit the description you gave and live in bas neighborhoods. They carry large amounts of cash, many don't use banks because for a variety of reasons. That doesn't mean they still can't save money. My husband's grandparents did not come here legally but somehow got papers and they never used a bank. My MIL did their banking and kept her dads life savings in a shoe box in her closet. Until her house got broken into and the burglars took it 😞

One life is all we have to live
Love is all we have to give

**Formerly known as MissJen316**

tellmemama · ‎11-01-2017

@reallynicestamps wrote:
Layaway is an obsolete business practice.
When I was selling patio furniture in the 90s we used it a little. It was better as a way of bringing people into the shop than as an actual selling point.
What really happened was that the contract was immediately sold on to a finance company (Household Finance as I remember it).
The buyer paid a down payment and took the stuff home, then 12 months later HFC came knocking and charged the buyer incredible interest on the payments. Twenty percent or more.
The patio shop was paid by HFC when the contract changed hands. We took a discount, but more than covered our costs.

It has pretty well disappeared because of these:If your buyer can be trusted to pay over time, these guys are willing to take the contract that HFC did for our shop.
And Paypal is there to make it easier for both of you.
If your buyer cannot get a credit card, you can't trust him to pay you.

I disagree. Layaway is a very popular option on the other site I use. Since quite a few of my items are $1,000+, I am happy to offer it. After committing to buy, I generate PAYPAL invoices for the amounts arranged beforehand. When the last invoice is paid, I ship. Granted I don't know the financial status of my buyers but if they prefer a no interest layaway to payments on a credit card with interest, who am I to judge?

So far not one has flaked on completing a purchase.

Joe

emerald40 · ‎11-01-2017

@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@emerald40 wrote:
@missjen831 wrote:
@tunicaslot wrote:
Right now - the only stores I see as having online layaway are Sears, Toys R Us and Kmart. When the kids were little - I used layaway at Hills all the time - but we're talking about an online venue with millions of individual sellers and each would want to have their own layaway policies. It's hard enough informing people about Ebay policies - let alone all the hassle individual layaway policies would cause.

You might have buyers deciding not to take an item because they found it cheaper on Black Friday at their Walmart B&M - whereby the seller has pulled that item out of the inventory as it's supposedly sold.

Not a good idea in my opinion - if you want layaway - go to a B&M - better yet start a Xmas Club and then you'll be able to pay cash when you start shopping.
I agree. Also, something I don't understand--please no one throw stones at me for this but--why can't people just save their money? Why make payments to the retailer when you can just save the money and shop when you have the cash in hand? We were not rich growing up. My parents lived paycheck to paycheck. The only way we were able to afford a christmas was because my mom had $25 deducted from each pay check & put into a special account at the credit union all year long, it was called the "christmas club" or something like that. And then in December she cashed it out & thats how our christmas was paid for. I understand that some things "may not be available" but this is material objects.....save your money and your kids get what they get.
The way your parents did it was one way. So did mine.

But I believe you have to have a relationship with a bank to open it.

Many poor people do not, they have to use a check cashing store to cash their paycheck.

So for them, layaway is the way to go.

Others may live in unsafe neighborhoods or with questionable family members so keeping money at home might not be a good idea.
But layaway isn't the only way to go. You don't need a relationship with a bank to save money.
I am trying to be careful in my wording. You have people who cannot produce ID, might not drive or may be illegal. So opening up a bank account is not an option.
Um...what does have to do with what I said? You don't need anything but a cookie jar to put money in said cookie jar. Or a mason jar. Or a pub mix container. That is what I was talking about--an old fashioned savings account. if you have money to pay a major retailer every few weeks then you have money to set aside in the cookie jar.
If you look back at my posts I responded to that.

Some live in bad neighborhoods or live with iffy family members, so keeping money at home is not safe.
They carry it on them. My county has a large population of people that fit the description you gave and live in bas neighborhoods. They carry large amounts of cash, many don't use banks because for a variety of reasons. That doesn't mean they still can't save money. My husband's grandparents did not come here legally but somehow got papers and they never used a bank. My MIL did their banking and kept her dads life savings in a shoe box in her closet. Until her house got broken into and the burglars took it 😞

Not sure why you think that is a solution because people in bad neighborhoods get jumped and robbed all the time just walking down the street.

reallynicestamps · ‎11-01-2017

@emerald40

I work a Christmas job. I cannot tell you how many parents are so greatful that they can put a little money down each week, and then collect the toys they put away. So many could not afford to do it otherwise.

Well, I'm going to be judgey here.

If those families are not credit worthy enough to get a credit card, which would allow them to pay off the debt when they can, I'm not sure an eBay seller can afford to sell to them.

I had to think to remember how Christmas Clubs worked-- all the way back to my teens working at Woolworths circa 1959-- but saving up a few dollars a week does seem more sensible if the family is not credit-worthy.

missjen831 · ‎11-01-2017

@reallynicestamps wrote:
@emerald40

I work a Christmas job. I cannot tell you how many parents are so greatful that they can put a little money down each week, and then collect the toys they put away. So many could not afford to do it otherwise.

Well, I'm going to be judgey here.
If those families are not credit worthy enough to get a credit card, which would allow them to pay off the debt when they can, I'm not sure an eBay seller can afford to sell to them.

I had to think to remember how Christmas Clubs worked-- all the way back to my teens working at Woolworths circa 1959-- but saving up a few dollars a week does seem more sensible if the family is not credit-worthy.

I'm being judgey judgey too. Layaway isn't the only way to save money for Christmas presents. It doesn't matter where you live, who you are, what your legal status is or how good your credit is. There are a variety of safe ways to save money. Layaway plans are good for those who aren't responsible enough to set the money aside and not touch it. The other thing is, and this really wouldn't apply to an eBay seller but with layaway at a major retailer, if items are on sale when the buyer puts them on layaway,the buyer still gets the sale price even though they aren't paying for the items when they put them on layaway. I'm sure some people use layaway because the item is on sale and they won't have the money for it until after the sale is over and it guarantees them the sale price

One life is all we have to live
Love is all we have to give

**Formerly known as MissJen316**

thenobletuckylife · ‎11-01-2017

Hi Jen,

I am not a spring chicken...I'm not even a roo...lol...but do think being 57 gives me a couple of decades of background here.

I have NEVER heard of anyone buying necessities on layaway...luxuries, yes...but not food etc.

Some folks have a moving scale on what a luxury is...I tend to think that food...basic no name branded clothing/goodwill etc...basic utilities and rent are a universal standard of necessities...I don't consider a fancy smart phone or cable tv one of them.

I am not saying there is no place for layaway...but I do think we must we careful to argue on it's merits.

It's for folks who most likely would like/enjoy something that is something they probably could live without. Even Christmas...as nice as it can be...is not a necessity.

Ok...running for cover.

Mr C

emerald40 · ‎11-01-2017

@reallynicestamps wrote:
@emerald40

I work a Christmas job. I cannot tell you how many parents are so greatful that they can put a little money down each week, and then collect the toys they put away. So many could not afford to do it otherwise.

Well, I'm going to be judgey here.
If those families are not credit worthy enough to get a credit card, which would allow them to pay off the debt when they can, I'm not sure an eBay seller can afford to sell to them.

I had to think to remember how Christmas Clubs worked-- all the way back to my teens working at Woolworths circa 1959-- but saving up a few dollars a week does seem more sensible if the family is not credit-worthy.

____________________________________________________________________

But what would a seller lose if the person could not keep making payments and pay the item off?

He gets to keep all the payments made and still has the item in his possession.

Yes he is tying it up, but that is why sellers do it with items they have multiples of.

emerald40 · ‎11-01-2017

@thenobletuckylife wrote:
Hi Jen,

I am not a spring chicken...I'm not even a roo...lol...but do think being 57 gives me a couple of decades of background here.

I have NEVER heard of anyone buying necessities on layaway...luxuries, yes...but not food etc.

Some folks have a moving scale on what a luxury is...I tend to think that food...basic no name branded clothing/goodwill etc...basic utilities and rent are a universal standard of necessities...I don't consider a fancy smart phone or cable tv one of them.

I am not saying there is no place for layaway...but I do think we must we careful to argue on it's merits.

It's for folks who most likely would like/enjoy something that is something they probably could live without. Even Christmas...as nice as it can be...is not a necessity.

Ok...running for cover.

Mr C

Did you say something Sonny. (I got you by one year).

thenobletuckylife · ‎11-01-2017

Ow...ow...ow...not so hard...yes mam...yes...I promise I won't do it again!

Mr C

emerald40 · ‎11-01-2017

It's for folks who most likely would like/enjoy something that is something they probably could live without. Even Christmas...as nice as it can be...is not a necessity.

_________________________________________________

Just to be clear, 95% of the layaway I see is for gifts for their children.

missjen831 · ‎11-01-2017

Hey Mr C! I had never heard of that either but I actually witnessed it at Walmart last Christmas! At my local store the layaway counter is at the the "site to store pickup" counter and I had gone in to pick up a site to store order and while I was waiting for my order to be brought out, a woman was putting a cart full of household goods on layaway! I was actually shocked, I didn't think you could put zip block bags and 409 on layaway LOL! She had a few food items IIRC (liked boxed goods), some cleaning supplies and a blanket and I think a few shirts. But as far as what I said about the sale price, I think people for it on electronics and toys that go on sale around Black Friday, they put it on layaway to get the sale price & pay for it when they have the money 🙂

One life is all we have to live
Love is all we have to give

**Formerly known as MissJen316**