Walmart is scrapping layaway; here’s what’s replacing it

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (WJW) — Planning your holiday shopping and how you’ll finance it?

Walmart announced on Friday that the company is scrapping its layaway plan just before the holiday shopping season and instead switching to a buy now, pay later plan in partnership with lending company Affirm.

The company says this alternative to layaway allows you to purchase products immediately and pay over time. 

“We’ve learned a lot in the past year as our customers’ needs and shopping habits have changed,” a representative for the store said in a statement. “Last holiday season, we removed seasonal layaway from most of our stores with the exception of select jewelry items at select stores, and based on what we learned, we are confident that our payment options provide the right solutions for our customers.”

Eligible categories include electronics, toys and home; while some ineligible items are alcohol, gasoline and pet supplies. For a complete list of categories, click here.

How long do you have to pay it off?

It depends on what’s in your cart: For cart totals between $144–$799.99, you may be able to finance your purchases over 3, 6, or 12 months. For carts between $800–$2,000 you may be able to finance your purchases over 12, 18, or 24 months. All payment options are subject to eligibility.

Where can you make payments?

You can make or schedule payments at affirm.com or in the Affirm app for iOS or Android.

Zero-percent APR is currently available for only certain Walmart.com products and for a limited time as part of promotional financing. For other items, your APR rate will be between 10% and 30%, depending on your credit, and will show up when you check out with Affirm.

Customers will also have the Capital One® Walmart Rewards® Card option, which offers 5% cash back at for online purchases and 2% cash back in stores.