Sears is allowing people to put vacations on layaway now!?
By JenInTN
@JenInTN (27514)
United States
July 2, 2012 5:57pm CST
I saw on the news today that Sears is now allowing people to put a vacation in layaway. I have to say that I would have never thought that Sears would come up with something like that. I knew that they had been trying new business ventures for quite some time now...buying Kmart, but this really surprised me. A department store where a person can layaway a vacation..wow.
I knew it had been an option with traveling agencies to let people make payments on a vacation but Sears? Very interesting I thought. Now this might be good for them, but it does have the potential of cutting in to the business of traveling agencies and other vacation planners.
What do you think about Sears offering vacation layaway? Would it be something that you considered over a travel agency? I went to the site and they want you to register. It reminded me of a travelocity or Expedia site.
5 people like this
9 responses
@PageTurner (2825)
• United States
3 Jul 12
Hello JenInTN
I had never considered this and I give kudos to Sears for trying something like this. I guess they're willing to try anything to keep from going under. I read at the beginning of this year that Sears was one company that wouldn't be around at the end of the year. I guess they're really putting up a fight.
I wonder if this Lay Away on vacations will open up the very idea of taking a vacation to people who ordinarily haven't been able to benefit from a payment plan at travel agencies? Or who hadn't before considered it?
Peace
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
3 Jul 12
Hi PageTurner! It certainly does seem that they are putting up a good fight. I guess in these times that creativity is key for suffering businesses.
I bet it would, in many ways, give people ideas and/or options that they didn't have before. There are a surprising amount of people that don't realize travel agencies offer payment plans for vacations.
Thanks for responding!
1 person likes this
@PageTurner (2825)
• United States
3 Jul 12
Exactly. It may open up whole new worlds for people who never before even considered the idea of taking a vacation.
@Jshean20 (14347)
• Canada
27 Jul 12
I'm glad I came across this, I hadn't heard anything about this until now. Very unique and probably a good idea for business. At this stage in my life I don't have a lot of travel opportunities but I'm glad that I have this knowledge now. Wonder if any of the other "big guys" will follow in these footsteps.
1 person likes this
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
27 Jul 12
It is a very interesting business move. They are really expanding their horizons. It was one of the last things I expected to see from a department store. Very creative. I know they have struggled for a while now. I don't know if this will help them, but it might. We'll see about the other "big guys"..lol.
Thanks for responding!
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
18 Jul 12
Most travel agencies will allow you to do a savings account type program and the cost of the trip may increase, with the conventional layaway program you pay the going rate now and pay it off before you take the trip but the price stays the same.
Sears may have something here.
1 person likes this
@sid556 (30953)
• United States
5 Jul 12
Well now that's different. I am one that didn't even know travel agencies offered such a plan. I haven't been on a vacation in so long now that I honestly just would not know about these things. I think it's really creative thinking on their part but maybe I'm missing something...I don't see the point. If I were to save and wanted to save for a vacation, I'd just open a separate bank account and deposit money into it. It'd be my own vacation plan and I'd be getting interest on it and no limit to when it had to be paid off. And what's in this for Sears? Surely they must be getting some sort of interest or something??
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
5 Jul 12
I am sure they are making money from the packages. The site looked just like an Expedia or Travelocity. The way they work is they buy up a huge amount of rooms. tickets, whatever at once that gives them a discounted price and although they sell them to customers at a discount, it is more than what they paid for it.
Some people like to let go of the planning and just go. I think that is why they leave it up to travel agencies. I am one that prefers to plan my own vacations too though.
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
5 Jul 12
How interesting. I did not know about this and I am rather surprised that Sears would venture into this area of income. I guess it could be a major help to someone who really wanted a vacation but could not afford what other agencies offered. I will have to check it out.
@KrauseHome (36445)
• United States
12 Apr 13
Well, here it is quite a few months since you started this discussion and I am thinking if they are still offering this, then why have I or others never really heard about this. What travel agency are they working with, and personally this sounds like too much they really need to be taking on. But I guess it is a great thought though.
@TLilly12 (1229)
• United States
28 Mar 13
Wow that is different putting a vacation, on layaway would would have thought of something like that before, people can thing of some interesting things, to earn money, what will they think of next.
