Walmart Starting Holiday Layaway Early Again So It Can Sell More ‘Star Wars’ Stuff

Image courtesy of Mike Mozart

You want Star Wars merchandise this holiday season? Walmart has Star Wars stuff, which is the entire reason the retailer is kicking off its holiday layaway program a full two weeks early for the second year in a row.

The move comes as Walmart is anticipating a surge in demand linked to the next in Disney’s franchise of Star War movies coming out in December, anthology spinoff Rogue One. The company saw strong toy sales tied to Star Wars products last year, so it makes sense.

“We have seen some really great momentum (in toy sales) from the day after Christmas through the spring season and we don’t expect that to change,” Anne Marie Kehoe, Wal-Mart’s vice president of toys, said on a conference call reported by Fortune, adding that she expects Star Wars to be a hit again this year.

The layaway program will open up on Sept. 2, and just like last year, customers can pay as little as $10 to hold items worth a minimum of $50. Last year marked the first time Walmart reduced the price for individual eligible items to $10 from $15.

Walmart Plans Early Layaway Program to Catch ‘Star Wars’ Holiday Boost [Fortune]

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