Walmart Layaway is simply an agreement between a customer and Walmart store to reserve a product before they’ve fully paid for it.
Basically, customers will give a down payment for the item, while Walmart stores will hold the item until it is fully paid for.
Immediately the payment is completed, items are being handed over to the customer. There are no hidden fees or interest fees added to the price of the item, but, sometimes, service fees and cancellation fees are involved.
Close to the 2021 holiday shopping season, Walmart announced that it would be ditching the Walmart Layaway plans for another shopping plan to further ease the burden on its customers. That change has stuck ever since, and Walmart’s buy now, pay later partner has itself changed since then too (more on that below).
Is Walmart Layaway back yet, or is Walmart still sticking with its alternative? Find out in the article below.
Is Walmart Layaway Back?
No! Walmart has replaced its Layaway program with the buy now, pay later financing service, and that’s stayed the case since. So, the retail giant won’t be having layaway this holiday.
The buy now, pay later alternative has itself changed hands, though: Walmart originally partnered with Affirm for this, but as of 2025, Klarna became Walmart’s exclusive buy now, pay later partner. The general idea below (financing eligible purchases in installments) still applies, but exact terms, eligible purchase ranges, and APRs should be confirmed directly through Walmart or Klarna rather than assumed from older Affirm-specific figures.
Only eligible Items can be purchased using the Affirm financing service.
It is also not certain whether Walmart will bring back the Layaway program in future. So, customers have to opt for the alternative provided by Walmart to finance purchases.
Why did Walmart End its Layaway Program?
Walmart simply scrapped out its Layaway program in order to embrace the buy now, pay later financing service.
Also, there was a decline in use, and costs of products were increasing.
However, the buy now, pay later financing platform which comprises of; Affirm AfterPay. Klarna, Quadpay, PayPal, zip etc, helps customers who are eligible to finance purchases at Walmart on installment for a specific period of time.
However, some customers complained the new payment platforms have hidden fees and APR interest attached to payment and won’t favor many because of credit scores limits.
But, the buy now, pay later platform still remains the only alternative in financing purchase on installment at Walmart.
When will Walmart Layaway be Revived?
Unfortunately, it is not certain whether Walmart will revive its Layaway program.
Walmart is currently partnering with Affirm as it replaces its Layaway program in 2019. The buy now, and pay later platform allows customers to take their products home while still paying for it.
Although Affirm attracts some interest rate and APR fees unlike the layaway, only eligible customers can make use of Affirm if they pass certain criteria.
Are all Customers Eligible for the Buy Now, Pay Later Alternative?
No, not everyone is eligible. Those who are eligible have to be creditworthy and meet a certain credit score.
Though the approval criteria varies, likewise the payment plan.
Learn more about the buy now, and pay later financing services.
Why Ditch Walmart Layaway for Affirm?
Affirm is a company specialized in giving out loans to users or customers of online merchants interested in buying goods or services delivered by online retailers like Walmart and allowing them to pay off their purchases over a fixed period.
Its major benefits are that it allows customers to go home with their purchases unlike Walmart Layaway and does not charge any hidden fees on customers like prepayment fees, service fees, late payment fees, or any fee that other companies charge while its disadvantage, when compared with Walmart Layaway, is that not all customers are eligible for the loan and customers also pay interest on the loans granted to them by Affirm.
Other disadvantages are that customers’ credit scores may be reduced if they pay late or fail to pay up their purchases in time and the loan of a creditworthy customer may not be approved if the customer’s bank is not connected to Affirm.
How to Finance Your Purchases With Affirm (Note: Now Klarna)
The breakdown below reflects how the buy now, pay later alternative worked back when Affirm was Walmart’s partner. Since Klarna has taken over that role as of 2025, the specific dollar thresholds, APR ranges, and eligible-item categories below may no longer match exactly, though the general concept (financing eligible purchases over a set number of installments) still holds. Check Walmart or Klarna directly for current specifics.
Walmart customers who wish to utilize the buy now pay later alternative need not be worried as it is easy to finance their purchase. It can be accessed both online and in-store which means that customers do not have to be physically present at the store to finance their purchases.
Customers who wish to use Affirm must purchase items that range from $144 to $2000. In addition, not all items are eligible for purchase like Walmart Layaway where wireless phones are not eligible for layaway and also there may be APR (Annual Pay Rate) on purchases which are between 10 to 30%. A list of eligible and ineligible items has been provided below:
| S/N | Eligible Items | Ineligible Items |
| 1. | Electronics like laptops, phones, TVs, etc. | Alcohol. |
| 2. | Video games. | Baby Consumables. |
| 3. | Toys. | Gasoline. |
| 4. | Home such as mattress, furniture, etc. | Groceries and food |
| 5. | Musical Instruments. | Merchandise at the register. |
| 6. | Home Improvement. | Miscellaneous supplies. |
| 7. | Auto. | Money services. |
| 8. | Tools. | Personal care. |
| 9. | Baby. | Pet supplies. |
| 10. | Arts and Crafts. | Pharmacy. |
| 11. | Sport and outdoor. | Health and wellness. |
| 12. | Jewelry. | Temporarily specialty items. |
| 13. | Apparel. | Tobacco. |
| 14. | Weapons, ammunition, air guns, gun accessories, & hunting supplies. | |
| 15. | Wireless service plans. | |
| 16. | 1-hour photo. |
Note: Walmart stated that the categories are non-comprehensive and subject to change without notice. Also, to fund any finance ineligible item, an alternative form of payment must be provided.
Conditions Attached to Financing Purchases with Affirm
After knowing the eligible and ineligible items that you can purchase on Affirm, it is imperative to know how to finance purchases with Affirm, but before that, there are some conditions customers who wish to use the Affirm platform for purchase must know:
Not all customers qualify for the Affirm buy now, pay later alternative. Customers eligible for the Affirm loan must be creditworthy and have enough credit scores before they can be considered.
There is an interest rate of 10-30% APR depending on the credit score of the customer.
Also, 0% APR is available on select products shipped and sold by Walmart for a limited time for those who qualify.
Payment will be made monthly for 3 to 24 months.
Customers with purchases between $144 to $799.99 will have the option to finance their purchase over 3, 6, or 12 months while customers whose purchases fall between $800 and $2,000 will be able to finance them over 12, 18, or 24 months.
Down payment may be required by the lender Affirm connects the customer to.
FAQs
Final Thoughts
Although some Walmart customers are not pleased with the alternative to Walmart Layaway Walmart provided; most especially the low-income families and individuals who do not qualify for the buy now, pay later alternative, all hopes are not lost because this is not the first time Walmart canceled Layaway.
Walmart Layaway was available all year round before it was phased out in 2006 for the reason that there was a decline in use and costs of products were increasing. Fortunately, Walmart brought layaway back in 2011 for the holiday period before it was canceled again 10 years after it was brought back.
Hopefully, Walmart will bring back layaway to its customers at some point, but as of 2026, there’s still no indication that’s happening any time soon.
