As consumers continue to adjust their payment patterns in the wake of the Great Recession, major retailers' layaway programs appear to be gaining new traction during the 2012 holiday shopping season. Programs are attracting consumer interest beyond the demographic segments traditionally associated with layaway. The much-discussed "new frugality" of post recession consumers suggests that delayed purchasing gratification is not just a required virtue for some consumers; it may have new acceptability as a credit alternative.
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