Long after most mainstream department stores eliminated layaway plans, Wal-Mart continued to offer the service, which appeals mainly to consumers who either don’t have credit cards or already are carrying high credit card debt. But that ended last year when Wal-Mart eliminated the layaway program, leaving many customers seething about the change — and fretting about what to do this holiday season.

The move is especially jarring to some families because it has come amid other changes Wal-Mart has made, including cutting back on fabric departments and stocking more trendy clothes, as the discounting titan tries to appeal to a broader swath of shoppers, including more upscale consumers. Those changes, some longtime shoppers say, has made them feel like the store is less interested in catering to its traditional and loyal market of family shoppers on tight budgets.

[Read](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20481508/ “Read the Story”) (MSNBC)