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BBB publishes warning:

ab9\1t layaway plans
"

Better Business Bureau Online retailers post

of l\1ississippi items for sale and con­
Ridgeland, MS ~ With sumers make their selec­
the advent of online lay­ tions.
away plans, ,..the Betler Online layaway firms
Business Bureau (BBB) allow consumerS to set up a
Serving Mississippi urges payment plan to cover the
consumers to be cautious cost of the purchase,
when agreeing to buy any­ Consumers make agreed
tbing on a layaway plan. upon payments to the lay­
There are currently two awayfums.
, types of layaway plans: Upon payment in full.
Traditional layaway the layaway company sends
plans allow consumers to the money to the retailer
buy merchandise by mak­ and has the retailer ship
ing regular installment pay­ purcbased items directly to ,
ments to retailers and then consumers.
receiving the merchandise BBB tips to consider
only when full payment is before agreeing to a lay­
made. away plan: :
'(:ontemporarf layaway Understand the terrni of :
plans involve a layaway the plan. Know about time '
company to act as middle­ allowed to make payments,
man between the consumer minimum payment require­
and the retailer. These com­ ments, any service fees and
panies collect payments penalties for late or missed
from consumers for retail­ payments.
ers and then have purchased Review the cancellation
items delivered upon full options, Is any refund avail­
payment. able (full or partial)? Are
"Online layaway ser­ there cancellation. fees?
vices have the Same basic How are refunds paid?
structure, although they Reputation of the busi­
may actually operate differ­ ness, Online companies can
ently." said Bill Moak, be more difficult to evalu­
President/CEO of the Ws­ ate than real-life ones,
sissippi BBB. "Nowadays, Check them out with the
you can pay for anything B B B online at
from furniture to vacations www.ms.bbb.org or by caIl­
to planned surgery with a ing the 24 Hom Automated
layaway program." Response Line (800-987­
Here is how online lay­ 8280),
aways are structured: