Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers, in plain English. Can’t find yours? Contact us — a real person will reply.
Getting Started
What is layaway? How does it work?
What is layaway? How does it work?
Layaway is the original way to buy now and pay slowly. Pick what you want (orders up to $3,500) and make your first payment when you place your order. Then $25 a week comes out on your payday, starting next week. When your plan is paid off, we order your item brand-new and ship it to you free.
No interest, no credit check. No debt, ever. The price you see is the total you’ll ever pay.
Do I need to be approved?
Do I need to be approved?
There’s nothing to be approved for — layaway isn’t credit. You need to be 18 or older, have a US shipping address we deliver to, and a card to pay with. That’s it. No credit check, no application, no SSN.
Is this credit? Will it affect my credit score?
Is this credit? Will it affect my credit score?
No. Layaway isn’t credit — you’re paying ahead, not borrowing. There’s no credit check, no interest, and no debt.
We never report anything to credit bureaus, so your plan won’t show up on your credit report or change your FICO score — not when you start, not if you miss a payment, not ever.
Which states do you serve?
Which states do you serve?
Right now we’re open in five states: Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Kentucky and Arkansas. Your billing address and delivery address both need to be in one of them. More states are coming.
Do I pay anything today?
Do I pay anything today?
Just your first payment: the amount you picked for one week ($15, $25 or $50), or double that if you pay every two weeks. It counts toward the price — there’s nothing extra. The rest comes out on your payday, starting next week, or the week after next if you pay every two weeks.
Payments
When is my first payment?
When is my first payment?
Today, when you place your order. After that, payments come out on the same day of the week as your first one, starting a week later, or two weeks later if you pay every two weeks.
What if I miss a payment?
What if I miss a payment?
Life happens. If you can see it coming, change the plan first — see the next question. If it happens anyway: Nothing goes to collections and nothing touches your credit report — there is no credit reporting on a layaway plan at all.
If a payment fails we’ll email you and retry it automatically. If it finally fails, that installment is marked missed — there is no fee either way. Your plan stays open and we pick up again at your next payment.
If money is tight, don’t wait for it to fail: in your account you can lower your payment, move it to a different day, or skip one payment and start again next time.
Those fees are only ever taken out of money you have already paid. They can never leave you owing us anything, and if you cancel we settle them against your refund before the cancellation fee.
What if money is tight for a couple of weeks?
What if money is tight for a couple of weeks?
Change the plan before the payment day. In your account you can lower your payment (your plan finishes a little later), move it to a different day, or skip one payment and restart next time. None of that costs a fee. If a payment does fail we may retry it at no charge, nothing goes to collections and nothing touches your credit — and a real person will help you reset the plan.
Can I pay off my plan early?
Can I pay off my plan early?
Yes — anytime, and it’s free. There’s no fee or penalty for finishing early. The sooner you pay off your plan, the sooner we order and ship your item.
Can I pay more to get my item sooner?
Can I pay more to get my item sooner?
Yes. Raise your weekly amount in your account and your finish date moves closer — up to $500 a payment online. You can also pay the rest of a plan off in one go from the same place, up to $2,000 on a card. It ships as soon as the plan is paid off either way, so "sooner" always means paid off sooner.
How do charges show up on my card statement?
How do charges show up on my card statement?
Every charge from us appears on your statement as LAYAWAYUS* followed by a short reference.
If you see a charge you don’t recognize, please contact us before disputing it with your bank — a real person will sort it out fast, usually much faster than a bank dispute.
Can the price change during my plan?
Can the price change during my plan?
No. Your price is locked the day you start. We never raise it mid-plan, and we never swap in a cheaper version of your item. The total you agreed to is the total you’ll pay — even if the item’s price goes up in the meantime.
What cards can I use?
What cards can I use?
Most US debit and credit cards, and you can also pay with Apple Pay or Google Pay. Prepaid cards aren’t supported for payment plans.
Payments are secured by Stripe — we never see or store your card number.
Is there any interest or hidden fees?
Is there any interest or hidden fees?
No interest, ever. No account fees, no application fees, and nothing added to the sticker price — the price you see is the total you pay.
There is one, and you can avoid it. If you cancel, a cancellation fee applies: 15% of the total purchase price, capped at $150. A failed payment costs you nothing — there is no failed-payment fee.
The cancellation fee comes out of money you have already paid — never more than that, so a plan can never leave you owing us anything.
Delivery
When do I get my item?
When do I get my item?
After your final payment — that’s the layaway deal: pay first, then it ships. Once your plan is paid off, we order your item brand-new and ship it free. You’ll get tracking as soon as it’s on the way, and the exact timeframe is set out in your agreement.
If we’re ever running late, we’ll tell you right away and give you a choice: a new delivery date, or a full refund.
Is my item sitting in a warehouse?
Is my item sitting in a warehouse?
No — and we won’t pretend it is. We order your item brand-new from our suppliers after your final payment. That’s part of how layaway keeps the price at sticker: we don’t pay to warehouse things for months, so you don’t either. You always get a brand-new item, ordered just for you.
What if my item becomes unavailable?
What if my item becomes unavailable?
If we can’t get your exact item when your plan pays off, we’ll offer you a substitute in writing — the same item, a same-brand equivalent, or a newer same-brand model, always of equal or greater value at no extra cost:
- accept it in writing — silence never counts as a yes — or
- decline it in writing for a full refund of every dollar you’ve paid — no cancellation fee.
How much is shipping?
How much is shipping?
Free. When your plan is paid off, we ship your item at no cost to you.
Changes & Cancellations
Can I cancel? What does it cost?
Can I cancel? What does it cost?
Yes — cancel anytime, for any reason. Email contact@laybyusa.com with your order number and our team will take care of it.
Before you do, it’s worth knowing you can also take a break — skip one payment and restart the next one — or lower your payment, both in your account. Most people who are having a tight month find something that works and keep their items.
Cancel anytime before dispatch. The fee is 15% of the total purchase price, capped at $150 — never more than you have paid, and only taken from payments already made. For example: on an $800 plan the fee is $120, so if you’ve paid $300 in, $180 goes back to your card. If you’ve only paid $50, the fee is limited to that $50 — nothing comes back, but you owe nothing further. And whatever your plan’s total, the fee never goes above $150.
How are refunds paid?
How are refunds paid?
Back to the payment method you paid with. We issue it within 7 business days.
Can I change my payment schedule?
Can I change my payment schedule?
Yes — and you don't need to ask us. Sign in to your account and you can raise or lower your payment, move it to Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, or switch between weekly, every two weeks and every four. Changes are free and take effect from your next payment: make them before it's due. A couple of changes a month is plenty — if you need more, message us and a real person will sort it.
Need a breather instead? Skip one payment and pick up next time, once every three months. Your payment stays the same and your plan just finishes one period later.
Can I change the item mid-plan?
Can I change the item mid-plan?
No — a layaway plan is for the exact item you picked, at the price you locked. If it is no longer right for you, you can cancel by emailing contact@laybyusa.com, and start a fresh plan on what you do want.