A Walmart in New Jersey had over $49,000 in layaway orders outstanding this Christmas season. For anyone unaware with the process, a layaway order is essentially structured the opposite way a typical purchase on credit works. Instead of purchasing the item then gradually paying it off, layaway customers pay in installments and don’t receive the item until it’s completely paid for. As payments are made, the item is held in storage (guaranteeing that it’ll be in stock once it’s paid off).
While it may seem confusing (or downright pointless) to many, it’s common among those who generally have lower incomes and less access to credit, and that’s why when an anonymous man paid off the entire layaway balance it was a miracle for those customers. According to KHOU, customers at the New Jersey Walmart with items on layaway received an early Christmas gift of their own thanks to a Secret Santa.
The man, who store manager Rosie Kaur said wishes not to be identified, paid off $49,000 worth of layaway merchandise for 223 people on Saturday.
The community immediately suspected that MLB star Mike Trout (a local) as the anonymous donor, but Kauer denied that claim. “Only me, I’m the only one who knows,” Kaur said of the man’s identity. “He’s a local businessman, a very nice person. The customers were so grateful that someone wanted to do that.”
As for the beneficiaries; Kimberly Green, 52, started with a $1,100 layaway order and had the remaining $713 covered. “It’s the nicest thing that’s ever happened to me,” Green said. “You see all these stories like this, and you don’t expect it to happen in Vineland or Millville. It’s just really uplifting.”
Green’s daughter said that this act of kindness has been the talk of the town since occurring. “People were coming in to cancel their layaways and come to find out it was paid off for them,” Jenkins said. “Another customer called to see if we could hold the layaway a couple days longer because they didn’t get their paycheck yet, and we were able to let them know it was paid off and to come and pick it up.”
Can you imagine being one of those who was ready to cancel their order only to find it’s been paid? Merry Christmas!
