# Layaway Fundamentals

Understand how layaway supports traditional item reservation, deposits, installment plans, preorders, and prepaid sales.

# What Is Layaway?

**Navigation:** Register → Layaway.

Layaway records a customer’s planned purchase, payments, remaining balance, due date, and fulfillment status. It lets the store collect a deposit or a series of payments before completing delivery.

## Why it helps

- Turn customer interest into a documented commitment.
- Make higher-priced products easier to purchase over time.
- Keep every payment, balance, statement, and receipt together.
- Offer preorders or prepaid sales for merchandise that arrives later.

Use your store policy to explain deposits, deadlines, cancellation fees, refunds, and when merchandise becomes reserved.

# Use Layaway for Reservations or Prepaid Sales

**Navigation:** Register → Layaway.

## Traditional reservation

Use layaway when the store intends to hold merchandise for one customer while payments are collected. For serialized products, your settings determine whether a serial number is locked early or remains editable until fulfillment.

## Prepaid sale or preorder

Use layaway to accept money for a product that will be supplied later—for example, a newly announced phone. You can document the customer, product, amount paid, and balance without unnecessarily locking a current serial number. When stock arrives and payment requirements are met, confirm the actual item and complete delivery.

This flexibility helps the store secure the sale while keeping inventory available for normal selling.

# When Should You Use Layaway?

**Navigation:** Register → Layaway.

Layaway is useful when a customer wants an item but will pay over time, wants to preorder an upcoming product, wants to make a deposit today, or wants a clear receipt for a prepaid purchase.

## Before starting

1. Explain whether merchandise will be reserved.
2. Explain the minimum deposit and due date.
3. Explain the cancellation policy and any fee.
4. Confirm when the customer may take possession.
5. For serialized merchandise, decide whether the serial must be assigned now or at delivery.

# Understand Inventory and Serial Number Reservation

**Navigation:** Register → Layaway.

Serialized merchandise needs special care because each physical unit has its own serial number or IMEI.

- **Locked serial:** Use this when a specific unit should remain committed to the layaway.
- **Editable serial:** Use this for flexible fulfillment, preorders, or prepaid sales when the final unit will be chosen later.

Before delivery, confirm that every serialized quantity has a valid serial number. If multiple units are required, enter every required serial as prompted. Never promise a specific unit unless it is actually reserved.