Sign "O" the Times

Sheesh:

With 120-plus shopping days left, stores are already talking up their holiday offers.

Toys R Us announced Wednesday that it would expand its price-match guarantee to include online retailers including Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Target.com and BestBuy.com, among others. The aim, according to the release, “Removing any doubt before holiday shopping begins in earnest that customers are receiving the best available prices.”

Also on Wednesday, Walmart announced it will drop the $5 fee it charged shoppers in previous years to open a layaway account. Shoppers can begin putting eligible items on layaway for the holidays on Sept. 13, with the retailer’s Facebook fans gaining access two days earlier.

If this means they start playing the music any earlier, I might have to kill somebody. With a spork.

More seriously, I’m not sure if these moves are due to the state of the economy, or if brick & mortar retailers are looking new ways to stave off online sellers like Amazon.