Let the 2012 Holiday Toy War Begin

Toys"R"Us has announced a new "Hot Toy Reservation" program that will allow shoppers to hold up to 50 items from the Toys R Us Hot Toy List which should be out this week. According to reports, the service is free of charge, but a 20% down payment will be required on each item placed on hold.

The service is designed to help shoppers get the toys that they must have for Christmas. It will be available in Toys"R"Us stores nationwide and all 50 hot toys - whether the items are in-stock at a local store or not - will be eligible for reservation.

To take advantage of Hot Toy Reservation, customers will need to go to the customer service desk at their local Toys"R"Us store to place their orders with a 20% down payment. The service will be available through October 31, 2012.

Toys"R"Us has also announced that service fees on layaway purchases created before Halloween will be waived.

For online shoppers, Toys"R"Us is planning on having dedicated kiosks set up throughout their stores to expedite the retrieval of packages when people use their free "Ship to Store" option.

Walmart Strikes Back

Not to be outdone, Walmart has released its Top 20 Toys List of 2012, featuring FURBYS, LeapPads, and 18 other toys.

1. FURBY
2. Leapfrog LeapPad 2
3. VTech InnoTab Learning App Tablet
4. Little Tikes iTikes Map
5. Playskool Rocktivity Walk 'N Roll Rider
6. Monopoly Millionaires
7. Nerf N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster
8. Beyblade Destroyer Dome Play Set
9. Hot Wheels Terrain Twister R/C Vehicle
10. Air Hogs Hover Assault Radio-Controlled Helicopter
11. Fisher-Price Imaginext Eagle Talon Castle Play Set
12. Power Wheels Dune Racer 12-Volt Battery-Powered Ride-on
13. Lalaloopsy Silly Hair Star Melody B. Sharp Interactive Doll
14. Monster High High School Playset
15. Little People Disney Princess Songs Palace Play Set
16. Baby Alive Baby Wanna Walk Doll
17. Barbie Sisters Cruise Ship
18. Holiday Barbie 2012 Doll
19. Novi Stars Dolls
20. Razor Pocket Mod Electric Scooter

All of Walmart's Top Toy picks are currently available at Walmart stores and can be placed on layaway. If a customer puts a toy on layaway and Walmart rolls back the price later in the season, Walmart will honor the rolled-back price if it is in effect at the time of final payment. They will also match competitor pricing during checkout for layaway products through its ad-match policy.

Online shoppers can take advantage of free shipping with "Site to Store" shipping on top toys and more. Customers can also use Walmart.com's "Pay with Cash" service to purchase items online and pay for the orders at their local Walmart store.

Related:
Stores With Layaway Plans
How Does Layaway Work?
Walmart's Ad-Match Policy

Photo Credit: Walmart