Many parents struggle every year with being able to fork out the ever-increasingly expensive Christmas presents for their kids. For some, it's set to get a whole lot tougher.

Parents are far from happy. In fact, they are livid. Target’s Annual Greatest Toy Sale on Earth is no more.

Every winter, mums and dads buy up big six months in advance to fill their kids’ Santa stockings in an affordable way.

How? By purchasing the toys on good old fashioned lay-by. Because as we all know – toys are not cheap and Christmas seriously stings the hip pocket.

To add that that sting, Target has announced that this much-loved extended Christmas lay-by, which thousands of parents use as their lifeline each year, will no longer be available six months in advance.

Instead, there will be a “Toy Event” with a “different look” – get it? Nope, either do we ...

Neither do their regular customers who are so furious by the axing of the popular annual sale that they are taking their business elsewhere.

The general consensus is “no layby, no purchase” among irate parents who have bombarded Target’s Facebook page to express their disgust at the controversial decision.

What Target could tell us is that there will be Toy Event which will take place in July.

When? This, they could not reveal as yet.

Target promises to offer the following at the July event:

More than 550 Toys available at our low prices

Launching over 115 NEW toys at everyday low prices

We are showcasing over 140 EXCLUSIVE to Target toys at low prices

We will also be having our price match guarantee as always

However, what they will not offer customers is the one thing they really need: more than the standard eight week lay-by.

And, yes the name of the sale will be changed - maybe the word "greatest" might be taken out, perhaps?

But wait, we have a Mid Year Clearance catalogue!

Five days ago, one woman asked Target on its Facebook page for “clarity here about rumours that are flying around about target not doing the biggest toy sale in the world anymore.”

Target was far from forthcoming with their response.

“At this stage we don't have any information to offer on possible upcoming promotions. However, we do have some incredible bargains currently available as a part of our Mid Year Clearance catalogue."

And then Target ever so kindly linked to the online catalogue for the lady to peruse at her leisure.

*crickets*

The woman was having none of it and pushed further until Target finally admitted yesterday that the epic sale that was - is no more.

“We can now confirm our toy sale will run a little differently this year. We will no longer offer an extended Christmas lay-by but we can assure you, with exciting products on the horizon and everyday low prices, you won’t be disappointed.”

Pretty sure regular Target shoppers would beg to differ.

Customers say they will no longer shop at Target after the six month lay-by has been axed.

Customers vow to shop elsewhere

“That's a shame coz I was always doin my Xmas shopping with the extended Christmas layby it helped take the stress away u have now lost a customer," wrote one irate customer.

Another mum lashed out and also told them straight:

“You are going to lose out big time from stopping the biggest toy sale in July .... A lot of customers ain't going to be happy and are going to go elsewhere all I can say is BIG BIG MISTAKE on ur behalf ..”

Somehow we think Target’s upbeat response fell on deaf ears…

“We are still having a Toy Event and we will be offering our everyday low prices on our new and exclusive toys! Don’t forget we will also be offering a price guarantee on toys right up until Christmas!”

Then another incredulous customer chimed in.

“So you are having toy event but no layby to Christmas? What is point of that?”

"You’ll find great prices on our toys every day!”

However, Target continued to attempt to keep spreading their early Christmas cheer.

“Hi Cheryl, we're excited to offer some fantastic new and exclusive toys! If you like to plan ahead for Christmas with items on lay-by, we recommend you place a lay-by closer to Christmas – you’ll find great prices on our toys every day!”

You can always tell when a company is sweating because they really bust out the exclamation marks!

Like Cheryl said – what is the point?

Customers can’t understand asking why Target didn’t run a customer survey before pulling the lay-by.

“Would have been handy to review customer feedback on this before you actually made this decision like an online vote on Facebook or something. Bit late to review customer feedback now when the decision has been made. I couldn't care about your low prices all year round. I'd pay full price without a sale if I could layby for 6 months and I bet a lot of others would to.”

Will as many kids be receiving their presents from Target this Christmas?

Final outraged rant

There are endless comments I could choose from to wrap up the article but I thought would leave the final piece of rage to (quite probably former) Target fan Kelly Whitehead:

“I AM GOING TO HAVE A MAJOR RANT HERE, not just for me but on behalf of everyone. Target- I honestly cannot believe you have shot yourselves in the foot by not doing the Christmas laybys anymore. I really hope you reconsider this. I have read a lot of your replies to other people's comments on this post and it seems you made a bad decision. You will lose a lot of customers over this.”

Target responded saying that there were “a lot of different factors were considered when making this decision and we’re saddened to hear the removal of layby has disappointed you.”

Disappointed is an understatement. For every customer who has expressed their “disappointment” about the canning of the extended lay-by on social media – there would be thousands of others feeling exactly the same way.

So much for the store aimed at the "everyday" person with their“everyday” prices.