Sold out online, but I came across one last pair in the cabinet at a regional Kmart, and obviously I bought them at that price. Mentioning it here in case any one else might have similar luck.
They're the 2023 version. Seem to be all legit.
I remember busy Lay By counters in the 90s nostalgically, but the point of them always confused me.
I can see the appeal of modern Buy Now Pay Later - you get the item straight away and pay it off... It's just saving in reverse. But with Lay Bys you don't get the item until the end, which seems no better than normal saving (with added humiliation as you make payments in person).
Was it really just for fear of items going out of stock? Maybe that was a more pressing concern before online shopping existed.