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Video Podcast Interview With Ben Pior, Premier Franchisee Form Garland Texas
There used to be seven independents in Garland, now there is only me, Rent-A-Center and and Aaron's. I wanted a franchise to get more control of my life. I thought about it for nearly five years before making the decision. I've opened up stores for other people, but you're more motivated when your own money is on the line...more

Video Podcast
Convention Coverage
Video Podcast Interview With Trooper Earle; Premier Convention Starts Today
Trooper Earle, founder, president and CEO of Premier Companies, believes strongly in blending rent-to-own and retail. "The typical rent-to-own store shuns retail. We do not," Earle said in an interview with RTO Online Sunday. View the video podcast interview with Trooper Earle...more

Who Was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
"If you want to be important—wonderful. If you want to be recognized—wonderful. If you want to be great—wonderful. But recognize that he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. That's a new definition of greatness." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr...more

Fortune Poll Shows 48 Percent of Americans Spending Less Than 12 Months Ago
According to a FORTUNE poll released today, 48% of Americans surveyed report spending less today than 12 months ago. Only slightly over one-quarter (28%) of Americans report spending more, while a similar amount (24%) report spending the same amount...more

Breaking
Florida's La Bamba Check Cashing Charged In $50 Million Currency Transaction Scheme; 12 Indicted for filing false CTRs
"The conduct charged in today's indictments is much more than a simple reporting violation. By hiding the true source of the more than $50 million, this conduct can help to facilitate criminal activities." - Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida...more

National Taxpayer Advocate To IRS Calls For Simplified Home Office Deduction
National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson, an autonomous advisor to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), chided policymakers who have been reserved in their support of a standard tax deduction for those operating a home office...more

CE Association President Shapiro Hammers CNN's Lou Dobbs' Slanted News
Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro last night took on CNN's Lou Dobbs and his anti-trade, protectionist positions during a live "debate" on the cable network's "Lou Dobbs Tonight."...more
 

Beemer - Many Retailers In Free Fall After Disappointing December
By Britt Beemer
Many of the nation's retailers took it on the chin over Christmas, and are now faced with the daunting task of how to lure customers back to their stores...more

Joe Dillon Joins Almo's Specialty Appliance Division As Southeast Regional Field Sales Manager
Almo Corporation, a leading supplier of consumer electronics and appliances to the rent to own channel, has appointed Joe Dillon as Regional Field Sales Manager for the Southeast territory for the company's Specialty Appliance Division...more
 

Premier Companies Convention Kicks Off Monday; Premier 2007 Year In Review
Since the 2007 convention in Miami, Premier has increased its staff, franchisee and store count, added one new division and partnered with Wheel Workz to streamline its custom wheel franchise offering. See Premier Companies 2007 Year in Review...more

Radio Rentals Expands Operation; Expects 50% Profit Increase
"The rental business is somewhat anti-cyclical in nature and any downturn in the economy should produce further positives for us by creating growth in or market segment." - John Hughes, Managing Director, Radio Rentals Australia...more

Retailers To Bush, Congress - Act Quickly on Economic Stimulus
"U.S. retailers, who are a bellwether for our nation's changing economic climate, are greatly concerned about the softening of the U.S. economy." - Tracy Mullin, President and CEO, National Retail Federation...more

Aaron Rents Promotes Paul A. Doize to Vice President, Real Estate Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership Division
Doize has more than 11 years experience with Aaron's, starting in 1996 as Division Controller and advancing to Vice President, Controller in 2005...more

PC Shipments Rise 15% In Q4; HP, Dell Lead Pack
HP took the top spot with volume of over 50.5 million, with Dell in second with volume of 40.0 million. Acer moved into third with volume of 21.2 million excluding Gateway's business...more

Payday Loan Association President to Chair Congress Of Racial Equality King Holiday Celebration
COREs 24th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ambassadorial Reception and Awards Dinner will be Chaired by Darrin Anderson, President of payday-loan company QC Holdings, and President of Community Financial Services Association of America. Emmy Award winning actress Lynn Whitfield will serve as the Mistress of Ceremonies. Talk show host Sean Hannity is the Toastmaster...more

Study Finds Retail Winners Keep Price Central To Overall Strategy
Whether it is the primary differentiator or not, retail winners – those that outperform their peers in year-over-year sales performance - keep price central to their retail strategy and their peers don't...more

Sharp Signs LCD Panel Supply Agreement With Olevia Maker Syntax-Brillian
Under the agreement, Sharp guarantees to supply Syntax-Brillian with a minimum of 700,000 LCD panels during 2008 for 32", 37", 52" and 65" sizes...more

Trends In Furniture Study To Be Released At Las Vegas Furniture Market
The study is based on a comprehensive consumer study commissioned in 2007 by the publisher of popular shelter magazines Country Living, House Beautiful, O at Home, and others...more

Lower Consumer Spending Threatens Retail Margins
The challenges facing consumers are unlikely to abate in the first half of 2008. Consumers at all but the highest income levels are expected to moderate discretionary spending...more

Breaking
TARA Lobbyist Terral Smith Named Texas House Speaker Chief of Staff
Although a Republican, Terral Smith is as bi-partisan as they come. Smith told RTO Online in a 2005 interview that Texas has a long tradition of bipartisanship. "As a Representative, I worked with Democrats and even became the chairman of a committee under a Democratic speaker."...more

Third Rent to Own Industry Supporter In Six Months Resigns From Congress; Rep Richard Baker Resigns To Head Association
Rep. Baker is the third Rent to Own industry supporter to resign from Congress in the past six months and the second that sits on the powerful House Financial Services Committee which is responsible for conducting hearings on the proposed Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act...more

Almo Appoints Steve Bell Vice President of Product Management
Almo Corporation, a leading supplier of consumer electronics and appliances to the rent to own industry, has named Steve Bell as Vice President of Product Management...more

Payday Lending Fee Disclosure Poster Deadline This Month
All Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) member companies are required to display new disclosure posters in all store locations beginning this month...more

Convention Coverage
Mike Harwood Wins ColorTyme Franchisee of the Year; Convention Wraps; Hear Three New Podcasts
Mike Harwood, TLH enterprises, was named 2007 ColorTyme Franchisee of the Year Tuesday. Harwood is ColorTyme's largest franchisee and the only franchisee to receive a Top 10 Award for three consecutive years...more

Rent-A-Center Webcast Conference Call Set For February 5
Rent-A-Center recently announced a major store consolidation plan in December, 2007. The company said would close 280 stores over 90 days, merging their agreements with existing locations...more
 

Op-Ed; Virginia Payday Loan Cap Would Hurt Those Most In Need
"Though well-intentioned, proposed legislation capping interest rates at 36 percent per year would kill the payday lending industry in Virginia. Ironically, this removes the best option above but leaves the others." - David Kreutzer, Employment Policies Institute...more

D&H Distributing To Expand "Deal Box" Notebook PC Promotion For Rent to Own Dealers
"The Deal Box notebooks provide a great value on an outstanding group of features, creating the opportunity for an Rent to Own dealer or store owner to invest in this popular category." - John Alifano, Manager, Home Entertainment Division, D&H Distributing...more

Convention Coverage
ColorTyme Welcomes Franchisees To 2008 National Convention
ColorTyme franchisees, store managers, vendors and executives descended on Strikz in Frisco, Texas Sunday to celebrate the opening of the 2008 ColorTyme National Convention with a bowling tournament...more

Former Aaron's Exec Dave Deignan Converts To ColorTyme, RimTyme
David Deignan recently completed the conversion of his Macon, Georgia-based Magic Rent-to-Own store to a ColorTyme store and his Magic Wheel and Tire store has become RimTyme. He has also opened an additional RimTyme location in Warner-Robbins, Georgia...more

CES Wraps Largest Consumer Electronics Show In History
The largest CES in history – more than 2,700 companies - wrapped this week. Major trends sweeping the show floor included digital entertainment, HDTV, green technology and free trade...more

CES Coverage
One Laptop Per Child's Nicholas Negroponte Anchors CES Day Three
Negroponte's non-profit organization has developed the XO laptop for use in third-world countries which typically have no electricity. The laptop operates on less than two watts of energy, and is powered by a hand-crank attached to the computer...more

Breaking News
Federal Reserve Appoints Consumer Activists To Financial Services Advisory Council
Board appointees include members from the Center for Responsible Lending and the National Consumer Law Center, both of whom have called on lawmakers to restrict the rent-to-own industry...more

Kunzman To Rep Custom Rim Antitheft Company Powerlock
Powerlock International has signed Kunzman & Associates as a manufacturers' representative for its Wheel Safe wireless security system for custom rims...more

Paying it Forward; Rent-A-Center District Manager Kevin Osborne Rewards Good Deed
Rent-A-Center District Manager Kevin Osborne rewarded a good deed with one of his own...more

UK Rent to Own Company Gets $12 Million Financing
After the departure of Buy As You View's CEO Gillian Wilmot in 2007, the new management team wants to get back to the basics of rent-and-collect...more

Phillips Eco LCD TV Takes CES Best of Show
The Philips 42PFL5603D Eco TV senses ambient light and adjusts power requirements accordingly...more

Premier Wheel Workz Launches in Memphis; Dealers gather for training
Premier Wheel Workz held its first sales and operations training session for franchised dealers this week since Williamsburg, Va.-based Premier Wheel Rental and Memphis, Tennessee based Wheel Workz formed a new joint venture in December...more
 

Economic Concerns Cause Pullback In Consumer Spending
For the first time since June, less than a majority (49 percent) expected to have money left over after paying their monthly bills...more

Agenda Released For 2008 Underbanked Financial Services Forum
CFSI will premiere the results of its co-sponsored national segmentation study of the underbanked at the conference...more

Specialty Furniture Retailer Jennifer Convertibles Continues Slump
"We expect to regain overall profitability in the second half of our fiscal year." - Harley J Greenfield, CEO, Jennifer Convertibles...more

Poll Finds Spouse Remains Chief Career Advisor for Many
If you were considering changing jobs, which one of the following people would you most likely approach first for advice when evaluating a potential job change?..more

17,000 To Attend National Retail Federation Convention Next Week
Founder and President of WSL Strategic Retail Wendy Liebmann will discuss results of the latest 2008 How America Shops Mega Trends study...more

ColorTyme Preps For Next Week's Convention
Nearly 250 ColorTyme franchisees, store managers and vendors are expected at next week's 19th annual ColorTyme National Convention. The event, scheduled for January 13-16 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Convention Center in Frisco, Texas, kicks off with a welcome reception Sunday...more

CES Coverage
Is 3-D LCD The Next Evolution In TV?
"The impact of 3-D on consumer electronics is going to be the biggest paradigm shift in decades." - Leo Chen, CEO, Spectroniq CEO...more

Long Time Rent to Own Industry Rep Craig Moon Passes Away
In 2003, Moon came back to Sears Contract Sales as National Account Manager For Rent to Own. He told RTO Online in 2003, "I'm thrilled to be back in the Rent to Own industry. I'm looking forward to renewing old friendships."...more

Comscore Releases Final Online Holiday Shopping Results; Up 19 Percent Versus Year Ago
Furniture, appliances & equipment (up 67 percent), and consumer electronics (up 23 percent experienced above average growth...more

Balancing Customers' Privacy With Government Demands For Information
It's a smart idea to obtain prior consent from your customers about potential personal data transfers that could be subpoenaed by the government...more

CES Coverage
VIZIO Adds Black Tie LCD Line
VIZIO's new line of 1080p, flat panel displays will feature four HDMI inputs, Full 1080p resolution, 120Hz processing, Motion Estimation Motion Compensation (MEMC), and side access HD Game Port with HDMI...more

CES Coverage
Whirlpool Debuts iPod, Other Appliance Media At CES
When you attend the Consumer Electronics Show, you expect to see LG, Sony, Microsoft and others. With the blending of technologies affecting all home-goods categories, CES is also a critical launch pad for appliance manufacturers...more

CES Coverage
LG Electronics 2008 LCD HDTV Line Includes 1.7-inch Wireless
Earning more than 60 CES Innovations Awards over the past four years, LG Electronics is consistently among the most-honored companies...more

NegotiateBills Launches Debt Reduction Service To Be offered Through Rent to Own Companies
"Providing this service could potentially increase a store's revenue by $50,000 or more annually." - Ray Oribello, President, Sales & Operation, NegotiateBills...more
 

CES Coverage
Toshiba Pushes Multi Format Multi Function
Toshiba is enhancing its lineup with the introduction of three new LCD televisions featuring slot loading DVD players...more

CES Coverage
Sony Introduces Ultra Slim OLED TV At CES
Sony took the wraps off the first Organic Light Emitting Diode television in the United States. About the thickness of three credit cards...more

Center for Women's Business Research Elects New Board Members
"The Center will benefit enormously from their entrepreneurial and research experience as we continue to do research and create initiatives that support the growth and prosperity of all women business owners." - Margaret A. Smith, Chair, Center for Women's Business Research...more

Harris Poll Shows Employee Confidence Drops to Year Low
"With the continuing turmoil in the housing and credit markets and concerns of an overall slowing in the economy, it's not surprising that the Employee Confidence Index has continued its decline." - Roy Krause, President and CEO, Spherion...more

Payday Loan Operator Amscot Contributes to Orlando Homeless Mission
The Orlando Union Rescue Mission serves about 250 homeless families per year. The goal is to provide a safe, comfortable environment and to keep families intact while treating the problems which lead to homelessness...more

Rent to Own Industry Growth And Veterans
When recruiting employees, RTO companies place a high premium military service. Employees with prior military experience have lower turnover rates and a higher level of overall success in close-contact customer relations common in the Rent to Own sector. But did you know that military experience is also the best predictor of success as a business owner?...more

Urban Wheel Awards; Latino Consumers To Vote For Best Print and TV Diversity Ads
Winners will be announced at the 12th Annual Urban Wheel Awards at the Fox Theatre on January 15, 2008 during the North American International Auto Show...more

Rent to Own Industry 2007 Year in Review; Top Stories of 2007
2007 was a big year for Rent to Own industry news. RTO Online, the rent to own industry's trade website and leading source of news, reported that visitors to RTOonline.com logged a total of 53.56 million page views and 4.5 million sessions in 2007, an increase of 52% and 40% respectively...more

Nashville Firefighter Opens Rent'N Go Custom Wheel Franchise; Plans Further Nashville Expansion
We look forward to developing the Nashville market in concert with managing partner Greg Spring, a member of Nashville's Firefighters" - Bob Catino, President, RNG...more

Association to Develop PCI Compliance Best Practices
As the required compliance audits roll down to all retailers, published Best Practices based on the actual experiences of many will result in cost savings, congruence, and will enable maximum protection customer's information...more

Missouri Rent to Own Dealers Plan February Meeting
The Missouri Rental Dealers Association (MRDA), the second largest state Rent to Own association in the U.S., will hold its 2008 general membership meeting February 6, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Select Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri...more

Editorial
By Niger Innis, Congress of Racial Equality
Congress of Racial Equality Applauds Federal Reserve Bank of NY Study Revealing Cost of Denying Options to Consumers
"It's one of the cornerstones of our free-market system: Choice benefits consumers. A recent staff report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York confirms it in regards to "payday" loans, those small short-term cash advances that politicians love to bash." Niger Innis, Congress of Racial Equality...more

Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Agree On WirelessHD Standard
The new standard is suitable for a wide range of devices including televisions, HD disc players, set-top boxes, camcorders, gaming consoles, adapter products, as well as other source devices...more
 

LG Electronics Plans 2008 Launch of Set Top Box For Streaming Movies From the Internet to the TV
The collaboration with Netflix is expected to deliver a new online home entertainment service via technology embedded in an LG networked player planned for the second half of 2008...more

Editorial
Clinton, Edwards, Obama Pander To Consumer Activists
Taken together, the top three Democratic presidential contenders have an average lifetime record of voting on the side of the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), the most liberal consumer activist group in the country, 81% of the time...more

Small Business Owners Cautious on Economic Outlook
28 percent of small business owners feel that economic conditions for their own business are getting better. The percentage has been steadily decreasing since September...more

Roger Wicker To Replace Retiring Trent Lott In U.S. Senate
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour has appointed Republican Roger Wicker to replace the retiring Trent Lott in the U.S. Senate. Both Lott and Wicker are rent to own industry supporters, co-sponsoring the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act of 2007...more

Oregon Check Cashing Limits Take Effect Today
The Oregon Check Cashing Act, passed by the Oregon legislature in 2007, takes effect today. The new law limits the maximum fees charged for cashing government and payroll checks...more

New Education Initiative to Ensure Safe Installation of Flat Panel TVs
These flyers – one for flat panel displays and one for CRT displays – provide information to help in the safe installation of televisions...more

Most People Make New Year's Resolutions; Few Follow Through
The survey found that 86% of respondents make at least some of the same resolutions every year...more

Minimum Wage Hikes Will Cause Job Loss
As some states approach yet another increase in minimum wage January 1st, experts are producing data that shows the rate hikes cause job loss among low income wage earners...more

More Than Half of U.S. Households Own a Digital Television
32 Million digital TVs will ship in 2008. Of these, 79% will be HDTV...more

Top 10 Rent to Own Tradeshow Booths For 2007
Since its launch in September 2004, owners and buyers have used RTO Tradeshow to view specific vendor contact and program information an average of 619 times per business day - over 3,000 booth visits per week - making RTO Tradeshow by far the most effective means of connecting rent-to-own industry buyers and vendors...more

DataTrue Launches Rent to Own Application Verification Service; Joins RentDirect
Use of DataTrue enables a rent to own company to verify information accuracy and avoid potential fraud by a customer before it occurs, ensuring accurate data input and the reduction of payroll dollars spent ineffectively attempting to manually verify application information...more

Dollar Financial Acquires UK Stores For $3.5 Million
The acquisitions bring payday loan operator Dollar Financial's United Kingdom store count to 222...more
 

Consumer Confidence Up In December; Experts Remain Wary
While consumers are less negative about the near-term future, they remain far from optimistic...more

LCD TV Production Costs To Decline 16% Annually Through 2010
65-inch model production costs could drop as much as 20% per year...more

Nevada Is Fastest Growing State; Louisiana Rebounds
Texas gained more people than any other state: Its 2006-2007 increase of almost 500,000 was ahead of runner-up California, which added slightly more than 300,000...more

Top Three Consumer Activist Fictions of 2007
RTO Online has compiled the Top 3 Consumer Activist Fictions of 2007...more

SED International Launches Rewards Incentive Program
"It was important that we develop a program that rewards our customers in a real way and is not restrictive to only a limited number of awards." - Rob Kalman, VP of Marketing, SED International...more

LCD Competition Forcing Manufacturer Alliances; Hitachi, Canon, Matsushita To Collaborate
Intensifying competition has made it imperative for LCD panel manufacturers to ensure a stable supply of high-quality LCD panels at low prices...more
 

12-24-07
'Twas The Night Before Christmas; A Not So Traditional Reading
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the store, one account was past due, just one BOR...more

Rent-To-Own Industry Statistical Data; SEC Filings Most Reliable Source of Operational Data
From average store size to the the amount spent per location on rental inventory, Rent-A-Center's annual reports (10-Ks) are a gold mine of information that traditional independent operators can use to gauge their performance versus the industry as a whole...more

Sharp And Toshiba Form LCD TV Alliance
Sharp and Toshiba have formed an alliance that the two companies hope will improve their competitiveness in the LCD TV market...more

Rent to Own Industry Veteran Steve Newman Opens Milford, Delaware Premier
10-year Rent to own industry veteran, Steve began his career as an account manager for Rent Way, working his way up to opening and managing a store for them in Milford, less than a half mile away from his new location...more

Las Vegas Furniture Market Plans $500,000 Cash Give-Away To Buyers
Dubbed The Fashion 500 Runway Rewards, the promotional event will include 10 daily winners who will win $5,000 each and will be selected randomly each day of market...more

Vanguard Forms New Rent to Own Industry Funding Division
"We see tremendous growth prospects for the RTO segment into 2008 and beyond. Some lenders are more cautious with their view on the rent-to-own segment. We take the view that the rent-to-own space is vibrant and growing and we are actively seeking to build a business in this industry." - Hugh W. Connelly, President, Vanguard Leasing...more
 

S&P; Retailers With Strong Price-Value Propositions Will Win This Season
The survey showed that among respondents, there was a preference for national retailers associated with heavy discounting and strong price-value propositions...more

Retailers to Discuss Green Initiatives at Annual Convention
Regardless of how you feel personally about global warming, an increasing percentage of consumers are reacting positively to companies that market their environmental friendliness...more

Thirty Percent Of Households Affected By Digital TV Transition Unaware Of Deadline
Households that don't have any televisions connected to a video service provider were least familiar with the transition at 31 percent...more

Premier Companies Forms Joint Custom Wheel Rent to Own Franchise Venture With Wheel Workz
The Premier Companies, parent company of Premier Wheel Rentals, has formed a joint venture with Memphis, Tennessee based Wheel Workz, the largest independently owned supplier of custom wheels in the Mid-South and franchisor of Wheel Workz Rent-to-Own. The new franchise venture will be named Premier Wheel Workz...more
 

Update
Podcast on the Ramifications of Congress' Delay In Passing the Alternative Minimum Tax Patch
IRS Acting Commissioner Linda Stiff explained the ramifications of Congress' delay in passing the perennial Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch at a news conference in Washington D.C. Listen to the entire podcast here...more

Advance America Pulls The Plug On Pennsylvania; Will Close 66 Remaining Locations In State
"While we remain hopeful for a favorable outcome on our appeal, the timetable remains uncertain and we have decided that closing our remaining Pennsylvania centers at this time is in the best interest of our stockholders." - Ken Compton, President and CEO, Advance America...more
 

Two Day Specialty Specialty Retailer, Installer Seminar Planned For January CES
The Specialty Dealer Days program, presented by Electronic House (EH), runs January 7 and 8, the first two days of the show and prominently features the latest advancements in small retail, installation and integration...more

Aaron's Pro Challenge Champions Honored at Awards Banquet
The night belonged to Jonathan Chandler, the 17-year-old driver of the #99 Aaron's Dream Machine that scored four victories on the season, including two during the four-race Pro Challenge Playoff to earn the Aaron's National Championship...more

Newstart Canada Looks To Expand Rent to Own Auto Business
Dave Baker, President of Newstart Canada, has served the subprime car market for over 30 years. Baker said Newstart has developed a unique rent to own program for the subprime car market...more

Political Correctness Gone Amok or Just Good Business; "Holidays" Beats "Christmas" in Actual Consumer Usage Two to One
A record-high 60 percent of gift-basket buyers used the term "Happy Holidays" in 2007...more

Dollar Financial Completes $100 Million CCS Acquisition; Will Focus Growth In Southern States
"As we look to the second half of fiscal 2008, we expect continued strong growth in our international markets, both organically and through the increased store development we have undertaken in Canada and the United Kingdom." - Randy Underwood, Executive Vice President and CFO, Dollar Financial Corp...more

Seven Imagery Staff Members Graduate Dale Carnegie
"Anytime an employee improves, it is beneficial for the company. And as a Dale Carnegie graduate myself, I feel that this program is truly beneficial; it really encourages people to use the principles in their daily lives." - Sharon Carrico, Partner, Imagery Marketing Consultants...more

House Small Business Committee Unanimously Approves Regulatory Improvement Act; Changes Will Reduce the Regulatory Burden on Small Firms
"Small businesses are critical to our economy and to the development of communities nationwide. Paying 45% more in regulatory costs than larger firms only works to hinder small firm innovation and expansion." - Chairwoman Nydia M. Velázquez...more

Humor Key To Effective TV Ads
Overwhelmingly, young adults were much more likely than other shoppers to say that holiday television ads sent them to specific stores (27.3% vs. 17.1%)...more