|
Missouri Becomes Second State With Full House Support for Rental Purchase Act
The entire Missouri Delegation - 5 Republicans and 4 Democrats - are now
cosponsors of the bill that would define rent-to-own as a lease in all states...more
UPDATE: Report released by Policy Matters Ohio -
Download the report here
Policy Matters Ohio Prepares Rent-to-Own Report
According to a blogger claiming to be an intern for Policy Matters Ohio (PMO),
the consumer advocacy group is preparing a special report on the rent-to-own
industry...more
 Video
Interview with ColorTyme CEO Bob Bloom
Interesting times with interesting opportunities - That's how ColorTyme CEO Bob
Bloom describes the current state of the rent-to-own industry. RTO Online
interviewed Bloom at this week's 2009 ColorTyme Summer Retreat in Jackson Hole,
Wyoming. The Retreat wraps tonight with a farewell dinner...more
 Vendors
Light Up ColorTyme Hot Show
Yesterday, as part of the ColorTyme Summer Meeting in Jackson Hole, franchisees
participated in a special "hot buy" session...more
 UPDATE:
150 photos from the Tyme Travelers Road Trip
Live to Ryde: The Tyme Travelers
Eight ColorTyme pros from Oklahoma to Hawaii made a 4 day 1,600 mile motorcycle
ride from Dallas to Jackson Hole Wyoming for the 2009 ColorTyme Summer Retreat.
They call themselves the Tyme Travelers...more
Flat-Rate Tax Prep Company Brings Change to Rapid Refunds
New dealer locations in Anchorage and Fairbanks make Alaska the 27th State to
offer flat-rate tax prep service pioneered by Liquid Tax...more
Rent-A-Center Donates $10,000 to Harvest Hope Funds
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, today
donated $10,000 to the Harvest Hope Food Bank, South Carolina's largest public,
nonprofit food and nutrition education resource...more
 easyhome
Plans for The Big Time; 2009 Conference Kicks Off
easyhome, Canada's largest rental-purchase company, opened it's 2009 National
Conference Tuesday by awarding Tony Bianco, region 6 regional manager, with a
Cadillac Escalade as the winner of the company's 2008 4th Quarter Incentive...more
Jackson Hole Hosts ColorTyme Franchise Summer Meeting
Franchise Advisory Council to Assemble, Vendor Buying Presentations Planned and
CEO Bob Bloom to Speak at Welcome Dinner...more
 Republicans
Have Chance to Unseat Wisconsin Gov Doyle
In 2006, after helping to craft the Wisconsin Rental Purchase Agreement Act,
Doyle vetoed his own bill, leaving Wisconsin among only three states without
rent-to-own industry regulations that protect consumers and business...more
 easyhome,
ColorTyme, Premier Prep for Summer Events
Three of North America's four largest rent-to-own franchises - easyhome,
ColorTyme and The Premier Companies - will meet over the next ten days. easyhome
will hold its convention in Toronto June 16-17. ColorTyme franchisees will meet
in Jackson Hole, Wyoming for their annual retreat June 17-21. The Premier
Companies annual business conference will be held in Atlanta, Georgia June 22-24...more
Payday Lender Ezcorp Warns; Economy Hitting Harder than Expected
"The continuing depressed economic environment is having an effect on our
business that is not consistent with traditional or expected patterns." - Joe
Rotunda, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ezcorp...more
 Rent-to-Own
Consumers Safe on DTV Transition-Eve
Rent-to-own consumers will likely be among the least affected by the digital
transition. An early adopter of digital TV and other technology, the rent-to-own
industry stopped renting analog sets on a large scale long before traditional
retailers...more
Association Urges Senate to Reject Pay-or-Play Employer Health Care Mandate
The National Retail Federation today urged the Senate Health, Education, Labor
and Pensions Committee to reject proposals for a pay-or-play employer mandate
and other "bad reforms" that could drive up costs without addressing underlying
problems with the health care system...more
Frequently Asked Questions on Identity Theft Rules
Six federal agencies today issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to
help financial institutions and other businesses comply with federal regulations
on identity theft and discrepancies in changes of address...more
Serta, Sealy, Others Sued for Patent Infringement
Serta, Sealy, Classic, Englander and Simmons are among bedding manufacturers
being sued by Tempur-Pedic (NYSE:TPX) in a patent infringement lawsuit filed
yesterday in filed the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia...more
Economy Blamed for Rise in Organized Retail Crime
Nearly three-fourths (73%) of retailers also reported the level of organized
retail crime activity has increased over the past 12 months, an increase of 11
percent from 2008...more
Companies Turn to Twitter as HR Tool
Almost four-fifths (79 percent) of the respondents report that they use social
media frequently to engage employees and foster productivity, outranking even
email (75 percent)...more
 A
Successful Franchise Business, ColorTyme Celebrates 30 Years
From console rent to own TV sets to high definition flat panels, ColorTyme has
made significant progressions in its business over the last 30 years. This year
marks ColorTyme's 30th anniversary in business...more
 Nationwide
Design Center Lowers Pricing on Displays
Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) announced that their Design Center is now
offering new lower pricing on a line of display fixture systems and solutions...more
Dollar Financial Settles Class Action for $70 Million Cash
and Credits
Payday lender Dollar Financial (NASDAQ:DLLR) will pay $27 million in cash and
forgive $43 million in defaults to settle an Ontario class action lawsuit...more
 Rent-A-Center
Makes the RTO Industry's Case
"These contracts automatically terminate after every single week. They do not
automatically renew." - Beth Boland commenting on the temporary nature of
rent-to-own agreements during Massachusetts Supreme Court testimony...more
UPDATE: Replay available now
VIDEO: Rent-A-Center Massachusetts Supreme Court Hearing Today
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will hear oral arguments today in the
case of Joy Silva and Jaaziel Costa v. Rent-A-Center. RTO Online will
broadcast live video of the proceedings from our homepage...more
Four Days Left Until Digital Transition Deadline
New research shows that the transition to digital television has directly
impacted media technology in one out of four (26%) U.S. TV households during the
past year, as people invest in new TV sets and/or services to prepare for the
June 12th changeover...more
Payday Loan Provider Amscot Recognized By Educational Foundation
Florida based Amscot Financial has received the 2008-2009 Outstanding Partner
Award from the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF)...more
Center for Responsible Lending Releases Payday Lending Video
The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) released a video recently entitled
Payday Lending - A 400% Debt Trap. The video was cited during a congressional
briefing by CRL and other groups on June 4...more
Consumers Still Prefer Real-life Recommendations to Online
More than 64% of respondents state that price drove them to recommend a product
or service, while quality and convenience follow behind...more
Consumer Spending Patterns Indicate Recovery
Consumer spending may be showing the first signs of recovery. "We are seeing
consumers move toward replacement and replenishment purchasing and these are the
kinds of purchases that would indicate we have taken the first step toward
recovery," said Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst, The NPD Group, Inc...more
 Republicans
Move to De-Fund Anti-Rent to Own Group
House Republicans have moved to pull federal funding from the Association of
Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN). Among its many political
positions, ACORN is opposed to rent-to-own transactions for consumer goods...more
Panasonic Develops World's Lightest HD Camcorder
"We recognize that users are looking for camcorders that capture high-quality,
High Definition video, but they also want something lightweight that has
advanced." - Chuck Kirkman, Senior Product Manager, Imaging, Panasonic Consumer
Electronics Company...more
Registration for Rent to Own Vendor Directory Now Open
RTO Magazine, the rental-purchase industry's leading trade publication,
announced the upcoming 6th Edition of the Rent to Own industry's largest, most
comprehensive suppliers' directory...more
Gates Announces Two New easyhome Franchise Locations
Bud Gates, Chairman and CEO of easygates, LLC announces the opening of two new
U.S. franchise stores. Both stores will open on June 6, 2009...more
 Alberta
Based New Payday Loan Rules on Extensive Survey
Alberta payday loan providers will have tighter regulation under new rules
announced today that limit borrowing costs, ban rollovers and give borrowers a
cooling-off period between loans...more
Marketing Expert Recommends Holistic Approach
Doug Knorr, president of Knorr Marketing, told the Western Home Furnishings
Association, "Putting money on the bottom line requires a holistic marketing
approach...more
SED Promotes Jonathan Elster to President and COO
Elster began his career with SED in 1995 as a sales representative...more
Association Names Finalists for Advocate of the Year
"I am honored to recognize these exceptional individuals for their tireless
efforts on behalf of America's small-business community." - Todd McCracken,
President, NSBA...more
 Impact
of Education and Income on Consumer PC Purchases
Details released today from the Consumer Decision Process Annual Survey by Parks
Associates show that, for each $1,000 in income, U.S. households will pay on
average $1 more for a PC...more
Internet Use Triples in Decade, Census Bureau Reports
New data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that 62 percent of households reported
using Internet access in the home in 2007, an increase from 18 percent in 1997...more
Payday Advance Group Disappointed in Sanford Veto
Governor Sanford reportedly cited his opposition to government interference in
free enterprise as his reason for the veto...more
 Rent-A-Center
Prepares Strong Case for High Court
Sophistry is defined as "the practice of using arguments which seem clever but
are actually false and misleading." In her brief to the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court on behalf of Rent-A-Center, Beth Boland, partner in the Boston
office of Bingham McCutchen, sets the record straight and accurately describes
the plaintiff's case in Joy Silva and Jaaziel Costa v. Rent-A-Center as
"fanciful sophistry."...more
 Underbanked
Consumers Tell Their Stories in New Video
During her opening remarks this morning at the Underbanked Financial Service
Forum, Jennifer Tescher premiered The Center for Financial Services Innovation's
first video production, "CFSI: Innovation in Action."...more
Rent-A-Center Opens 106th Michigan Location
Store Manager Larry Berry has more than 16 years of rent-to-own experience. He
is transferring in from another Rent-A-Center store in Howell, Mich., where he
was the assistant manager...more
Aaron's Joins Rent-A-Center in S&P MidCap 400
GM's bankruptcy caused Standard & Poor's to shuffle its indexes yesterday.
Aaron's (NYSE:AAN) will move from the S&P SmallCap 600 to the S&P MidCap 400...more
 Rent-to-Own
Training Series Topic 13: Analysis Paralysis
Even though the ego is a formidable foe, it is not infallible. Here are a few
steps to help you move off dead center and back into action...more
 Payday
Lending and McDonalds, the Missing Link
In a coordinated three-city event Friday, Wisconsin legislators announced the
introduction of the Payday Lending Consumer Protection Act...more |
