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Data Reinforces Importance of Setting Proper Rent-to-Own Due Dates
Rent-to-own operators understand that a successful rental agreement depends in large part on setting the appropriate renewal payment due-day...more

Eco-Friendly Products Most Important to Women Consumers
"Consumers are more and more interested in taking actions that make a difference for the environment." - Kelly Semrau, Vice President of Global Public Affairs and Communication, SC Johnson...more

Check-n-Go Adds User Management to Web Offering
Check 'n Go, one of the largest payday loan provides in the U.S., launched a My Account section on its website in April...more

Will the Rental Purchase Act Become Law?
Will the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act become law? Take our poll. The poll begins today (5/6/2009) and results are displayed in real time...more

Retailers Turn to Web for Growth During Recession
The economy is forcing companies to change their marketing tactics in order to acquire and retain online customers according to the 12th annual State of Retailing Online survey by Forrester research...more

Rent-A-Center Makes $10,000 Donation to Detroit Goodwill
"Partners like Rent-A-Center give us the resources, in this case the technology, to help thousands of Metro Detroiters overcome barriers to employment and become trained, trusted and ready to work." - Lorna G. Utley, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit...more

RTO Supplier MSI Makes PC World Top 10
Rent-to-Own industry Netbook supplier MSI made PC World's 10 Most Anticipated Ultraportables and Netbooks of 2009...more

RTO Professional Training Series Topic #12
Perceived Value of the Rent to Own Transaction
A decade ago when the nearest competing rent-to-own store was 20 miles away, all that was required for a 1,000 BOR store was inventory and a sign that said "open". Simply offering credit-starved sub-prime consumers an effective way to buy was value enough...more

Our Favorite Band; Rent to Own at the Viper Room May 15
Tim, Jude , J Rod , Kris and Jameson. They could be any 5-man crew of any rent-to-own store in the US. But they're not. They are the self-described hard rock funk punk band "Rent to Own."...more

Errol Rich Retires From Nationwide Marketing Group
Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG) announced today that Errol Rich, National Merchandising Manager for Electronics, has retired from the organization after serving 40 years in the retail industry...more

Maryland ColorTyme Announces High School Essay Contest
Epic Ventures LLC, owners of five ColorTyme franchise stores in Maryland, are challenging high school seniors from five schools to participate in the 2009 Epic Ventures People Helping People Senior Essay Competition for the chance to win a laptop and have their essay sent to the White House...more

Strong Dollar Has Little Effect On Small Retailers
A strong dollar - making imports cheaper and exporting more difficult - appears to have little effect on the survival rate of small retailers, according to a study released today by the Office of Advocacy...more

Rent-A-Center Furnishes Fort Knox Rec Area
With help from the Rent-A-Center Random Act of Caring program, soldiers at Fort Knox will enjoy new furnishings in six rest and recreation areas on the U.S. Army base...more

IContain Offers Free GPS RTO Asset Tracking Devices
IContain, a provider of GPS asset tracking tools for the rent-to-own industry, today unveiled ICU2TM - the world's first free GPS asset tracking device...more

Consumers Want, But Don't Understand High Efficiency Laundry
Almost 40 percent of consumers believe that top-load washers use more energy than front-loading machines - a common misconception in today's marketplace...more

Obama Popular, Appointees not so much
President Obama continues to enjoy 63 percent approval rating. His cabinet choices and their proposals are not so fortunate, however, according to a recent Zogby 100-Days Poll...more

Advance America to Close 130 Stores
Advance America said today it expects to close approximately 130 additional stores due to, "under-performance or where consolidation opportunities exist."...more

Rent to Own Demand Proportional to U.S. Consumer Credit Risk
As credit-risk increases, financial institutions are less likely to make consumer loans. The scarcity of consumer credit, however, does not decrease the demand for certain necessary household goods. A quick review of the country's overall credit risk as measured by TransUnion reveals why consumer credit has dried up and why - from a consumers perspective - the rent-to-own/lease-purchase option is becoming an increasingly necessary means of purchasing...more

Reykdal; Canada Committed to Competitive Payday Loan Industry
Gordon Reykdal, Chairman and CEO of Canadian payday loan operator Cash Store Financial, said today that he believes Canadian Provinces are committed to "facilitating a competitive industry."...more

Rent-A-Center Opens Sixth Wyoming Store
To show its appreciation for being welcomed to the Sheridan area, Rent-A-Center is contributing $2,000 in grants to two nonprofit organizations at its ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce scheduled for noon on Wednesday, April 29, at the new store...more

Dream Machine Driver Janet Parker Wins First BASS Event
Janet Parker, driver of the Aaron's sponsored Dream Machine (Ranger Boat) recorded her first BASS win April 25th in Louisiana on the Ouachita River...more

Arlen Specter Hands Democrats Unbreakable Majority
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) announced his switch to the Democratic party today. If, as appears likely, Al Franken is seated in Minnesota, Specter's switch would give Democrats filibuster-proof control of the Senate. 60 votes are needed to stop a filibuster...more

Report; Men Outearn Women in Almost All Occupations
Men out-earn women in 495 out of 500 occupational categories...more

Millions Prepare to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Cinco de Mayo celebrates the legendary Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, in which a Mexican force of 4,500 men faced 6,000 well-trained French soldiers...more

Louisiana ColorTyme Holds Customer Appreciation Easter Egg Hunt
ColorTyme rent-to-own franchisees Tom and Lisa Neyhart recently held their first annual Customer Appreciation Easter Egg hunt. "The biggest prize of the day was seeing the excitement on the kids' faces." - Tom Neyhart, ColorTyme...more

Aaron's Versus Rent-A-Center; Q1 2009 Comparison
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII) and Aaron's (NYSE:AAN), the nation's two largest rent-to-own companies, reported sharply different results for the first quarter of 2009. Rent-A-Center revenues were $728.2 million, a decrease of $28.4 million from 2008. Aaron's revenues rose 15% to $474.0 million compared to $412.7 million for Q1, 2008...more

Aaron's Same Store Revenues Climb 7.9%
For the first quarter of 2009, Aaron's revenues rose 15% to $474.0 million compared to $412.7 million for the same quarter a year ago...more

Rent-A-Center Same Store Sales Drop 2.5%
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, today announced total revenues for the quarter ended March 31, 2009 were $728.2 million, a decrease of $28.4 million from total revenues of $756.6 million for the same period in the prior year...more

$515 Million Money Mart Class Action Trial Starts Today
Canadian payday-loan operator Money Mart said it would vigorously defend itself in a Toronto class action trial that starts today...more

The Premier Companies Names Swanson Director of Marketing
The Premier Companies, parent company of Premier Rental Purchase and recently cited as the 5th fastest growing young franchise in the United States, has appointed Jocelyn Swanson to the new position of Director of Marketing...more

Aaron's Extends Talladega Sponsorship Through 2013
Aaron's (NYSE:AAN) activated a clause in its contract that will extend the company's title sponsorship on both the Aaron's 312 NASCAR Nationwide Series race and the Aaron's 499 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race through 2013...more

easyhome Sets Q1 Conference Call
easyhome Ltd. (TSX:EH), Canada's largest rent-to-own company, will hold its quarterly management conference call on Friday, May 8, 2009 at 9 am EST...more

High Point Furniture Market 100th Anniversary in Full Swing
Spring Market 2009 marks the 100th Anniversary of the High Point Market and signs of the year-long Centennial Celebration are evident at every turn...more

Giving the Rent-to-Own Industry a Voice
"Whirlpool is dedicated to the rent to own business. I look at it as a partnership. We have to work together to try and make sure the business is viable." - Don Wilson, National Account Executive, Whirlpool...more

Association President Retires; Ends 30 Year Career
Tracy Mullin, who has worked for the National Retail Federation for more than 30 years, today announced she will be retiring from the organization in late 2009...more

Nationwide Rental Coalition Brings New Blood to Washington DC
Ed Kelly, President of Nationwide Marketing Group, parent company of RentDirect and the Nationwide Rental Coalition, welcomed members to the group's first legislative conference Tuesday. "Thank you for your participation and for helping give the rent-to-own industry a voice in Washington DC."...more

Surprise Speaker Judge Napolitano to Keynote NRC
Judge Andrew Napolitano, Senior Judicial Analyst for Fox News and the youngest life-tenured Superior Court judge in the history of the State of New Jersey, will deliver the keynote address to the Nationwide Rental Coalition Thursday at the group's legislative conference in Washington DC...more

Dayton Premier Rental Purchase Rewards Student Achievers
Dayton Premier Rental-Purchase, in conjunction with WRCX-TV 40 and The Ohio Lottery Commission, awarded Vandalia Butler High School Senior Austin Reid with a brand new Acer Lap Top Computer...more

Rent-A-Center's DeMoss to Update NRC
The 2009 Nationwide Rental Coalition (NRC) Legislative Conference kicks off today at the Gaylord National in Washington, DC. Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII) senior vice president Ron DeMoss will address the group this afternoon...more

ColorTyme Shows Strong Support for Rental Purchase Act
"We have over 25 people here, our entire management team and FAC. This is an important Act that provides clarity and certainty for both sides of the rental-purchase transaction." - ColorTyme President and CEO Bob Bloom...more

Television Consumption Grows; Consumers Adopt Multiple Platforms
Television viewers watching six or more channels rose to 40 percent vs. 35 percent in 2008. Those watching eight or more television programs per week increased to 39 percent this year vs. 33 percent last year...more

Missouri Appliance Sales Tax Holiday Begins
Missouri's week-long sales tax holiday on Energy Star qualified appliances kicked off Sunday...more

Aaron's CEO; "We're Gaining 6-8,000 Customers Per Week"
Aaron's (NYSE:RNT) CEO Robin Loudermilk appeared on Fox Business News Friday morning. Loudermilk said Aaron's customer base is growing at a 15-20% annual rate due to the lack of retail consumer credit...more

Home Express Sales and Lease Opens First Licensed Location
Home Express Sales and Lease LLC celebrated the grand opening of its first licensee location in Jeffersonville, Indiana at 1994 Charleston-New Albany Pike on Friday, April 17. Home Express operates six company owned locations...more

Rent-to-Own Industry Legislative Conference Attendee Toolkit
RTO Online publishes a number of resources useful to Rent-to-own dealers who will meet with elected representatives and staff. All of our resources are free to view, print or save, and many can be loaded into mobile devices for use on the Hill...more

PCRental Agent Success Stories
Sharyn Whitmer is an assistant store manager for a rent-to-own store in Illinois who recently recovered a stolen computer utilizing PCRental Agent, a leading computer Locator, Lockdown & Recovery tool...more

Rent-to-Own Vendor Twin-Star Moves to New Headquarters
Twin-Star's new offices are more than double the size of their previous home. Employees and management alike are thrilled with the upgrade...more

Rent-A-Center Helps Furnish Albany Drug Treatment Facility
Rent-to-Own giant Rent-A-Center continued its second day of giving back to the communities it serves with an $8,000 donation of furniture and cash to refurbish apartments at the Trinity Institution-Homer Perkins Center in the south end of Albany, NY...more

Mississippi Payday Lenders Launch Borrow Smart Campaign
More than 300 payday-loan, cash advance and title lending stores across Mississippi recently posted signs in their stores encouraging consumers to "Borrow Smart." The in-store campaign is part of a larger program aimed at educating and protecting consumers...more

Rent-A-Center Donates Computers to New York Literacy Project
Rent-A-Center's most recent Random Act of Caring in New York State brightened the day for literacy tutors and students when the company donated 14 Acer computers to Literacy Volunteers of Oswego County New York...more

Tim Bainey Jr. to Make NASCAR Debut in Aaron's Lucky Dog Truck
"Tim Jr. has been a key part of our marketing plans over the last two years and an excellent spokesman for Aaron's." - Ken Butler, Chief Operating Officer, Aaron's...more

NASCAR Goes Pink For Aaron's 499 at Talladega
The NASCAR Foundation has announced that NASCAR Day will "Go Pink" through a joint partnership with FOX Sports Supports and Susan G. Komen for the Cure April 24-26 during the Aaron's Talladega Dream Weekend...more

Report: Consumers' Views on Prepaid Cards
The Center for Financial Services Innovation (CFSI) today released a new report entitled: A Tool for Getting by or Getting Ahead? Consumers’ Views on Prepaid Cards...more

Portables Lift PC Sales as HP Takes Lead in U.S. Market
"Tight credit and economic concerns have certainly taken a toll on PC shipments in the last couple quarters, but the move to portables, fueled by Mini Notebooks and falling prices, has mitigated the impact." - Loren Loverde, IDC...more

Mother's Day Consumer Spending Dips
Consumers will spend $857 million on electronics or computer-related accessories for Mom and total Mother's Day...more
 

Demand Increases For Energy Saving Technology
In the past two years, about one in 10 households conducted a home energy audit. Of those who had undergone an audit, 61 percent replaced appliances or CE devices with more energy efficient models...more

Wheel Pros, NASCAR Form Exclusive Partnership
Wheel Pros, one of the nation's largest suppliers of branded custom wheels, has reached an exclusive agreement with NASCAR to manufacture and distribute a line of NASCAR officially-licensed wheels...more
 

Stanley Furniture Reports 36% Drop in Q1 2009 Sales
"Since the lows of December and January we have seen a modest upward trend in orders." - Albert L. Prillaman, Chairman and CEO, Stanley Furniture...more

Blu-Ray, Game Console Demand Remains High Despite Economy
NPD reported 51 percent of consumers surveyed purchased a DVD or Blu-ray disc in the prior three months. Purchasing a console or portable video game ranked second at 36 percent...more

UK RTO Employees Support Breast Cancer Awareness
Gareth Griffiths, operations manager for UK based rent-to-own operator Buy As You View, is leading a dozen Men in Pink on a series of mountain climbing challenges this year to raise money for breast cancer awareness...more

Panasonic Expands Consumer Electronics Recycling in Southeast
Panasonic Corporation of North America, a market and technology leader in High Definition consumer and digital electronics products, announced today a major expansion of its Nationwide Recycling Program...more

Aaron's Completes Rent Removal From Name
Aaron's will complete the process of distancing itself from the rental industry by removing "Rents" from its corporate name...more

2008 Spotty Growth Year for RTO Industry
On a percentage basis, the top six rent-to-own companies in North America grew combined store-count by 2.8% in 2008. The largest percentage growth came from two companies - easyhome (9.5%) and The Premier Companies (45%)...more

Aaron's National Managers Meeting Archives
Here's a look back at RTO Online coverage of past Aaron's (NYSE:RNT) conventions including photo galleries, articles and interviews...more

Study Finds Increasing Demand for Multi-Room Audio
Owners of multi-room audio video (MRAV) systems assign high value to their home entertainment experience, according to a new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)...more

Association Says Payday Loan Reform Act Goes Too Far
The Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA), the nation's largest trade association of payday-loan providers, announced its opposition to the Payday Loan Reform Act of 2009 (H.R. 1214)...more

Nationwide Marketing Group Recognized for ENERGY STAR Promotional Efforts
Nationwide Marketing Group (NMG), parent company of RentDirect, the nation's largest rent-to-own buying group, was named a 2009 Excellence in ENERGY STAR Promotion Award winner for the third year in a row...more

70 Percent of HR Professionals Pessimistic About Job Market
More than two-thirds of HR professionals (70 percent) are pessimistic about job growth and anticipate job losses during the second quarter of 2009, a slight decrease from the first quarter...more

ColorTyme Manager Heads Heart Transplant Fundraising Effort
Maria Brooks, ColorTyme store manager in Hanover, Pa., likes getting to know her customers. She says over time she gets to hear their life stories and that she feels lucky to be in a position to 'hear and serve'...more

Teletrack UK Integrates With icenet
Loan Origination and Servicing software specialist, icenet has entered into an integration arrangement with Teletrack UK...more

Rent-A-Center Donates to Coatesville PA Fire Victims
In its latest Random Act of Caring, Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, donated furniture and electronics to citizens of Coatesville, Pennsylvania who have been devastated by a disastrous string of fires...more

ColorTyme Sees Increase in Q1 Rentals
ColorTyme, America's oldest franchisor of rent-to-own furniture, appliance and electronics stores said today its franchisees reported an increase in furniture rentals during the first three months of 2009...more

easyhome RTO Franchise Enters Texas, Arkansas
easygates, LLC, said today that two more franchises are opening stores in the U.S. Both stores will open on April 4, 2009, one on South Congress in Austin, Texas and the other in the Geyer Springs Shopping Center in Little Rock, Arkansas...more

Minnesota's Bachman Supports Rental Purchase Act
Seven House members including Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-MN-6) announced their support of the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act (HR 1744) Thursday...more

Zagar Opens Jacksonville Premier Rental Purchase
Former Rainbow Rentals and Rent-A-Center market manager Mike Zagar opened his Premier Rental-Purchase store in Jacksonville, Florida last month...more