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DSI Announces Partnership with Sanus Systems
DSI Systems, the largest national distributor of LCD , Plasma and DLP TVs and a leading distributor to the rent-to-own channel, announced that new lines now available with Chief Manufacturing & Sanus Systems...more

Rent-A-Center Donates to Military Families
Rent-A-Center commends the men and women currently serving our country in military service and recognize the commitment and dedication they and their families have made to the United States of America," said Bill Monnat, regional director for Rent-A-Center...more

Prater, Welch Promoted at easygates
Bud Gates, Chairman and CEO of easygates, LLC announced the promotions of Ladd Welch and Chris Prater to Co-Presidents of easygates, LLC...more

Nationwide Rental Coalition Organizes Connecticut Trade Association
RentDirect Nationwide announced today the formation of the Connecticut State Rental Dealers Association. An organizational meeting will be held on Thursday, December 11, 2008 in the city of North Haven...more

Massachusetts Rent-to-Own Dealers Form Trade Association
RentDirect Nationwide and the Nationwide Rental Coalition (NRC) today announced the formation of the Massachusetts State Rental Dealers Association (MSRDA). An organizational meeting hosted by the NRC will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2008 in Boston at the Taj Boston Hotel...more

Rent-to-Own Dealers Capitalize on Fast Tax Refunds with Liquid Tax
As 2008 winds to a close, it's important to plan for the 2008 Tax Season right now. With the typical rent-to-own store serving close to 400 customers, consider the incremental revenue opportunity if half select to file their tax returns through you...more

Aaron's Outdoors Takes Michael Waltrip on First-Ever Wild Boar Hunt; Exclusive Michael Waltrip Photos
Michael Waltrip's racing prowess is well-known to millions of NASCAR fans. Thanks to Aaron's Outdoors, a nationally televised outdoors show sponsored by Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership, millions more will have the chance to judge for themselves if Waltrip's hunting prowess is equally on target...more

Holiday Hot Sellers Showcased in Almo's Latest CE Catalog
As one of the nation's largest consumer electronics and appliance distributors, Almo is able to compile a listing of the top sellers for Q4 based on consumer demand, manufacturer foresight and analyst predictions. Featured products range from headphones to the latest voice-controlled GPS...more

Consumer Tighten Belts But Shopping Patterns Remain Unchanged
The latest shopping behavior data released by The NPD Group indicates that while consumers may intend to change how they shop, for now they are not changing where they shop...more

Flat Panel TV Shipment Growth Slows as Discretionary Income Falls
The overall North America TV market growth in Q3'08 was stronger than expected given the extremely strong growth of the previous quarter, and seems to indicate that retailers maintained strong purchasing levels during the first couple of months during the quarter, before the retail demand difficulties emerged during the latter weeks of September...more

easyhome Same Store Sales Up 4.9%; Software, Acquisitions Hurt Execution
easyhome said in a statement, "As previously announced, we installed our new IT system in the second quarter of 2008. This rollout, coupled with attention to the integration of Insta-rent Inc. ("Insta-rent"), has lead to widespread execution issues, as our staff's attention to corporate stores was diluted...more

Employers to Aggressively Reduce Payrolls Into 2009
The sharp decline in the Employment Trends Index in recent months suggests we will experience even greater deterioration in the labor market in the months ahead, and that the unemployment rate will continue to rise sharply well into 2009...more

Paul Davis of Nation's Rent-to-Own Enters Local California Politics
Paul M. Davis, owner of Nation's Rent-to-Own and President of the California Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (CalAPRO), announced his candidacy for Riverside, California City Council Ward 4...more

Whirlpool to Offer Front-Load Features in Top-Load Models
According to a study for the Home Improvement Research Institute by Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR), nearly three-quarters of American households own top-load washing machines. At the same time, 78 percent of homeowners are interested in reducing household energy costs or utility bills...more

Experts Warn of Bed Bug Issues in College Dorms
Besides bringing home their dirty laundry and a revised list of "back-to-school" items, experts warn that students returning home for Thanksgiving may also arrive with bed bugs. Listen to an informative bed-bug podcast interview with Richard Cooper...more

CL Verify Launches TRACKER Skip Tracing Tool
CL Verify, a provider of customer information services to the rent-to-own channel, announced the launch of TRACKER, a powerful new skip-tracing tool...more

Rent-A-Center Salutes America's Greatest Generation
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII) helped sponsor the 2008 Rotary Club of Dallas Salute to American Veterans fundraiser benefiting the DFW-USO. The event was held Wednesday in the Frontiers of Flight Museum inside Love Field Airport in Dallas. Rent-A-Center hosted four WWII veterans at the event and donated two flat-screen TVs and a computer for the silent auction...more

The Premier Companies Launches Event Registration System
The Premier Companies, parent company of Premier Rental-Purchase, Premier Wheel Workz, Premier Home Furnishings, and Premier U-Getcha Cash, today launched the Premier Event Registration System (PERS). PERS allows online attendee registration for all Premier events including the company's annual convention scheduled for January 18-22, 2009 in New Orleans...more

The Economy and Small Business Trends
The U.S. economy experienced weaknesses in the third quarter, as real gross domestic product fell 0.3 percent. Consumers, who helped lift GDP in the second quarter with their economic stimulus checks, reduced their spending by an annualized 3.1 percent in the third quarter...more

easyhome Completes InstaRent Acquisition
easyhome Ltd., Canada's largest rent-to-own company, announced today that it has completed its $10 million acquisition of InstaRent...more

La-Z-BOY to Lay-off 10% of Workforce
La-Z-Boy (NYSE:LZB) will lay-off 10% of its workforce and close as many as 20 Gallery stores due to what company officials describe as "difficult macroeconomic conditions."...more

Arkansas Supreme Court Declares Check Cashers Act Unconstitutional
he Arkansas Supreme Court yesterday declared the Check-Cashers Act "Unconstitutional in its entirety."...more

12 Million Americans Still Carry Debt from Last Year's Holiday Shopping
Over three-quarters (76%) of Americans plan to cut back on holiday spending according to a new Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll. The poll data indicates that 12 million consumers, 6% of the buying public, are still carrying debt from last winter's holiday season...more

Feds Approve CORT Acquisition of Aaron's Corporate Furnishings Division
CORT, a Berkshire Hathaway company received federal regulatory approval for its $72 million acquisition of Aaron Rents (RNT) Corporate Furnishings Division. The acquisition was finalized today...more

Furniture Retailer Havertys Same Store Sales Down 15 Percent
"We have seen more deterioration in consumer spending for big-ticket purchases and the current outlook for the near term continues to be difficult." - Havertys' president and CEO Clarence H. Smith...more

Election Night Poll; 77 Percent of Democrats Say Frivolous Lawsuits Hurt Economy
Across the political spectrum, voters agreed that frivolous lawsuits remain a problem in the United States, and that our economy will be negatively impacted if Congress expands opportunities to sue. Eighty three percent of voters said the number of frivolous lawsuits was a serious problem, including 77 percent of Democrats; 80 percent of Independents; and 92 percent of Republicans...more

From English as Official Language to Payday Loans; Citizen Ballot Initiatives On the Rise
There were 153 ballot measures decided yesterday. Of the 59 citizen initiatives on the ballot, voters approved 22, rejected 30, and seven remain undecided at press time. Between 1996 and 2006, voters approved 49.4 percent of initiatives on the ballot...more

Advance America CEO "Deeply Troubled"; Comments on Ohio Payday Lending Law
"Advance America is deeply troubled to see another reduction in options available to consumers, rather than reasonable reforms that would clearly better serve the citizens of the great state of Ohio." - Ken Compton, CEO of Advance America...more

Aaron's Raises Dividend 6.3%
"Our directors were pleased to approve this dividend increase as a way to reward our shareholders for their confidence in Aaron Rents," said Robert C. Loudermilk, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer...more

How the Rent-to-Own and Payday Loan Industries Fared in the Election
CORRECTION 11-05-08 11:30 am EST: We previously reported that Ohio voters approved the building of casinos. They did not. The measure was defeated. The article has been corrected.
In the U.S. House and Senate, the rent-to-own industry did OK yesterday - meaning it could have been much worse. Democrats did not reach, at least for now, the 60 Senate seats necessary for their hoped-for super majority and Republicans managed to hold House losses below worst case estimates...more

Lynnray Financial Urges Rent-to-Own Dealers to Diversify Funding
Lynnray Financial Corporation, a leading provider of financing to the Rent-to-own (RTO) industry, is urging rental dealers nationwide to use the current crisis in the financial markets as an opportunity to diversify their funding sources and seek financial partners with a diversified revenue stream...more

DreamSeat Adds Interchangeable Logo System to RTO Sports Furniture Line
DreamSeat's new XZipit furniture line is designed with a patented concealed zipper system that allows customers to interchange logos. Rent-to own customers can showcase their favorite team, college, personalized logo or even a favorite photograph on a XZipit recliner with the unique ability to change it at any time...more

Dumler Replaces DeMoss as Rent-A-Center Rep on APRO Board
RTO Online has learned that Dwight Dumler, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs for Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), will replace Ron DeMoss as a board member of the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO)...more

Get Some; U.S. Companies Prepare for Rise in Litigation Following Two Years of Declines
This year's survey appears to mark an inflection point for American business, between the end of a prolonged period of prosperity and the start of a period of economic challenge that is likely to fuel litigation over who is to blame and who should pay for the consequences," said Stephen C. Dillard, who chairs Fulbright's global litigation practice...more

Premier Wheel Workz Expands Custom Wheel Rent-to-Own Training Program
Dale Ingram, president of Premier Wheel Workz, the custom wheel rent-to-own (RTO) franchise of The Premier Companies, announced this week that Mike Lewis, Vice President of Operations for Premier Rental-Purchase, will offer to Premier Wheel Workz dealers expanded operational training and a dealer check-out program...more

ColorTyme of Charlottesville Sponsors Boys and Girls Club
When the Boys & Girls Club of Charlottesville/ Albemarle, Va. needed some giant-screen TVs for their week-long Teen Video Tournament, Boys & Girls Club Unit Director David Uribe called on their neighborhood ColorTyme store...more

Samsung Commits $5 Million to Breast Cancer Research
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the largest breast cancer advocacy organization in the world, is teaming with Samsung Electronics Europe, a leading corporate supporter of breast cancer charities in Europe, in a collaboration unparalleled in the breast cancer movement...more

Panasonic Continues to Dominate Plasma; Q3 Plasma Shipments Rise Sharply
Plasma TV shipments were surprisingly strong in the third quarter of 2008, up 18% from the second quarter and 37% over Q3 2007...more

Circuit City to Close 155 Stores in 55 Markets; See Complete List of Store Closings
See complete list of Circuit City Stores to be closed. Circuit City (NYSE:CC) will close 155 locations in 55 markets due to what company officials described as the company's "deteriorating liquidity position and the continued weak macroeconomic environment".  Circuit City will also reducing future store openings and aggressively renegotiate certain leases...more

Technology Revolutionizing Rent-to-Own Operations
"In today's cyber-world, high-technology and finance combine to offer many improved methods of banking over the internet which truly revolutionize rental-purchase operations in favor of the store owner," says Dan Jobrack, DATATrue's Executive Vice President of Sales...more

RTO Industry Supporter Landrieu Poised for Come From Behind Victory in Senate
Statewide poll results just released by Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) show rent-to-own industry supporter Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) leading Republican challenger John Kennedy by a massive 19 point margin. As recently as this summer, Landrieu was considered the most at-risk Democrat in the Senate...more
 

Experts Fear Democratic Congress Will Pass Lawsuit-Expanding Provisions
If plaintiffs' lawyers convince the next Congress to enact massive lawsuit-expanding legislation next year, the added costs will slow America's economic recovery...more

Schumer Proposes Small Business Stimulus Package; NRF Asks Congress for Another Round of Checks
At a press conference Wednesday, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) proposed a $700 million stimulus plan for small business. Schumer said his plan included a waiver of fees that banks must pay to make Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed loans as well as increased funding for the SBA...more

Advance America Could Take $42 Million Hit if Forced to Close Ohio Centers
Payday loan operator Advance America stands to lose $43 million in revenue in Ohio if forced to close its stores. As previously reported, the company has joined with other short-term loan companies in the State of Ohio to support a referendum effort designed to allow citizens a choice in deciding whether to have access to a regulated payday advance product...more

Consumer Electronics Association Announces 2009 Board
The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) elected its 2009 slate of directors including the first-ever retailer Chairman...more

Handling Used Mattresses; ISPA to Maintain List of Used Mattress Recyclers
How to dispose of used mattresses is an issue facing every rent-to-own company. The International Sleep Products Association will make that job a little easier with the addition of a new Sustainability section on its Website...more

easyhome Donates $300,000 in Merchandise to Salvation Army Thrift Stores
"This donation from easyhome Ltd. is a tremendous gift to our organization" - John Kershaw, National Managing Director, Salvation Army Thrift Stores, Canada...more

RTO Pro Software Continues Development; Adds Pricing Methods
On the heels of last week's release of its new version 5.2.183, RTO Pro Software today announced the addition of two new pricing methods...more

Canadian RTO Operator easyhome to Webcast Q3 Conference Call
easyhome Ltd., Canada's largest rent-to-own company, will hold its quarterly management conference call on Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 11 am EST...more

New Mexico Rental Dealers Plan Legislative Agenda for 2009
Rent-to-own dealers and vendors serving New Mexico met in Albuquerque Tuesday to plan the formation of the New Mexico Rental Dealers Association and plan a political agenda for 2009. Nationwide Southwest sponsored the event...more

Aaron's Same Store Sales Up 5.7%; Takes Hit on 2009 Estimates
Aaron Rents (NYSE:RNT) yesterday reported same store sales for the Sales and Lease-Ownership division increased 5.7% during the third quarter of 2008 compared to the same quarter in 2007. Revenues increased 17%...more

Canadian Payday Loan Company Commits $7.5 million for Diabetes Research
Gordon J. Reykdal, Chairman and CEO of Canadian payday-loan provider The Cash Store Financial Services Inc., today announced that the Company will harness the energy of its over 1,500 associates working through its national network of 400 alternative financial services branches to raise $7.5 million over seven years for the Alberta Diabetes Foundation (ADF)...more

Rent-A-Center Renovates Staten Island Firehouses
In recognition of National Fire Prevention Month, Rent-A-Center teamed-up with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) today to help promote the message of fire safety during Fire Prevention month through a charitable donation to the FDNY Foundation...more

Ohio, Arizona Payday Loan Ballot Initiatives Have Nationwide Implications
According to Joseph Coleman, Chairman of the Financial Service Centers of America (FiSCA) the outcome of payday-loan ballot initiatives in Ohio and Arizona will affect the cash advance industry in all states...more

Whirlpool to Cut 5,000 Jobs; Sees Weak Demand Through 2009
Whirlpool (NYSE:WHR) announced a massive restructuring plan today as a result of decreased demand due to the weak global economy...more

Court Rules in Favor of LG Electronics in Whirlpool Patent Case
A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of LG Electronics in a long-standing patent dispute with Whirlpool. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a U.S. District Court decision in a case involving two Whirlpool patents related to clothes washers...more

Lenhart, Kassner, Burch Join DATATrue
DATATrue has experienced a 300% increase in business over the past 9 months," states Gene Sacco, President of DATATrue, a company supplying application and banking-verification services to the rent-to-own channel. To meet this demand in three service divisions Sacco announced the addition of three Executive Account Managers who are new to DATATrue but seasoned veterans in their respective fields...more

Rent-A-Center Q3 Same Store Sales Up 3.4%; Warns on Q4
Rent-A-Center announced same store sales for the quarter ended September 30, 2008 rose 3.4%. Q3 earnings were hurt by Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. The company also lowered Q4 guidance explaining that the struggling economy has created difficulties for rent-to-own customers...more

Nationwide Rental Coalition Seeks Support From NY Senator Hillary Clinton
Mamie Salazar-Harper, Legislative Liaison for the Nationwide Rental Coalition (NRC), met with former presidential candidate Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) Saturday at an event in El Paso to seek support for the Senate version of the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act...more
 

Comprehensive Research Study on the Changing Face of Videogamers
IGN Entertainment, a division of Fox Interactive Media, and Ipsos MediaCT today released "Are You Game?", a series of research findings from a comprehensive study examining the growing diversity, consumption patterns and social activity of videogamers...more

Illinois Rent-to-Own Dealers to Meet October 29
The 2008 Illinois Rental-Purchase Dealers Association (IRDA) general membership meeting and seminar will be held October 29, 2008 at the Crowne Plaza Springfield Hotel in Springfield, Illinois...more

Aaron's Announces Support for Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act
Aaron's (NYSE:RNT), the second largest consumer goods leasing company in the United States, will send up to 500 co-workers to Capitol Hill to lobby in support of the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act during the company's 2009 National Managers Meeting in April, 2009...more
 

Speakers Announced for Retail Advertising Conference
The Retail Advertising and Marketing Association will welcome Life is good founder Bert Jacobs and lululemon athletica founder and chief product developer Chip Wilson to its annual Retail Advertising Conference at the Mandalay Bay Resort...more

Sealy CEO to Receive Canadian Home Furnishings Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award
The 2009 edition of the Canadian Home Furnishings Awards will be held on Friday, January 9, 2009 at the Conference Centre in the International Centre, Mississauga, Ontario...more

Check City Honored for Public Service by FISCA
Check City was presented its second Activa service award during the 20th annual Financial Service Centers of America, Inc. (FiSCA) Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada...more

Rent-A-Center Opens 59th Arizona Location
Rent-A-Center recently opened it's 59th Arizona location in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. The 4,200 sq ft store is managed by Benny Rodriguez, who transferred to Lake Havasu City from Yuma...more

Samsung Blu-ray Disc Players Offer Upgrade to Stream Video
Netflix and Samsung announced a broad partnership to offer consumers the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from the Netflix via Samsung's BD-P2500 and BD-P2550 Blu-ray disc players...more

Cash Store Financial to Webcast Earnings Call
The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. (TSX:CSF) will hold its management conference call to discuss results for the three month period ended September 30th, 2008...more

New York Rent-to-Own Dealers Make Special Olympics Donation
The New York State Rental Dealers Association donated close to $26,000 to Special Olympics New York at a recent check presentation ceremony for officials of the non-profit organization, also announcing plans to conduct the fundraising campaign again in 2009...more

Economic Recovery May Be a Year Away
"This summer, before the financial market turmoil intensified, the overall economy was entering a period of decline," explained Ken Goldstein, Labor Economist at The Conference Board. "The extreme volatility in the financial market, and the near freeze-up of credit, will no doubt weaken the economy further...more

Dollar Financial Acquires Five London Stores; UK Operations Top 250 Stores
Dollar's U.K. operations generated nearly 25% of the company's total revenue in fiscal 2008...more

New Mexico Rent-to-Own Dealers Form Trade Association
The Nationwide Rental Coalition (NRC), a group supporting rent-to-own legislative initiatives at all levels of government, today announced a meeting for the formation of the New Mexico Rental Dealers Association (NMRDA)...more

Ohio Issue 5 Would Create a Lending Monopoly for Out-of-State Banks
"Adult borrowers are best served when they have the maximum number of financial options to choose from, not when legislators arbitrarily pick winners and losers." - Tim Miller, Center for Consumer Freedom...more

RTO Politics 101; Jim Brown Drives Kansas Congressional Support
Kansas may seem like a quiet place, but Kansas Association of Rental Dealers (KARD) member Jim Brown has been raising the legislative rafters in an effort to finally gain passage of the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act - balanced federal legislation that protects consumers and industry...more
 

Rent-A-Center Q3 Webcast Set For October 28
Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ:RCII), will broadcast its quarterly earnings conference call on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 10:45 AM ET over the Internet...more

Obama Widens Lead Over McCain; Obama 48%, McCain 39%
Barack Obama continues to open his lead over John McCain – 48% for Obama/Biden and 39% for McCain/Palin according to a just-released Ipsos survey of 1,131 adults. Third party candidates Ralph Nader (Independent) and Bob Barr (Libertarian) received 2% and 1% respectively...more

Rent-to-Own versus Credit Cards
"One of the major consumer benefits of a rent-to-own transaction is the absence of debt," says Roy Griffaw, president of RTO Online and publisher of RTO magazine, the rent-to-own industry's leading trade publication. "Unlike a traditional credit sale, a rent-to-own contract allows the consumer to remain in complete control of their cash flow...more

Millions Still Unprepared for Digital Transition
According to The Nielsen Company, more than 9 million households are not ready for the upcoming transition to all-digital broadcasting and would be unable to receive any television programming at all if the transition occurred today...more

Retail Spending to Fall This Holiday Season
For the first time, the annual survey of consumers' holiday spending intentions by the NPD Group reveals 26% of consumers plan to spend less. In the 2007 survey results only 18% said they planned to spend less...more

Rent-to-Own Software RTO Pro Adds Customer Email Functionality
Ever wish you could use your Rent-to-Own software to directly email invoices to customers? What if you could boost store traffic by sending a promotional letter to all your customers with a just few mouse clicks?...more