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easyhome to Webcast Q3 Conference Call
easyhome Ltd. (TSX:EH), Canada's largest rent-to-own company, will hold its quarterly management conference call on Tuesday, November 10, 2009...more

Sixty Five Percent of Consumers Expect to Cut Back on Holiday Spending
The effects of ongoing economic turbulence continue to weigh heavily on the pocketbooks and minds of shoppers as the 2009 holiday season approaches. According to a new Consumer Reports Holiday Shopping Poll, 65 percent of Americans plan to cut back on overall holiday expenses such as gifts, travel, and entertaining...more

Small Businesses Key to U.S. Business and Job Growth
Small businesses will play an important role in the nation's economic future. The Office of Advocacy's Small Business Profile for the United States, released today, provides details about small business employment, business starts and closings, bank lending in 2008, the demographics of business ownership, and firm and employment change by major industry and firm size...more

VIDEO
How Rent to Own Trade Associations Can Serve Members
Most folks join their industry's trade association to grow their business through new and innovative methods, learned through a collaborative community—the trade association...more

Wal-Mart Launches Rent to Own Pilot Program
Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), the world's largest retailer, is running a pilot rent-to-own-vehicle program at superstores in the Phoenix metro area. Wal-Mart chose LIVE X Auto Exchange as its partner for the test. Vehicle service will be performed by Wal-Mart Tire and Lube Express. All contracts are paid bi-weekly and carry an initial term of four weeks...more

RTO Dealers Should Prepare For 2010 Tax Season Now
Rent to Own dealers are already starting to fight what Steve Minish, head of business development for eTax Partners, calls the January through March RTO doldrums by adding a tax preparation service to their line-up...more

Rent to Own Career Center Tops 5000 Users
RTO Career Center, operated by RTO Online Inc. as a free service to the rent-to-own industry, registered its 5,000th active user Monday...more

Rent-A-Center Same Store Sales Plunge Six Percent; Fewer stores, units per customer
Rent-A-Center, Inc. (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own operator, today reported total revenues for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 decreased $37.5 million from the same period in 2008. The decrease in revenues was primarily the result of a 6.1% reduction in same store sales...more

VIDEO
Touch Me; Windows 7 Changes PC Rental Landscape
The rent-to-own industry always benefits from new technology that increases consumer demand for computers. The launch of Windows 7 brought with it a surge of new all-in-one (AIO) PC announcements by traditional PC vendors and monitor brands...more

Small Business Owners Show Little Optimism
Half of Small Business Owners Surveyed Say Economic Recovery More Than a Year Away...more

Quarter of Consumers Polled Considering TV Purchase
Screen size and a better picture are the two most important things for prospective TV buyers, according to The NPD Group's 2009 TV Inventory Study. One-in-four consumers say they'll most likely be making a new TV purchase in the next six months...more

Rent-A-Center Joins RentDirect Buying Group
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own company, has joined RentDirect...more

Plan Your Holiday Promotions
As the holiday season quickly approaches, store managers and marketing types are planning the holiday "event." It may be radio, TV, direct mail, email blasts or an in-store promotion...more

Rent-A-Center Opens First RTO Store in Cary NC
"This is a great opportunity to show the 120,000 Cary residents what Rent-A-Center has to offer in the way of home furnishings." - John Nelson, Manager, Cary, NC Rent-A-Center...more

Teletrack Launches Check Risk Evaluation System
Teletrack, a leading rent-to-own industry provider of risk management solutions, introduced RevealCheck, a tool for check cashers that provides quick, easy and affordable access to check cashing history and identity risk information...more

Tax Preparation Creates Additional Revenue Without Increasing Costs
In today's increasingly competitive marketplace many Rent to Own companies are prospering by offering Tax Preparation services to their customers...more

Aaron's Franchise Same Store Revenues Up 7.8%
Aaron's, the country's second largest rent-to-own operator, reported revenues for its Sales & Lease Ownership division in the third quarter increased 7% to $414.4 million. Same store revenues for franchised stores were up 7.8% for the third quarter of 2009...more

Consumer Electronics Holiday Spending to Increase
Shawn DuBravac, CEA's chief economist and director of research and Steve Koenig, CEA's director of industry analysis, kicked off the 2009 Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Industry Forum this week with the popular Holiday Sales and Forecast presentation...more

Aaron's Extends Sports Marketing Partnerships
Aaron’s, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), announced a continued partnership with the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Thrashers and Philips Arena...more

Thousands Write Congress to Preserve Payday Lending
"So-called consumer advocacy organizations who have nothing to lose do not speak for the 19 million American households who use payday loans." D. Lynn DeVault, President , Community Financial Services Association of America...more

Tyson Johnson Elected President of Kansas RTO Association
The Kansas Rental Dealers Association (KARD) held their annual meeting at the Prairie Band Casino in Mayetta Kansas October 14. Rent-A-Center's Tyson Johnson (Wichita) was elected president...more

Nationwide Southwest, RentDirect Donate $15,000 to TARA PAC
Nationwide Southwest CEO Dennis Willich and RentDirect executive director James MacAlpine presented a check for $15,000 to the Texas Association of Rental Agencies (TARA) PAC fund. The donation was accepted by Dan Mathews, president of TARA during the group's annual convention this week in Dallas...more

RTO Sign Maker Doubles WindBlade Line
"The WindBlades are huge, bold, inexpensive and can be installed anywhere quickly." - Steve Lenhart, President, Signs4Retail...more

Washington Post Payday Lending Story Misleading
"These inaccuracies are significant because the story purports to be about unregulated financial services whose customers are unbanked." - D. Lynn DeVault, President, CFSA...more

Gainesville ColorTyme Takes Donations for Accident Victim
Mike Gavidia, a friend to Hertell and franchise owner of the Gainesville ColorTyme, said that "Ron is the kind of man who helps other people. He puts people first, before himself. He's also a great family man – husband and father of two teenage boys...more

Ernst & Young Study Confirms Payday Loans Fair and Reasonable
Based on the study findings, it is clear that attempts to impose artificial rate caps will result in the elimination of a product used responsibly by millions of Americans to address small dollar, short-term credit needs...more

eTax Offers RTO Dealers In-store Tax Prep Services Without Liability
"Our customer resources program provides any client from any location the ability to instantly communicate with their dedicated tax pro." - Steve Minish, head of business development for eTax Partners...more

Holiday Retail Outlook Down Four Points
The NPD Group released the results of its annual survey of consumers' holiday spending intentions. Thirty percent of consumers surveyed told NPD they plan to spend less this holiday, a four point increase over last year's results...more

Judge Denies Whirlpool Patent Claim Against LG
A U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) judge again denied the final remaining claim by Whirlpool Corporation concerning refrigerator products from LG Electronics. LG and Whirlpool are both major whitegoods suppliers to the rent-to-own channel...more

William McCrae Elected President of TARA
William McCrae, owner of Buzz's Rental Purchase, was elected president of the Texas Association of Rental Agencies today at the group's annual convention in Dallas...more

Texas Rent to Own Dealers Hold Annual Convention
The 26th Annual Texas Association of Rental Agencies (TARA) convention will kick off Sunday at the Hotel InterContinental-Dallas...more

easyhome Enters Tulsa Market
Bud Gates, Chairman and CEO of easygates, LLC announces the opening of a new U.S. franchise store. The store will open on October 10, 2009 on East 31st Street in the Garnett Crossing Shopping Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gates is the master franchisor for easyhome, Canada's largest rent-to-own company...more

Premier UGetcha Cash: Franchise Week 2009
By The Premier Companies
When traditional banks left the small loan market years ago, they left working families in need of cash with limited options for meeting sudden needs. Particularly hurt were those in financial crunches who certainly could not afford to bounce a check with overdraft charges at banks soaring. This sparked rapid growth in the payday loan industry and a renewed interest and support in recent months by lending institutions...more

Study Finds Bad Bosses & Toddlers Have Much in Common
A new five-year comparative study on bad and childish boss behavior reveals increases of up to 50 percent in such traits as self-oriented, impulsiveness and stubbornness. Traits also shuffled, with "Self-oriented" moving to the top spot, far outpacing its earlier contender, "Stubborn."...more

Most Small Businesses Plan No Raises in 2010
Even though 77 percent of small business owners don't plan to give raises in 2010, most aren't even talking to employees about their "hidden paycheck," according to a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. small business owners...more

House Committee to Markup Consumer Financial Protection Act
Barney Frank (D-MA), Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, today announced a markup the Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009 - to be reported as H.R. 3126...more

Amscot Donates 4,160 Bike Helmets in 12 Florida Counties
Florida based payday loan provider Amscot Financial will donate and distribute 4,160 free bike helmets on Oct. 22 in 12 Florida counties where the company operates branch locations. Over the past seven years, Amscot has given away more than 25,000 free bike helmets to families living in Central Florida...more

Wheel Workz: Rent to Own Franchise Week 2009
By The Premier Companies
In 2008, The Premier Companies, a rental-purchase franchising organization, joined with Wheel Workz, a leader in wheel retail and leasing, to form Premier Wheel Workz. This joint venture offers franchise opportunities to experienced wheel and tire dealers and rental-purchase veterans...more

Rob Lewis Elected President of Oklahoma Rental Association
Rob Lewis, District Manager for Rent-A-Center, was elected president of the Oklahoma Rental Dealers Association (ORDA) Wednesday in Tulsa at the group's annual meeting, sponsored by Nationwide Southwest and RentDirect. Lewis has served as ORDA's vice president for 3 years...more

DSI Systems Opens Chicago Sales Office
"The opportunity to open our 31st branch speaks volumes to the success of the independent dealer in 2009." - Doug Robison, President, DSI Systems...more

Consumer Survey Predicts Flat Holiday Season
A survey of 2,300 adults 18 years and older conducted in September by Burst Media found that 62.8% of consumers plan to spend the same or cut back on their holiday purchases compared to 2008...more

Premier Rental Purchase: Rent to Own Franchise Week 2009
By Trooper Earle, President and CEO, The Premier Companies
The Premier Companies recently was ranked the fifth Fastest Growing Young Franchisor in America by FRANdata, the franchise industry's source for objective information and analysis. While our growth over the last few years has exceeded our expectations, we were surprised to see it relative to other...more

RTO Magazine Available on Facebook
RTO Magazine, the rent-to-own industry's leading trade publication, is now available on Facebook. To see all issues, visit the main page, click the Photos tab, find and click the Album "RTO Magazine Issues."...more

Rent-A-Center Opens 35th Mississippi Store
Rent-A-Center will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, October 8, 2009 to dedicate the opening of the company's 35th Mississippi location in Booneville...more

Former Thorne/Rent-A-Center Exec Don Marks Dies
Marks was a former Rent-A-Center/Thorne executive. Among other assignments, he spent 3 years in Europe as Managing Director of Radio Rentals and Crazy George before joining Badcock in 1998. He was instrumental in Badcock's entry into the rent-to-own sector with the Home Now brand...more

Stine, Jackson Open First easyhome Franchise in Omaha
easygates announced a new easyhome franchise store opening on October 3, 2009, in Omaha, Nebraska. The store is the first opened by JSNB Enterprises, LLC, an easyhome franchise owned by Jerry Stine and Vernell Jackson...more

Father of HDTV Honored in New York
Every time you rent a High-Def TV, you might want to say a silent thank-you to Dr. Woo Paik, CTO of LG Electronics. The national Library of American Broadcasting honored Dr. Paik as the "Father of HDTV" at the Seventh Annual Giants of Broadcasting Awards ceremony in New York City...more

Rent-A-Center Furnishes Brooklyn Boys & Girls Club
Rent-A-Center recently furnished a "RAC Room" and the Thomas S. Murphy Boys & Girls Clubs in Brooklyn...more

Rent-A-Center Furnishes Ohio Domestic Violence Shelter
Rent-A-Center (NASDAQ:RCII), the nation's largest rent-to-own company, made a donation of furniture and electronics to the Domestic Violence Shelter in Mansfield Ohio through the company's Random Act of Caring initiative...more
 

Rent to Own Franchise Week 2009: easyhome
easyhome is a proven success with over 230 stores in Canada and the US. easyhome is Canada's largest merchandise leasing company and third largest in North America. Our entry into the U.S. is being led by Bud Gates, former CEO of the world's largest rent-to-own company and CEO of easygates, LLC...more

Oklahoma Rental Dealers Prep For Annual Meeting
Members of the Oklahoma Rental Dealers Association (ORDA) will meet Oct. 6-7, 2009 at the Hard Rock Casino and Resort near Tulsa. The annual event is sponsored by Nationwide Southwest. Nationwide Southwest covers the cost of rooms and meals for all attending dealers...more