Sincerely
Roy Griffaw
President
RTO Online, Inc.

January

Aaron Rents Ups Stake in Rainbow Rentals to 8%
On January 17th, Aaron Rents purchased an additional 3% of Rainbow Rentals, bringing Aaron's total investment in the competitor to $2,110,450 or 8% of all common shares...more

Nationwide Rent to Own Store Locator
As a service to Rent to Own dealers and consumers, RTO Online and Rent-to-Own.biz ( www.rent-to-own.biz ) have developed an interactive nationwide RTO store locator...more

Rent to Own Customer Loyalty
Churn, loss, turnover...fancy words that mean "losing customers". For a Rent to Own company, how valuable is a loyal customer? How do you define customer loyalty?..more

February

Black History Month
Medal of Honor
In our third installment celebrating Black History Month, we honor the 7 African American Medal of Honor recipients from WWII. Men like First Lieutenant John R. Fox, who at the cost of his own life, called an artillery strike on his own position to defeat an enemy attack and save the lives of his fellow soldiers...more

Sale Final!
Rent-A-Center announced that it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of 295 rent-to-own stores from Rent-Way, Inc. and its subsidiaries. The aggregate purchase price paid for the acquired stores was $100.4 million in cash. The Company funded the acquisition from cash on hand...more

Rent a Center to close 177 (60%) of the acquired Rent Way locations
The agreements will be consolidated into existing Rent a Center locations. These closures will effect over 700 former Rent Way employees...more

Ten Things RTO Professionals Do To Mess Up Their Lives
By: Dr. Nora
Dr. Nora is a syndicated columnist, talk show host, author, rent to own owner, Nascar driver , and Ambassador to Norway.

Interview With David Ingram, CEO of RTO Enterprises
With 136 locations, RTO Enterprises is Canada's largest rent-to-own. The company recently announced a 're-branding' effort that will consolidate all 6 six retail banners into a single brand name- easyhome...more

80 % of your profit margin comes from 20% of your customers
We don't think twice about spending 6 hours on the phone taking renewal commitments from past due accounts. When is the last time you spent 6 hours calling your core customers that renew like clockwork?...more

March

Zooooom.............
Jack Rowland's Rise to RTO prominence in the Sacramento Market
Jack Rowland began his Rent to Own career in 1981 as a delivery driver for REMCO. By age 20, he was managing one of the largest stores in the country with monthly revenues exceeding $110,000...more

Larry Carrico's Rent One Named the Internet's Best Rent to Own Website
RTO Online reviewed every known Rent to Own website and we are happy to announce that Mt. Vernon, IL based Rent One ( www.rentone-rto.com ) has been awarded "Best of the Web"...more

Rent to Own Risk Management
In an industry where a pulse and $9.99 will get you a new TV, actively managing risk must be a top priority...more

What...Are You Nuts!
Craig Stanley, President of Stanley's Rent To Own based in Claremore, Oklahoma writes (in response to our article "Is Federal RTO Legislation Wise") "There are many Democratic House and Senate members that support and have voted in favor of our industry. Stop making these broad, untrue statements that all "Democrats" are against us...click here to view the comment and our response

April

Women in RTO
Adapt and Overcome
By: Samantha Whitten
RTO Online Contributor
Snippet: ...Two days ago I spoke with a man whom I had met once before. When he asked what I do for a living, I told him that I manage a rent-to-own store. His eyebrows went up: “You’re the manager?” I nodded. He leaned toward me with a conspiratorial smile, threw me a wink and said, “What’d you do to get that job?”...more

Rent to Own Legislation Gains Momentum
Brian Perry
Communications Director for Rep. Charles Pickering
Cosponsoring HR996
"[Congressman Pickering] cosponsored HR1634, essentially the same bill in the 106th congress. We supported HR1701 last session but did not cosponsor the bill because we were not asked by supporters or constituents."...more

In Perspective
There are moments when we experience absolute clarity. Our problems melt into utter insignificance as we realize what is truly important. It happened when my sons were born. It just happened again...more

PIRG, "We care because you're too stupid"
snippet: Ralph Nader, the energizer bunny of activism and a man who has never produced anything in his life except a failed presidential bid and a bad hairdo, is the founder of PIRG...more

Is That a Payment in Your Pocket or Are You Just Glad to See Me?
...and other things you should never say to late accounts
Snippet: Renewal payment expectations are meaningless if they are accompanied by a wink and a nod...more

RTO Gems of the Internet
It pays to 'Go Deep'
Sometimes you have to dig deep in the search engines to find a gem. One such Rent to Own Gem, found 45 pages deep in the search results, is Furniture and Appliances Now, the Jonesboro Arkansas based Rent to Own company owned by Fred Pearson and Geron Vail...more

May

Avalanche of Support for Rent to Own Legislation Following APRO Legislative Conference
14 Representatives signed on as co-sponsors of HR996, the Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act, bringing the grand total to 50; 35 Republican and 15 Democrat...more

Ideal Software Systems moves to new 30,000 sq ft facility
David Goldman, Owner and President of Ideal, said the company is expecting many new developments in 2003 and the move will allow his company to continue to grow...more

Rent-n-Roll Expands Into North Carolina
Larry Sutton, president of Rent-n-Roll, LLC announced the completion of a multi-store License agreement for the Greensboro and Charlotte N.C. ADI’s with John Miller of Hometown Rentals...more

Renting, Racing and Relationships
Interview with Ken Chapman of Chappy's Rent to Own
excerpt:  RTO Online: What do you see as the Rent to Own industry's biggest challenge in the coming year?

The Day the Earth Stood Still
I own 'Rufus Mudsuckers Rent Emporium', a small rent to own store in the Midwest. I arrived at the store an hour early Monday morning...more

Rainbow Founder Larry Hendricks Resigns; Replaced By Robert Harris as COO
Hendricks, one of Rainbow's founders, is leaving to pursue other personal and business interests. He will be replaced by former Remco Chief Operating Officer Robert Harris...more

From the Front Lines
Report from Rufus Mudsucker, embedded with the 92nd RTO division somewhere in Eastern Iraq;
"In early November, electronic listening stations at RTO Online world headquarters picked up rumors of Saddam taking delivery of rental merchandise. This was just the break the 92nd had been waiting for"...more

June

Growing BOR
By Rufus Mudsucker (bio)
Rent to Own Maven
My 8 year old son called me at work to ask if he could shave the cat. I explained the dangers inherent in such a maneuver, and convinced him that playing basketball would be a better use of his time. He seemed satisfied and asked what I was doing. I told him I was writing an article about "Growing BOR". He laughed and told me he had learned all about this in school...more

Bestway Rentals Reports Same Store Revenues Up 11.3%: Net Income Down
Bestway has seen 3 continuous quarters of double digit growth in same store sales since David Kraemer left Rent a Center to become CEO in July, 2002.
David A. Kraemer
President and CEO
"...we are pleased that [programs he introduced 9 months ago] have enabled us to produce three consecutive quarters of double digit increases in same store revenues, in light of intentionally eliminating a number of low margin product lines..."...more

Five Traits of a World Class RTO Store Manager
By Samantha Whitten
A good manager understands that six months of steady growth is a greater accomplishment than two months of stellar performance and four months of mediocrity...more

Rent USA Launches Website
The site was designed by Imagery Marketing Consultants, the same company that brought us www.rentone-rto.com named "Best of the Web" by RTO Online in March of this year...more

NCLC Accuses RTO Industry of "Preying on Military Families"
update: See Steve Tripoli's response to our story here
Lie Exposed at the National Consumer Law Center
....Report Makes New York Times Look Informed
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) published a misleading report Tuesday entitled "In Harm’s Way – At Home: Consumer Scams and the Direct Targeting of America’s Military and Veterans". The report attempts to link the Rent to Own industry with Pay-Day lending/Cash Advance and claims military personnel are "ripe targets for consumer predators" like the rent to own industry...more

July

Audio
Morgenstern Speaks On Rent Way's Future
Best quote
"Make no mistake about it, the rent to own market will see this sleeping giant awaken"...more

SEC Details Conway involvement
Beginning in December 1998, Conway directed Marini to do whatever was necessary to ensure that Rent Way met its earnings guidance but not to tell Conway how he was meeting the earnings guidance so that Conway could maintain "plausible deniability" (i.e., the ability to deny direct knowledge of the misconduct). Beginning in December 1999, Marini told Conway the details of his fraudulent conduct and continued to discuss with Conway details of his ongoing efforts to meet the Company's earnings guidance. Conway condoned and encouraged Marini's actions...more

Website Review
Rentacenter.com Misses the Mark
Rent a Center is unquestionably the 400 pound gorilla of the RTO industry, unfortunately that leadership does not extend to the web...more

10 Rent to Own Truths
Four score and a 47 million BOR ago, our fathers brought forth to this continent a new industry. They held these truths to be self evident...more

Rent Rite Moves West
Rent Rite Becomes 5th Largest Rental Chain with Rarick’s Acquisition
Ed Stanko
President, CEO and Rent Rite co-founder
"We are very pleased with the acquisition of Rarick’s Easy Pay. The Mullins family ran a first-class operation. We now have a major presence in the Indiana market, our first non-Atlantic coast market, which positions Rent Rite to continue its rapid expansion into the rest of the eastern United States...more

Aaron Rents Acquires Ace Locations
Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma
UPDATE: The total number of stores acquired from ACE is 34...more

Exclusive
Australia
Renting and Collecting in Oz
Interview with Jason Wyllie, GM of Pabs; Australia's largest rental company
Jason told RTO Online, "Pabs was the first furniture rental company in Australia and one of the first furniture rental companies in the world. The first Pabs began renting 'beds and fridges' in Melbourne in 1962...more

RTO Founding Father Ernie Talley Dies at 68
Ernie Talley, former CEO of Rent a Center and founding father of the rent to own industry, passed away Saturday morning at 8 a.m. after having been admitted to the hospital for a stroke. He had been battling cancer for some time. Services are Tuesday morning, 10:00am at the family's parish church in Pilot Point, TX...more

Memories of Ernie Talley
Mr. T.,  Fixing Problems and Helping People
By Bud Holladay
All around good guy
Rent a Center
In the early days, Ernie had 14 or 15 stores and little margin for error. So he spent a lot of time in the field. When he visited a store in a Midwestern city that had been on the bottom for way too long, his first act wasn't to talk to the manager or read reports...more

Memories of Ernie Talley
"No Smoking"
By Jay Roberts
VP Operations
National TV Sales and Rental
A couple of men came into the store, casually dressed and one of them was smoking a cigar. Unbeknownst to the Manager one of the men was Ernie Talley...more

Memories of Ernie Talley
You Made a Difference
Anonymous Store Manager
Rent a Center
Mr. Talley was a great man who not only started RTO, but is largely responsible for the high standard of living we at Rent a Center enjoy...more

August

UK Based Rent to Own Company 'Boxclever' Blamed for Huge Losses at West German Bank
To date, losses from the deal have forced WestLB to set aside over 200 million euros to cover expected losses...more

RTO Relationship Retention
The following story about the power of relationships was adapted from a reader email. The reader was a bit perturbed about the term 'dirty storefront' used to describe some past and present Rent to Own dealers...more

Annual Rental Purchase Industry Tradeshow Set to Kick Off in Reno
For the first time, RTO Online will be reporting daily from Reno with interviews, photos, and news...more

Aaron Rents Seeking to Buy Back Franchises
R. Charles Loudermilk, Sr.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
"We're actively trying to buy all the stores"...more

Introducing "My RTO Portfolio"
No registration or log-in is required. My RTO Portfolio uses cookies to store stock preferences. Visitors enter their 'Portfolio' once, the information is stored and displayed with every visit to the page...more

September

Legislative Update
The Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act
Senators Roberts and Craig Cosponsor S884
Industry Hits Goal of 20 Co-sponsors by Mid September
The addition of Roberts and Craig brings the Senate cosponsor count to 20; 10 Democrat and 10 Republican. 20 co-sponsors by mid September was the stated goal of industry lobbyist John Raffaelli, founder and chairman of "The Washington Group", a lobbying firm retained by APRO. Previous versions of the bill had as few as 8 co-sponsors...more

Measuring Store Performance
Look beyond the obvious
By David Oliver
Owner, First American Rentals
A well managed store should generate 70% gross margins and 25% Operating Profit...more

Women in the Home Industries Today (WITHIT) Announces Honorees For 2003 WOW Awards
WithIt, founded in 1997, encourages and develops leadership, mentoring, education and career opportunities for women in the home furnishings industry...more

Those Who Can, Do
Those Who Can't, Advocate
The Hartford Advocate published a story Thursday by reporter Patrick Rucker entitled 'Rent, or Robbery? The rent-to-own industry makes a lot of money in poor neighborhoods. Blumenthal is watching'. The "Blumenthal" in the exceptionally long headline refers to Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal...more

The King of Sling
"Might as well face it I'm addicted to D's"
By Rufus Mudsucker
Rent to Own Maven
...Mom guided every aspect of my early RTO development. She spent her best years in a vain attempt to mold me into the very model of rent-to-own perfection. But, as often happens during puberty, I strayed from the path of rental purchase enlightenment into the bottomless pit of 'pump and dump'...more

RTO Online Achieves key Milestones In August
As of September 2nd, 2003, RTO Online has achieved "top 3" status in the 2 most popular search engines; Google, Yahoo...more

RTO Online launches Updated Career Center

RSSS Founder Les Feldser Dies at 77
Mr. Feldser and his wife Rosezell (Rosie) founded RSSS in 1979 and only recently retired after selling RSSS to Hightouch in December, 2002...more

RTO Online Publishes Reno Collection
Over 200 images available in the Online Gallery
RTO Online has completed work on the 2003 Convention Online Photo Album. NO registration is required to view over 200 images of your fellow RTO Pro's enjoying the show!..more

Article includes new poll
Show Me Rent to Own Employee Helps Nab Criminal
According to files obtained from the court, Kris Kallio, a computer repairman, and David Gregory of Show-Me Rent to Own, reported the incidents to the Dexter Police Department after suspicious material was found on a rented computer that was being serviced...more

October

Craig Moon Named Sears Contract Sales National Account Manager For Rent to Own Industry
"I'm thrilled to be back in the Rent to Own industry...more
Craig R. Moon

ColorTyme Secures $50 Million Credit Facility; Plans Major Expansion
ColorTyme, Inc., the largest RTO franchisor in the country has secured a new $50 million dollar credit facility with Wells Fargo Foothill for new and existing ColorTyme franchises. This brings the total credit facility available through ColorTyme, Inc. up to $65 million...more

Aaron Rents CEO Honored By Association
Aaron Rents CEO Charlie Loudermilk won the International Furniture Rental Association's (IFRA) Carl F. Barron Outstanding Achievement Award.

12 Steps for Successfully Renting Jewelry
With Christmas approaching, begin planning now for a profitable holiday season
Done correctly, jewelry will be the most profitable 10 square feet in your store. Preparation is the key to a successful Jewelry Renting Christmas Season. Make the extra effort and reap the profits...more

O’Rourke Distributing Relocates Corp Headquarters to Iowa
The O’Rourke brothers have come a long way since their modest beginnings of selling citizen band, or CB, radios from the family farm in the 1960s...more

Rent-A-Center Revamps Website
It's amazing what the addition of a few happy humans can do. The feel of the site went from stark and cold, to warm and inviting. A true visual sales pitch...more

Comm South Declares Bankruptcy
According to sources, business boomed for Comm South until poor customer service and a seemingly endless list of competitors chipped away at the companies market share. Other pre-paid dial tone providers that utilize Rent to Own companies as agents are...more

Rent Rite Named 4th Fastest Growing Company In the US
Baca Raton based Rent Rite was named the 4th fastest growing privately held company in the United States with sales growth of 12,359% over the past 5 years...more

Rent a Center Acquires 11 Show Me Rent to Own Locations
Gary Romine, former President of APRO and owner of Show-Me Rent to Own, has sold 11 stores to Rent a Center...more

Rent to Own in Vermont, 7 Years After the Fall
Vermont is a perfect example of the old adage "Be careful what you wish for". Prior to 1993, Vermont had no specific statute regarding rent to own. Wishing to 'legitimize the transaction', as well as offer RTO companies and consumers some protection, RTO executives began lobbying the Legislature for a clearly defined statute. A bill modeled on the New York statute was submitted to the Vermont legislature for review. The issue bogged down in committee and no vote was planned. Everyone went home...that's when things went awry...more

November

Ex-Rent-Way execs to be sentenced
The three executives charged with masterminding a $100 million accounting fraud at Erie's Rent-Way Inc. are using three different strategies to persuade a federal judge that they deserve lenient sentences...more

Aaron Rents Rejoins APRO After 5 Year Absence
"We're thrilled to welcome Aaron Rents into the Rent to Own community...more
Lyn Leach
President of The association for Progressive Rental Organizations

Missouri Rent to Own Dealers Form Political Action Committee
MRDA Board of Directors approved the use of 50% of 2004 dues for PAC "seed money." MRDA members will be allowed to check a box on their 2004 dues statement to "opt-out" of the PAC...more

Rent to Own: The Slow Motion Sale
There is an interesting discussion being held on RTO Online Forums. It revolves around whether or not the core of rent to own is collections or sales. Collections being the ability to collect renewal payments on time, and Sales being the ability to sell the value of the transaction itself. The argument is an old one, but critically important to the evolution of the industry...more

Aaron Rents Franchises 31 Rosey Rentals Stores; Awards Additional Franchise Territory
The stores, 28 of which are currently operating as Ace TV Rentals or Choice Rent-to-Own, will enter the Aaron's franchise system and be converted to Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership stores...more

Rent Rite Opens 90th Location
"Our simple, uncomplicated transaction gives us an effective competitive edge."..more
Ed Stanko
President and CEO

December

Rent to Own Online Introduces New State Statute Application
...an online application that allows visitors to perform side by side comparisons (on a single page) of existing state Rent to Own statutes as well as the proposed federal legislation, HR996; The Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act...more

20% of Lawmakers Co-Sponsor Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act
"We expect the first quarter of next year to be a busy time for RTO legislation...more
John Raffaelli
Chairman and Founding Partner of The Washington Group

Rent to Own Industry Poll: Respondents Report Inadequate Recognition and Long Hours As Top Issues
Results to date in RTO Online's Rent to Own industry poll show "Lack of recognition by superiors" and "Long Hours" as top issues among industry pros...more

Americans Experience a 68% Hearing Loss While Naked
I read in TV Guide the other day that most people experience a 68% hearing loss while naked. (You may find this disturbing on several levels; First that I read TV Guide. Second that I learn from TV Guide. And third, that I find analogies between TV Guide material and rent to own). Rent to Own is always satisfying, but sometimes stressful. I was curious to learn how stressful situations can lead to hearing loss so, in the grand Mudsucker tradition, I began researching scientific methods of measuring my stress while naked in various settings...more

What Do Pawn Shops, Payday Loans, and Rent to Own Have In Common?
A Google search for - pawn payday rent to own - finds 1,460 stories that contain all three terms. Why are these three industries consistently linked in the media? Why do PIRG and other so-called consumer advocates attempt to lump Rent to Own into the "predatory Lending" category?...more