"RTO Online's top 4 stories of 2004 are an odd mix of shock, humor, revenge, and global cooperation"

2004 has been a year of dramatic change for most of the 40,000 people who make up the rent to own industry worldwide. Acquisition announcements were a weekly occurrence throughout the year, the two largest RTO companies in the U.S. resigned from the national trade association, Wisconsin legislators came to their senses only to lose them again in the middle of the night, and a new rent to own company was launched in the former Soviet Union by a British entrepreneur- with the help of a Texan and a former Russian Navy submarine commander.

Top stories of 2004
Picking the top stories of the year is, in the internet universe, a simple procedure. Unlike print, it is known precisely when a page was viewed, how many people viewed it, how much time was spent on the page and how much email was received in response.

RTO Online's top 4 stories of 2004 are an odd mix of shock, humor, revenge, and global cooperation;

#1 Rent-A-Center And Rent Way Quit APRO

#2 The Cute One, The Big One, and The Old One

#3 Rent Way Files Lawsuit; Seeks Identity Of Internet Message Board Poster

#4 "Vivat Prokat" (Wow Rent to Own); UK Entrepreneur Ian Woodcock Brings RTO to Moscow

RTO Online published over 1,000 articles in 2004. Below is a list of top stories by month:

January
Rent Way Files Lawsuit; Seeks Identity Of Internet Message Board Poster

Gary Romine Running For Missouri House Of Representatives: Audio

Aaron Rents Exceeds $1 Billion In Revenue; Will Increase Store Count 16% in 2004

Who's Who In Rent to Own Launch

February
Rent A Center to Acquire Rainbow Rentals For $94.9 Million Plus

Fiesta Rent to Own Founder Mamie Harper To Receive Small Business Administration's 2004 District Directors Choice Award; Named Commissioner By Texas Governor Rick Perry

ColorTyme's Bob Kogler Sponsors Golf Tournament; Proceeds To Benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research

March
"Vivat Prokat" (Wow Rent to Own); UK Entrepreneur Ian Woodcock Brings RTO to Moscow

Wisconsin Assembly Votes 58 - 41 To Kill Rental Purchase Agreement Act

SEI Acquires Rent-n-Go; Ends Companion Family 22 Year Run as Vermont Dealers

Aaron Rents to Add 800 Employees In 2004 To Staff 140 New Stores

easyhome Gets It Right

Texas Rent to Own Association Kicks Off 2004 Convention

April
Rent-A-Center to Acquire Rent Rite For $58 Million

Class Action Comes To Canada; easyhome Announces Possible Class Action

Kansas Rent to Own Dealers To Form New State Association

Inform Business Printing And Promotions Launches Online Catalog

May
Rent Rite Acquisition Has Far Reaching Effects

Short Term Consumer Loan Industry Embraces Code of Practice; Community Financial Service Association Formed

Engineer Of The First Maytag Automatic Washer Dies At 93

June
The Cute One, The Big One, and The Old One

"Even Congressmen Use Rent to Own"; Senator Mary Landrieu Opening Statement Audio

Arendt Resigns; Former Thorn Americas VP Bob Bloom Named President Of ColorTyme

Carrico's Rent One Tops Virtual Customer Service

Aaron Rents Acquires Easy Way; Strong to Retire

Premier Rental Purchase Launches New Concept Store

APRO Sets Buying Focus For Upcoming Convention

July
Market Forces; As Rent to Own Companies Consolidate, Entrepreneurs Flourish

Former Rent Rite CFO Tom Mitchell Launches New Rent to Own Company; Wants 100 In 4 Years

August
Lyn Leach Says Farewell As President Of APRO

W.S. Badcock To Launch Rent to Own Division

Aaron's Rents Franchisee Adds 600 Customers With "Christmas In July" Promotion; Breaks Net Revenue Record

2004 Association of Progressive Rental Organizations (APRO) Convention Photo Album

September
Midwest RTO Expo Welcomes Dealers From 8 States

Hurricane Frances Plays Havoc With RTO Suppliers

Alabama Mississippi Rental Association Meeting Focuses On Education

Gary Dachis Fires Back At Payday Detractors

Rent A Center Expects -5% Same Store Sales; Investigating Alternate Revenue Streams Including Payday Loans

RTO Online Launches RTOtradeshow.com

October
Rent-A-Center And Rent Way Quit APRO

Aaron Rents Shocked At APRO Resignations; Still Sees Value In APRO Membership

How Did This Happen? Readers Concerned About APRO's Future

Rent Way To Continue Relationships With State Rental Associations

Long Time Industry Vet Ron Waters Fired; Legislative Budget Axed

Insta-Rent Inks Deal With The Brick; To Open 114 Rent to Own Kiosks In 24 Months

Aaron’s Breaks Ground for 1,000th Store; Site Chosen For Symbolism

Arkansas Rental Dealers Fall Conference Begins

Florida Rental Dealers Association Wraps Meeting

RTO Online Announces Partnership With TRIB, The Rental Industry Buying Group

November
Nasdaq Delisting Bestway; Company To Go Private

Session Ends Without Passage Of Rental Purchase Agreement Act; Last Minute Efforts Nearly Win The Day

ColorTyme Entering Payday Loan Arena

CFSA Publishes "Military Best Practices" For Payday Advance Providers

FAN Rent to Own Grows To 17 Stores; Generating Customer Excitement With Unique Q4 Promo

Rent Way Signs Exclusive Deal With Levitz; Testing Lease Purchase Option In Levitz Locations

Hampden Group Launches GPS Enabled Rent to Own Automobile Program

Rental Dealers Benefit From HR4520; American Jobs Creation Act of 2004

2004 RTO Industry Poll Preliminary Results Show Lower Customer Count

Rent A Center And Rent Way APRO Resignations No Surprise

Rental Purchase Act Looses 5 Key Supporters

December
Buddy's Home Furnishings Treats 200 Employees and Spouses To Bahamas Cruise

Report: Retail Financial Services, The Evolving Needs of U S Consumers

ColorTyme Dealers To Gather In Dallas

Gary Hughes Opens 31st ColorTyme