Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - Rent-A-Center contributes $2K to library at store opening

June 2, 2009

Starting today, customers in Novi, Michigan, and surrounding communities have a new choice available when it comes to renting or buying brand-name furniture, appliances, electronics and computers.

Rent-A-Center is celebrating the opening of its newest store at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2. Featuring approximately 4,500 square feet of high-quality merchandise, the new store is located at 31152 Beck Road in Novi.

Customers will find Rent-A-Center’s local staff ready to help them get the right item along with the right payment plan to fit their budget.

“From bedroom sets to washers and dryers, we’re going to help people find what they need and a payment option that works for them,” said Larry Berry, store manager.  “Our goal is to help every customer who walks through our door meet a home furnishings need.”

$2,000 Community Grant Awarded

To show its appreciation for being welcomed to the Novi area, Rent-A-Center is contributing a $2,000 grant to the Novi Public Library to purchase books, DVDs and audio books to help people enhance their personal finance knowledge and skills. The check presentation will be held at the store during its ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Novi Chamber of Commerce scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.

On a national level, Rent-A-Center actively supports programs that benefit its customers.  The company has committed more than $2.1 million in support of Big Brothers, Big Sisters; Boys and Girls Club; Junior Achievement and Feeding America over a four-year period.

Rent-A-Center offers a variety of name-brand merchandise from trusted manufacturers such as Sony, Whirlpool, Ashley, Dell, Serta, Phillips and HP and offers weekly, semi-monthly and monthly terms.

Customers also have the ability to terminate the rental agreement without penalty anytime after the initial rental period. A lifetime reinstatement policy permits customers to simply pick up where they left off if they choose to re-rent their returned, or comparable, items.

While Rent-A-Center does not perform credit checks, the Company encourages all individuals to create a household budget before making any financial decisions.  Assistance with creating a budget is available at many educational institutions and social service agencies.

“Customers should also feel comfortable asking questions anytime during their visit to our stores,” said Douglas Belt, district manager for Rent-A-Center.  “Although the rent-to-own concept is extremely simple, we don’t want our customers to have any uncertainty about their agreements with us.”

The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.  All Rent-A-Center stores are closed on Sundays.

mevans@rtohq.org

          

About APRO
The Association of Progressive Rental Organizations is the official voice of the rent-to-own industry and the most accurate and trustworthy source of rent-to-own news in the industry. Founded in 1980, APRO is the national, nonprofit trade association advocating and representing the rent-to-own industry before the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, courts, media and the public.

For more information, visit www.rtohq.org.




Featured APRO Photo:
From the Aaron's National Managers Meeting April 13-15, 2009 Album
Aaron's National Managers Meeting April 13-15, 2009

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RTOHQ: The Magazine
RTOHQ: The Magazine is the Association of Progressive Rental Organizations' award-winning rent-to-own industry magazine, and it's available here.
Click the links below to download each article as a PDF

Complete issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine | November-December 2009
Download the entire November - December 2009 issue of RTOHQ: The Magazine by clicking on the link above (PDF).

 

Legislation Happens
Rent-to-own dealers, employees and vendors will unite on Capitol Hill February 23–25 to tell the rent-to-own story to members of Congress and their staff. We encourage you to be a part of this lawmaking process, because—-with or without you—-legislation happens.

 

Uniting the States of Rent-to-Own
by Kristen Card
State rental dealer associations play a vital role in maintaining the health of the rent-to-own industry. In this issue, we profile a handful of these groups—in Missouri, Illinois, Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania—and chart the expanding array of services they provide to members.

 

Crapshoot in the Courthouse: RTO in State Supreme Courts
by Ed Winn III
Justice is supposed to be blind, unbiased, impartial—-but we know better. Take, for example, the decisions of state supreme courts when the primary rent-to-own issue-—lease vs. sale-—has been presented to them. The message from these cases is clear: the courthouse can be a dangerous place for RTO dealers.

 

Economic Forecast 2010: Ready for a Rebound?
by Phillip M. Perry
Maybe 2009 was tough, but as a business survivor, you can congratulate yourself on your hardiness and take steps to capitalize on a rebound.

 

Vendor Spotlight: Ashley’s Ron Wanek
by Tiffany Hamburger
Ron Wanek’s Midwestern roots and work ethic, combined with abundant artistic talent, have helped assure that Ashley is seated at the top of the furniture industry.

 

Cover illustration by Barry Fitzgerald

 

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Association of Progressive Rental Organizations
1504 Robin Hood Trail
Austin, Texas 78703
800/204-2776, ext. 103
Fax 512/794-0097