Rent-to-own News

Rent-to-own News - Rent-n-Roll catapults in Franchise 500 ranking

April 16, 2008

In a prestigious listing of "who's who" in franchising, RNR Custom Wheels & Performance Tires (formerly Rent-n-Roll) recently gained ground in Entrepreneur magazine's 2008 Top Franchise 500.

This year the company, which began franchising in 2003, ranked number 252 versus 426 in 2007.

RNR Staff at the recent franchisee conference in Orlando, Florida. (Click here to watch the video.)

The Tampa, Florida-based RNR recently opened its 68th store and has more in the works, according to Vince Ficarrotta, vice president of franchising at RNR. The recent leap in rankings speaks to the quality of franchisees as well as a sound business plan, he says.

"The gain in ranking is based on our business model proving itself," Ficarrotta says. "We're doing the right things. We are a constantly evolving dynamic organization."

Ficarrotta estimates another dozen RNR franchises will open before the close of 2008.

The magazine ranks companies based on unit growth, financial stability and other factors, though a full criteria was not available at press time.

RNR also gained as an Entrepreneur Magazine 2008 New Franchise, ranking number 14 compared to number 41 in 2007.

Aaron's Sales and Lease Ownership, which as of March 31, 2008 boasts 483 franchise stores in the U.S. and Canada, was the only other rent-to-own franchise to make Entrepreneur's Franchise 500 list.

Aaron's ranked number 58 this year. The company's Entrepreneur Franchise 500 rankings for prior years are as follows: #49 (2007); #55 (2006); #52 (2005); #65 (2004).

Click here to watch APRO's exclusive video from the January 2008 Rent-n-Roll franchisee conference in Orlando, Florida.

Click here to view APRO's exclusive photo gallery of the event.

For more information on franchise opportunities with Rent-n-Roll, contact RNR Vice President of Franchising Vince Ficarrotta by phone at 813/977-9800 ext. 13, by email or visit the company’s website at www.rnrwheels.com.

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.

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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 HERE FOR OUR DIGITAL RTOHQ: THE MAGAZINE

RTOHQ: The Magazine’s upgraded digital format

APRO's new, mobile-ready magazine is now available in addition to our print edition. The digital format provides the same informative content as our printed magazine, but also offers tools to make the reading experience more enriching. Access the table of contents page with one click or tap. Get additional information from advertisers by clicking on the links in their ads. The interface is easy to navigate and requires no special app—read our magazine on your computer, digital table or smartphone. Click here to access the digital version of RTOHQ: The Magazine March-April 2012.

A New Rent-to-Own Experience

by Neil Ferguson

Here’s the lowdown on APRO’s 2012 Convention and Trade Show, July 24-26 in Memphis. The RTO industry’s big event will offer many valuable experiences, including insights on how to turn your stores into “experiences”–the good kind for consumers

Who Is Your Competition?

by Bill Keese

In order to expand your customer base, you can learn a lot by observing your competitors. But first, you need to figure out just who they are. If you think your only competition is the rent-to-own store down the street, you’re not considering the bigger picture. APRO’s executive director offers a big-picture perspective.

A Review of Online Customer Complaints

by Ed Winn III

While rent-to-own companies have not cornered the market on negative reviews posted on consumer complaint websites, it’s no surprise that there are cyberspace beefs against RTO. APRO’s general counsel reviews some of them in search of a pattern and he considers appropriate response to online complaints.

Rent-to-Own Families, Part VIII

by Kristen Card

Our series of family-run rent-to-own businesses continues with profiles of the Homeiers in Kansas and two Texas-based sets of kindred colleagues, the Spangles and the Weisblatts.

Future issues of APRO's magazine will be available in this same new format. Click here to access past issues that are not yet archived in the new interface.

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