ShopRTO.com, the rent-to-own association’s consumer facing website, announces its newly designed website giving it a complete new makeover with E-zine style and look. ShopRTO.com promotes affordable home furnishing and lifestyle tips and when the rent-to-own option makes sense for the consumer.
The $8 billion dollar rent-to-own industry rents with the option to own furniture, appliances, electronics and computers. The largest inventory rent-to-own stores offer is furniture representing 40% of its annual revenue. That equates into $3.2 billion dollars of furniture rentals and sales.
“We’re excited by the new look and potential of ShopRTO.com. The site is the rent-to-own industry’s modern version of “Get Crackin’” of the pistachio growers association but all digital. We understand the future of home furnishing shopping starts with the internet so that’s where we’re focusing our energy,” remarks Mark Connelly, APRO President and Arona Executive Vice President. Arona is the second largest Aaron’s franchise in the U.S.
ShopRTO.com was germinated from years of market research in which focus groups showed that more than 90% of consumers start with the Internet when shopping for home furnishings. The data was reviewed by Prevail Strategic Marketing that then recommend the rent-to-own association take advantage of the Internet-dominated shopping trends and create a consumer-centric website that helps promote rent-to-own as part of a lifestyle rather than just another retail choice in the market.
“When shoppers rent-to-own furniture and such, they get a full service of delivery, repair, loaner if repairs need to be fixed off-site and, most of all, a debt free transaction keeping the consumer free from the legal obligations of traditional credit,” continues Connelly.
“Today, the customer shopping experience goes broader and deeper than just walking into a store,” says Jill Adams McDonough, founder of Prevail Strategic Marketing. “Consumers expect to access information and advice about products and how to use them whenever and wherever they want. ShopRTO.com offers a lifestyle-oriented, information-rich, 24/7 interactive resource. It doesn’t take the place of a knowledgeable, warm and helpful neighborhood rent-to-own sales person, but it goes a long way toward helping to educate and empower the customer.”
“As anticipated, the concept is working. The highest visited page is the rent-to-own store locator. Viewers go to the site, read something they’re interested in with the rent-to-own option as part of the article and go to the store locator to find their nearest rent-to-own store,” says Trent Agin, APRO Public Relations Committee Chairman and Board of Director. “Now we need to boost its viewership to a whole new level and think the new redesign is great step in that direction.”
ShopRTO and APRO encourages vendors such as furniture brands to help offer articles and tips and, in return, promote their brand as the source. For more information on ShopRTO, contact APRO Deputy Executive Director, Richard May at (800) 204-2776, ext. 104. 
