APRO’s Vendor Advisory Committee (VAC) – which represents the interests of industry suppliers and serves as a vital link between vendors and rent-to-own dealers – met in Cleveland on October 22–23 to build a list of deliverables that support the Board’s next strategic plan. With the current plan finished well ahead of its 2028 end date, the Board started work on building a new plan looking to 2027, 2030, and 2037, and VAC members took the opportunity to contribute some big ideas of their own.
Where the Industry is Headed
The meeting opened with a look at what the next few years will bring for the rent-to-own industry. Vendors pointed to continued store consolidation, steady growth in virtual RTO, and companies competing even harder on customer experience.
Committee members said the store of the future is built around that experience, and that dealers should prepare for “agentic” shopping, where AI tools shop on a customer’s behalf. AI and tariffs remain the biggest unknowns going into 2027.
Brick-and-mortar stores matter – only about 2% of consumers buy mattresses online, and manufacturers will keep driving shoppers through store doors.
What Vendors Want From APRO
Return on investment and relationships drive where vendors spend their time and money. They measure ROI in orders written and new customers gained, and they value events that bring the most dealers together. With 29 events on the industry events calendar, vendors need help choosing wisely.
The VAC pulled together a list of needs and deliverables it will develop in 2027 to support the RTO community. Members split into two subcommittees, one for product vendors and one for service vendors. Though their businesses differ, both groups agreed on the need for:
- An upgraded industry events calendar that shows whether an event is a meeting, a trade show, presentations, or all three at a glance.
- Member and vendor directories with contact information, for easy outreach in both directions.
- Better data, including sales results from big selling periods and dealer input on which products they want to see at shows.
- Product training, including how-to videos that reach the store level.
Committee Business
The committee agreed to amend its bylaws to create staggered two-year Co-Chair terms with term limits, giving VAC leadership continuity from year to year. The Board will vote on the change at its April meeting.
Co-chairs James MacAlpine and Andrew Hajduk shared updates from the Board, including ongoing GEO work, efforts to build store authority, and strategic plan priorities. The subcommittees will meet by phone over the coming months to firm up their deliverables and will share them at the Legislative Conference in April.
