Despite a challenging retail environment, two hundred new dealers have joined Nationwide over the past year.

Photo RTO Online

Nationwide Marketing Group members were treated to in-booth entertainment by Whirlpool. See over 100 photos form the tradeshow floor here.

See over 100 photos from the tradeshow floor - Day one.

Twenty-five hundred RentDirect-Nationwide and Nationwide Marketing Group members and vendors registered for PrimeTime! The show floor opened with 175 vendors, 16 of which are first time PrimeTime! exhibitors. New product debuts and attractive savings to dealers through the Nationwide cash-back program drew 140 RentDirect members representing 80 rent-to-own companies.

RentDirect members met Monday morning. James MacAlpine, Executive Director of RentDirect, announced new vendors included Haier, AlertOne, Liquid Tax, Soflex, and Classic Flame, as well as Klaussner furniture who has returned with an expanded rental program.

Despite a challenging retail environment, there are significant bright spots. Senior Nationwide executives said at a press conference Monday that group membership has grown significantly. Two hundred new dealers have joined Nationwide over the past year, and while PrimeTime! attendance is off by 6-7% compared to last March, the numbers are better than expected considering the state of the economy. The closure of Circuit City is also expected to present opportunities for independent retailers to gain share. Group execs said that digital television shipments were up "double digits" in January.

Robert Weisner, Executive VP of Member Services, said that even in a weak economy Nationwide dealers overall "seem to be faring well," especially those in the rental-purchase sector who are in a position to serve credit restrained customers. RentDirect-Nationwide reported its membership is up 30% and climbing.

Weisner also reported that an increasing number of traditional retailers are turning to NMG and RentDirect for support in adding rental-purchase kiosks as a means to maintain market share during the retail credit crunch.

Nationwide executives re-stated their commitment to supporting passage of the Consumer Rental-Purchase Agreement Act. Nationwide formed the Nationwide Rental Coalition as a RentDirect member benefit in 2008 to support legislative efforts at the state and federal level. The NRC will host a two-day legislative conference in Washington, D.C. next month. The investment in time and money by Nationwide in support of independent rent-to-own dealers is unprecedented.

On the tradeshow floor Monday, Tracy Black, DSI Systems, said activity has exceeded expectations. "It is electric here," he said. "We expected a lot, but we got more than what we expected."

Gloria Homier, owner of A Full House Rentals, credited DSI with keeping her adequately supplied with CE at a time when some distributors are struggling to maintain inventory due to manufacturing cutbacks. See interview with Gloria.

As a service to members, Nationwide PrimeTime! University offered classes Monday ranging from "Selling Smart in Tough Times" to "Turning Idle Inventory into Cash," to "Motivating Beyond Compensation."

RTO Online provided live streaming video of the tradeshow floor and interviews with vendors, dealers and RentDirect staff. Live videos are archived and available here.

See video interviews with;
- James MacAlpine, Executive Director, RentDirect
- Ryan Welch, Owner, Rapid Furniture and Appliance
- Gloria Homier, A Full House Rentals
- Jess Fisher, Hometown Rental Purchase
- Ron Loftin, CEO, Liquid Tax
- Additional interviews will be added today.

Live coverage begins again at 11:00 AM. Please check www.rtoonline.com for updates, interviews and photo galleries.