Acima Blog

Located in the tiny community of Mowrystown, Ohio, Chuck Wait Tire has become one of the most successful tire dealers in the country. Wait opened his tire shop in 1983, initially serving only Mowrystown and the surrounding communities of Mount Orab and Georgetown. Today, Wait serves an incredibly wide geographic area, with customers coming from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and West Virginia. As an independent tire dealer, Chuck Wait Tire carries tires and wheels from a wide variety of manufacturers. In addition to tire sales and service, Wait’s store also offers a wide variety of vehicle maintenance services. With so many…

March is National Credit Education Month, and since we love to help people build their credit as they get the things they need or want, we wanted to drop some knowledge in the blog today. Here are four tips you can take action on today to start improving your credit score: 1) Check Your Score (Regularly) You can’t start building up your credit if you don’t know where you currently stand. You are allowed to request a free copy of your credit report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion once a year via AnnualCreditReport.com. Make sure you take advantage of this…

Tax season is officially upon us. You still have some time to file your taxes, but before you do (or while you wait for a refund to hit your account) we wanted to share some truly hard-to-believe stories about taxes and tax refunds. A Very Expensive (Illegal) Shopping Spree In 2012, a woman in Oregon used online tax software to file a false tax return. She was given a $2.1 million tax refund which she immediately started spending on things like a new car and household items. However, she didn’t buy some extravagant vehicle with all that money; she paid…

In this blog post, we want to shine a spotlight on one of the incredible merchants we partner with. Today we’re showcasing Urban Furniture Outlet because we believe they’re the epitome of what it means to be an honest all-American small business. Urban Furniture Outlet is a family-owned company that provides factory-direct furniture prices to consumers in the New Castle and Dover markets in Delaware. Unlike two-thirds of family-owned businesses nationwide, Urban Furniture Outlet survived the transition from a first-generation furniture store to a second. Not only did it survive, it thrived. A combination of low prices, great customer service…

Tax season is just around the corner, and you may already be thinking of the best way to spend your tax refund. You’ve worked hard for this money, so there’s a good chance you want to spend it on something fun. Totally understandable! However, you may also want to consider spending your tax refund on something that will positively impact your mental health. Did you know one in four people worldwide will be affected by a mental health issue at some point in their lives? Currently, approximately 450 million people are struggling with their mental health, which means it’s more…

Philadelphia is a challenging market for many retailers, especially those selling furniture and mattresses. Furniture Mecca, a family-owned and operated furniture company, has found a way to grow, even with these unique challenges. They opened their first store in 2002, and since then, they’ve opened six more, with another one opening soon. Furniture Mecca offers a wide range of furniture and mattresses with immediate delivery. Aqueel Ahmed, the company’s president, understands that in order to grow and serve his customers, one of his main focuses needs to be offering credit solutions that actually help the people in his community. “All…

Are you living your best financial life? If you’re like 49% of Americans, you might be feeling concerned, anxious or fearful about your current financial well-being. This is a difficult way to live, so how about pledging to make a few small changes in 2019 to feel better about your financial health? Check your credit score – Did you know you get one free credit report each year? Take advantage of this and check your credit report once a year to make sure everything is correct. Simply go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228. Create a budget – Are you tracking…

As you may have noticed by reading our previous blog posts about the school lunch payoff initiative earlier this year, the team at Acima Credit is always looking for ways to help the local community. When we learned there was a need for shoes in some of the area schools, we knew right away that we wanted to help. We ended up choosing David Gourley Elementary as the recipient for our shoe giveaway. After paying off their school lunch debt earlier in the year, we absolutely fell in love with the students and the lunch ladies. The students at this…

Many of our merchants come to us initially because of the No Credit Needed payment option we can provide to their customers. While that’s a huge part of what we do, it’s definitely not the only thing we do for our merchant partners. We know that as a small business owner, getting people to come through your doors (or come back again down the road) means everything. Your business survives or dies based on your volume of customers. You could offer the best leasing option in the world (and if you work with us, you already do) but if you…

Wine Country Furniture might have started out small, but it’s growing into one of Washington’s larger and most successful furniture outlets. Norman Ward and Vladimir Sinyuk started Wine Country Furniture in 2011 in a 10,000 square foot showroom. The business partners expanded their store over time and now operate a 30,000 square foot showroom selling a full line of indoor and outdoor furniture and mattresses. Wine Country Furniture is proud to offer competitive pricing just like the big chain stores, but their outstanding customer service is what sets them apart. They treat their customers like only a local hometown store…

Sleep. It’s something most of us just can’t seem to get a handle on, no matter how old we get or how well we can do other important things in our lives. We just aren’t sleeping enough. Period. We joke about it and brush it off, but it can actually have a significant impact on our lives. Let’s dive into some of the surprising statistics surrounding sleep. According to the Global Relaxation Report put out by Wakefield Research this year, 51% of the global population is getting less sleep than they need. That means most of us are not sleeping…

If you live in the Phoenix area, chances are you or someone you know has been to Big O Tires. They’re so popular and well-respected, and we are honored to be able to partner with them to get their customers what they need on a daily basis. Ray Puente is the owner of five Big O Tires locations in and around Phoenix and he is the man you need to see if you need tires, wheels, or maintenance on your vehicle. According to Ray, many of his customers could (and do) qualify for traditional financing, but they choose not to…

One of the biggest reasons our customers choose Acima Credit as a payment option for their big purchase is the flexibility. We understand that everyone’s situation is different, but more than that, we understand that no one’s situation is the same every month. That’s why we let you choose your payment due date so it’s the most convenient for you. We’re also proud to offer various purchase options to align with your unique financial situation. Let’s go over these options and the benefits that go along with each of them: Pay Over 12 Months With this option, you can take…

Most companies don’t last 10 years, let alone 100. However, Badcock Home Furniture &more was founded in 1904 and is still going strong today. In fact, the company has more than 300 stores in eight states. Established in 1951, the South Florida branch is an independently operated company that shares the Badcock trademark and operates 11 stores in Miami-Dade, Brown and Palm Beach counties. They offer Acima’s no credit needed option in all 11 locations because it fits well into the company’s business strategy, said Al Guerrazi, Vice President of Retail Operations. He appreciates how the company has been able…

Move over, FICO. An update called “UltraFICO” is headed our way in early 2019 and it sounds like it may be a game-changer for Millennials and other so-called “credit-invisible” individuals. So… what is it? UltraFICO is an opt-in credit model that pulls information from your checking, savings, or money market accounts to paint a more complete picture of your credit-worthiness than what is traditionally included on your credit report. It’s expected to be offered as a “second-chance” option by lenders who want to offer credit to potential borrowers who don’t have enough history to earn them a decent score. It…

One of the most challenging aspects of running a small business is reaching new, potential customers. Social media makes it a little easier, but there is so much competing for people’s attention (not to mention pesky algorithms), it can be hard to even get your brand out there. Most small businesses don’t have big advertising budgets to get high-quality television ads or print ads in popular publications. Sometimes, you have to get more creative and depend on strategies that are a little outside of the ordinary. When you partner with Acima Credit to offer a No Credit Needed¹ purchase option…

No Credit Needed¹ is being advertised virtually everywhere. This messaging is being targeted at customers who have poor or no credit, which can be a great thing. However, as a retailer, you have a decision to make. You have to decide which No Credit Needed¹ provider is best for you and maybe even more importantly, which option is best for your customers. These are decisions that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Many tertiary finance companies advertise “zero down” along with zero fees to the merchant. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? When you combine that with 90 or 100 days same as…

Home furnishing stores across the country now have expanded options for No Credit Needed Leasing through an integration between Acima and the STORIS Unified Commerce Solution. For 30 years, STORIS has been providing retailers in the home furnishings industry with the technology solutions they need to stay on the leading edge of point of sale, inventory control, and financial accounting, among many other operational functions. We are so excited to partner with them to allow furniture, bedding, and appliance retailers who are already using STORIS software solutions to take advantage of our no-credit-needed lease-to-own system through their user-friendly, unified commerce…

Are you surprised to learn that more than 16 million people in the U.S. consider themselves to be “avid podcast fans”, according to Nielsen? If you’re not listening to podcasts, you’re missing out on valuable content and entertainment! While programs like “Serial” and “S-Town” get a lot of the buzz, there are thousands of different shows putting out regular content. You’d be hard-pressed to run out of content that’s enjoyable to listen to, and it can keep you company on a long commute or while you walk your dog. We wanted to share four podcasts that you can add to…

As a merchant, you probably get customers who come in all the time and are just browsing or planning future purchases. When you are able to offer in-house customer leasing, it can create an easy way for them to take their purchase home that same day, which boosts your sales, improves loyalty, and builds repeat customers. How In-House Customer Leasing Works Customer leasing helps potential customers make a purchase by allowing them to enroll in a monthly payment plan. Having this option available in-house means you can keep customers in your store and give them an easy, seamless experience instead…

Small businesses are the heart and soul of America. The 29.6 million small businesses in the United States account for 62 percent of net new jobs. It’s safe to say the country would be lost without all of the hard work, sacrifice, and bravery it takes to run a small business. At Acima Credit, we want to do everything we can to help small businesses succeed. Sometimes, it’s just one extra sale each month that means the difference between just scraping by and being able to comfortably pay the bills. We’re proud to help our merchant partners close more sales…

Life can get hectic, but we don’t have to tell you that. Between work, family, chores, and if you’re lucky, a little fun and relaxation, your time is fully accounted for. Remember complaining to your parents as a kid that you were bored? Yeah, those days are long gone. As an adult, there’s literally no time to be bored! While being an adult has its perks, it can also be stressful. We definitely don’t want to contribute to that stress, and that’s why we’ve made it easier for you to manage your lease 24/7 with our phone verification service. This…

At Acima Credit, our goal is to make it easier for you to get the things you need, when you need them. We also know that, sometimes, you hit a rough patch and you need to replace several large-ticket items at the same time. We’re there for you, even when Murphy’s Law is making your head spin. We recently launched an initiative called Open-to-Buy which allows you to apply for a second lease using the unused amount from your previous approval with us. In other words, maybe you were approved for $5,000 to spend on a new mattress, but you…

Driving a car is expensive! While public transportation doesn’t work for everyone, it certainly can be tempting whenever you’re faced with an unexpected repair or a forgotten insurance payment that’s suddenly due. Budgeting for these expenses isn’t always easy, especially if you need the money to pay your other bills. There are a few things you can do to make paying for routine car care and expenses a little less painful. Try these tips, and if you have any of your own, leave them in the comments on our Facebook page! Get a Buddy. Specifically, GasBuddy! This is an app…

If there’s one thing we feel strongly about here at Acima Credit, it’s the belief that happy employees equal happy customers. They just do a better job of serving customers, and they also make it super fun to come into work every day! We’ve developed numerous culture initiatives, professional development and wellness programs, and we make sure to show our appreciation for outstanding performance with monthly awards and sweet prizes. However, sometimes what everyone really needs is a good, old-fashioned party! On June 16, we got the team together for a full day of food, friends, family and fun at…

At Acima Credit, we’re passionate about offering easy-to-understand No Credit Needed leasing to customers when they make a purchase at one of our merchant partners’ brick-and-mortar shops. That’s why we’re so excited to launch our new Acima eCommerce service, which will offer that same convenience when customers shop online on a merchant’s eCommerce website. With Acima eCommerce, customers can complete the entire leasing process online and make their purchase quickly and easily. Merchants, don’t worry … you don’t have to be a web developer to set it up. You will be able to install the Acima eCommerce website plug-in on…

Recently, we shared a blog post about an initiative our wonderful team took to pay off the school lunch debt at four local public schools. This was just the first wave of an effort we plan to continue. In fact, just last month, we paid off lunch debt at five more local schools: Eisenhower Jr High Vista Elementary Redwood Elementary Academy Park Elementary Gourley Elementary The truth is, we don’t do this for publicity. However, the reason we are sharing this initiative with you is the same reason we wanted to get involved in the first place. It’s because school…

Do you know your credit score? Knowing your number and checking in at least once a year is a good practice to get into. Assuming you know where you stand based on your payments or account balances isn’t enough. There are many factors that go into a credit score, and unfortunately, mistakes could happen which can alter your score. That’s why it is so important to check it often and take the time to review it to make sure the information is accurate. Credit scores are not set in stone, and there are different credit bureaus which will return slightly…

At Acima Credit, we believe there’s nothing like the feeling of putting a little bit of good into the world. We work with small businesses to help individuals and families across the country secure the things they need to feel happy and safe. We help people on the path to accomplishing their big-picture dreams by helping them build or restore their credit. However, some people are dealing with more urgent issues than just needing to build up credit. Did you know there are many families that are unable to pay for school lunch programs? This debt doesn’t just go away…

Howard’s Appliance of Augusta, Georgia sells refrigerators, freezers, stoves, dishwashers, microwaves, washers, dryers, and more. Historically, the company has seen its fair share of customers who were unable to buy because of damaged and thin credit files. “We have quite a few customers who can’t get approved anywhere else,” says Brad Durham, sales manager for the store. “They come in looking for something we just don’t have in their price range.” Howard’s was turning these would-be buyers away. Howard’s stint with an Acima competitor Howard’s needed a financing solution for these credit-denied customers, so, the store brought in a lease-purchase…

Florida furniture merchant Crazy Deals Home Superstore adds an additional $100,000.00 per month in revenue*  by offering Acima’s No Credit Needed leasing—and helps hurricane victims in the process! Based in North Fort Myers, FL, Crazy Deals Home Superstore began in 2016. “At first,” says Nikki Reed, who co-founded the store with her husband, Mitch Alberio, “we mostly dealt in scratch-and-dent furniture.” As their customer base grew rapidly, Reed and Alberio began bringing in new merchandise to meet the demand. Seeing the need. “We started having a lot of folks coming in who couldn’t afford what they wanted,” says Reed. “Many…

Are you a merchant afraid to face the retail industry f-word—financing? Hopefully not! What some merchants don’t realize is the substantial customer base they forfeit if they don’t provide financing options. The tough fact is this: subprime customers exist – lots of them! In fact, 100 million US consumers have a credit score lower than 700. The growing need of financially challenged families and credit-card averse millennials has led to a new segment of the fintech industry – one that caters specifically to helping those who are cut off from the credit world. Technology has helped solve the issue of…

Building a millennial’s credit score is the ultimate Catch-22. Young people are often rejected by credit card companies, not because of bad credit but simply a lack of credit history. How are you supposed to have a stellar credit score if you can’t even get approved for a credit card? A credit check resulting in a bank rejection letter or being labeled as “subprime” (a classification of borrowers with a tarnished or limited credit history) can definitely injure your pride – if not your ability to buy the things you want. There, there, young’un— Here are 2016 stats that prove…

British writer Arthur C. Clarke once said, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” That holds true with recent tech advances in the retail industry. Today, the word “magical” accurately describes how fast, convenient and effortlessly consumers can consume—thanks to technology. Below are six ways that tech is helping retail consumers find and purchase exactly what they are looking for. Research With social media platforms like Pinterest, consumers now have access and exposure to products and inspiration they didn’t have before. According to a Millward Brown Digital study, 93 percent of active “pinners” said they use Pinterest to plan…

Budgeting is a bad word to many people. Budgets are often associated with taking fun things away and being stingy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Used correctly, a budget is simply a tool to help you take control of your finances and achieve your financial goals. And whatever those goals are, these five personal budgeting tips can help you get there. Learn your habits Learning your habits is especially important if you’ve never budgeted before. You can’t make a budget unless you first understand where your money is going. Keep your receipts and organize them into categories…

Money can’t buy happiness, but it can certainly buy freedom. When you make wise financial decisions you give yourself options. Those options and choices advance you toward the lifestyle you desire. Here are 5 financial tips to create the life you want. Budget is King This may seem obvious, but keeping a budget is crucial to creating the life you want. It’s common practice to set up a budget by separating expenses into three general categories: essential, lifestyle and savings. It’s called the 50/30/20 rule: 50 percent of monthly income goes to essential expenses—like rent or mortgage payments. 30 percent…