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11/30/2007
© RTO Online
By John Alifano, D&H Distributing

Broaden your selection to satisfy more renters.


 
 
Computing products in the RTO market hold lucrative potential for dealer and storeowners. As a major North American distributor of computer products and consumer electronics, D&H Distributing would like to educate RTO dealers and store owners about the wide range of solutions available for both the permanent desktop environment and the popular mobile PC category, serving the on-the-go consumer, homeowner and home-office worker.



Desktop computing for entertainment and business: This category presents rent-to-own companies with a multitude of profitable scenarios, from consumers looking to gear-up their living rooms or home offices, to serious video gamers who want a high-power system, or even small businesses looking to accommodate seasonal staffing or conduct temporary training. D&H offers computing products from trusted brands including Lenovo and Acer to help RTO customers take advantage of these opportunities.



Industry-leading manufacturers Lenovo and Acer offer top-quality, high performance, brand-name equipment at pricepoints that keep them appropriate for the typical renter. Lenovo’s 3000 Series fits this bill, offering easy-to-use, capable yet affordable systems. Similarly, Acer’s Aspire desktop PCs offer dual-core processing, ample storage and value-based pricing, to economically address the typical homeowner’s need for digital entertainment and media storage—a phenomenon that’s driving demand for computing and storage in markets from custom home-building to CE.



Laser printing: Once limited to large enterprise, color laser printing is becoming more ubiquitous in the home as manufacturers such as Ricoh, Brother and Lexmark introduce high-productivity models at mainstream prices. This empowers the consumer to print their own color digital photographs or create vivid presentation material from their home offices.



Mobile computing: Although growth in PCs is increasing across-the-board according to industry analyst IDC, the mobile arena is easily the fastest-growing computing category. Although rent-to-own dealers and storeowners have initially been reticent to add such a physically volatile product to their offerings, it’s hard to ignore current demand. Many RTO customers are therefore looking for dependable notebooks that can withstand whatever knocks a mobile renter might inflict, while maintaining realistic pricing.



Lenovo’s durable ThinkPads are designed to military-standards for shock absorption and heat resistance; some models feature a drainage system to divert spills. Yet many of the ThinkPads’ costs stay within reach of the typical rental customer. Acer’s budget-conscious TravelMate and Aspire notebooks are another option, offering stylish, high-quality units with amenities like Intel Centrino Duo drives and Radeon graphics.



The new “Ultra Mobile” trend: Not as large and cumbersome as a notebook, but more powerful and versatile than a PDA or SmartPhone, the Ultra Mobile “companion PCs” bridge the gap between pocket-size screens and lap-size portables. The Ultra Mobile’s compact, tablet-like format offers the capabilities of full-fledged computing. D&H carries Ultra Mobile units weighing as little as 1.5 pounds, from industry leaders like Samsung and ASUS. This breakthrough category proves that the computing world is still capable of forging unique and profitable niches, attracting renters who covet the latest and greatest technology.



“The solutions are out there, and the demand is certainly there,” said John Alifano, manager of D&H’s consumer electronics division. “All the RTO storeowner or dealer needs in order to take advantage of computing is knowledge of which products make the most sense for their business models.”



About D&H Distributing

D&H Distributing is one of America’s oldest and largest wholesale distributors of computer and consumer electronics products, with an impressive 89-year history serving as a consultative partner and trusted advisor to RTO dealers and owners, CE dealers, custom installers, integrators and retailers in the channel.  More than just an all-around source for Digital Home products, D&H helps its customers identify new growth opportunities and assemble unique solutions to help them become more successful purveyors of the Total Digital Lifestyle.



For more information contact: John Alifano, D&H Distributing Consumer Electronics Division Manager. Tel: 800-340-1007. Email inquiries to: rto@dandh.com.

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