Nearly three decades after the Federal Trade Commission first measured satisfaction in the rent-to-own industry, a new independent survey suggests customer sentiment has improved significantly. That finding matters because rent-to-own remains a widely used option for consumers who need furniture, appliances, or electronics but may lack the credit or cash for outright purchase.
COLUMBUS, OH, UNITED STATES, November 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Eight in ten rent-to-own store customers surveyed by VRTO Research said they were satisfied with their experience. In VRTO's 2026 rent-to-own customer satisfaction survey, 81.5 percent of 373 store customers who had used rent-to-own in the last five years said they were very or somewhat satisfied. VRTO asked the same question the Federal Trade Commission asked in its survey of rent-to-own customers, published in 2000, which found 75 percent satisfied.
The full rent-to-own customer satisfaction study, with charts and downloadable data, is published at https://www.vrto.com/research/rent-to-own-customer-satisfaction-2026.
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Key findings
- Satisfaction was higher among people who rented more recently. Of respondents who rented only from a rent-to-own store and used it in the last year, 88.1 percent said they were satisfied (104 of 118).
- Among everyone surveyed who used rent-to-own in the last year, at a store or through virtual rent-to-own, 79.3 percent said they were satisfied (329 respondents).
- Of all 949 respondents who have ever used rent-to-own, 70.2 percent said they were satisfied.
- Six in ten past customers surveyed (59.2 percent of 949) said they were likely to use rent-to-own again. Among very satisfied customers, 90.4 percent said so.
- One in ten of the 373 store customers (10.5 percent) said they were dissatisfied. The FTC's survey found 19 percent.
- Of respondents who had only used virtual rent-to-own in the last five years, 72.6 percent said they were satisfied (204 of 281).
Rent-to-own lets a customer take home furniture, appliances, electronics or tires for a weekly or monthly payment, with the option to own the item. Virtual rent-to-own is the same kind of agreement, offered at a store or website checkout.
VRTO commissioned the online survey of 2,038 US adults, fielded August 22, 2026. The figures describe the people surveyed. VRTO and the FTC surveyed different groups in different ways, so the two results are not a trend. The method, every table and the anonymized responses are on the study page, free to download and reuse with credit. VRTO Research publishes its other work at https://www.vrto.com/research.
About VRTO
VRTO (vrto.com) is the home of rent-to-own: a national directory and reference covering rent-to-own stores across all 50 states, with the terms and consumer rules behind them, published with the dealer named and the date stated. VRTO is not a lender or a dealer. Company listings and rankings are never paid for. VRTO is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
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Why it matters: While the survey is not directly comparable to the FTC’s older data, the findings offer a fresh snapshot of how today’s rent-to-own customers feel about a financing model often criticized for high costs. With virtual rent-to-own growing at online checkouts, understanding satisfaction across both channels becomes increasingly relevant for consumers and policymakers alike.
