Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($) segment store state	Apr. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of operating segments | segment	2
Estimated annual rate of reimbursement (in hundredths)	2.50%
Number of states with retail stores | state	14
Revenues:
Other Income	$ 86,830	$ 91,533
Total revenues	317,160	353,512
Total Net Sales	230,330	261,979
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	147,014	157,228
Selling, general and administrative expense	113,007	117,914
Provision for bad debts	117,326	40,046
Charges and credits	2,055	(695)
Total costs and expenses	379,402	314,493
Operating income (loss)	(62,242)	39,019
Interest expense	14,993	14,497
Income (loss) before income taxes	(77,235)	24,522
Allocation of overhead by operating segments	7,300	7,900
Assets	2,237,286	2,090,284	$ 2,168,769
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	9,800	9,700
Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Other Income	235	202
Total revenues	230,565	262,181
Total Net Sales	230,330	261,979
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	147,014	157,228
Selling, general and administrative expense	78,174	79,622
Provision for bad debts	168	129
Charges and credits	0	(695)
Total costs and expenses	225,356	236,284
Operating income (loss)	5,209	25,897
Interest expense	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	5,209	25,897
Assets	607,210	613,117
Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Other Income	86,595	91,331
Total revenues	86,595	91,331
Total Net Sales	0	0
Costs and expenses:
Cost of goods sold	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expense	34,833	38,292
Provision for bad debts	117,158	39,917
Charges and credits	2,055	0
Total costs and expenses	154,046	78,209
Operating income (loss)	(67,451)	13,122
Interest expense	14,993	14,497
Income (loss) before income taxes	(82,444)	(1,375)
Assets	1,630,076	1,477,167
Furniture and Mattress [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	68,893	88,364
Furniture and Mattress [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	68,893	88,364
Furniture and Mattress [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Home Appliance [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	81,285	77,290
Home Appliance [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	81,285	77,290
Home Appliance [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Consumer Electronic [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	35,776	49,649
Consumer Electronic [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	35,776	49,649
Consumer Electronic [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Home Office [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	17,366	15,706
Home Office [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	17,366	15,706
Home Office [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Other [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	3,878	3,436
Other [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	3,878	3,436
Other [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Product [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	207,198	234,445
Product [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	207,198	234,445
Product [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
RSA Commission [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	20,101	24,024
RSA Commission [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	20,101	24,024
RSA Commission [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	0	0
Service [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	3,031	3,510
Service [Member] | Retail [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	3,031	3,510
Service [Member] | Credit [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues	$ 0	$ 0
Outside of US [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of stores | store	0