Intangible Assets and Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Acquisitions (Table Details) [Abstract]
Number of stores acquired remaining open		6	26	3
Number of stores acquired that were merged with existing stores		31	71	14
Number of kiosk locations acquired		0	5	158
Number of transactions		19	19	15
Total purchase price		$ 13,258,000	$ 26,747,000	$ 74,378,000
Acquisition amounts allocated to liabilities		0	(884,000)	(16,160,000)
The Rental Store acquisition - cash paid				71,000,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount		85,458,000	84,290,000
Accumulated amortization		77,235,000	72,560,000
Acquisition amounts allocated to goodwill		6,874,000	18,755,000	55,922,000
Goodwill		1,344,665,000	1,339,125,000	1,320,467,000
Changes in Recorded Goodwill (Table Details) [Abstract]
Goodwill, beginning balance		1,339,125,000	1,320,467,000
Additions from acquisitions		6,874,000	18,755,000
Goodwill related to stores sold or closed		(1,221,000)	(390,000)
Post purchase price allocation adjustments		(113,000)	293,000
Goodwill, ending balance		1,344,665,000	1,339,125,000	1,320,467,000
Goodwill impairment charge in International segment	1,000,000
Estimated Amortization Expense (Table Details) [Abstract]
2013		2,037,000
2014		920,000
2015		568,000
2016		568,000
2017		568,000
Thereafter		3,562,000
Total		8,223,000	11,730,000
Intangible Assets and Acquisitions (Details) [Abstract]
Aggregate amortization expense		4,668,000	4,285,000	701,000
Amortization period for acquired customer relationships (in months)		21
Amortization period for vendor relationships minimum (in years)		7
Amortization period for vendor relationships (in years)		15
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount		6,104,000	6,104,000
Accumulated amortization		6,098,000	6,091,000
Acquisition amounts allocated to intangibles		0	10,000
Average life		3 years
Customer Relationships [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount		71,816,000	70,648,000
Accumulated amortization		70,001,000	65,901,000
Acquisition amounts allocated to intangibles		1,160,000	2,843,000	5,551,000
Average life		2 years
Vendor Relationships [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross carrying amount		7,538,000	7,538,000
Accumulated amortization		1,136,000	568,000
Average life		11 years
Rental Merchandise [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition amounts allocated to assets		4,380,000	6,023,000	27,325,000
Property and Other Assets [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Acquisition amounts allocated to assets				1,740,000
Core Us [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Goodwill		1,289,200,000	1,282,600,000
Changes in Recorded Goodwill (Table Details) [Abstract]
Goodwill, ending balance		1,289,200,000	1,282,600,000
Rac Acceptance [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Goodwill		54,400,000	54,400,000
Changes in Recorded Goodwill (Table Details) [Abstract]
Goodwill, ending balance		54,400,000	54,400,000
International [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Goodwill		1,100,000	2,100,000
Changes in Recorded Goodwill (Table Details) [Abstract]
Goodwill, ending balance		$ 1,100,000	$ 2,100,000