Compensation Arrangements	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]
Compensation Arrangements	The Company maintains the Aaron’s, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan, which is an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan for a select group of management, highly compensated employees and non-employee directors. On a pre-tax basis, eligible employees can defer receipt of up to 75% of their base compensation and up to 75% of their incentive pay compensation, and eligible non-employee directors can defer receipt of up to 100% of their cash director fees. Compensation deferred under the plan is credited to each participant’s deferral account and a deferred compensation liability is recorded in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheets. The deferred compensation plan liability was $12.9 million and $12.0 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Liabilities under the plan are recorded at amounts due to participants, based on the fair value of participants’ selected investments. The Company has established a rabbi trust to fund obligations under the plan with Company-owned life insurance. The obligations are unsecured general obligations of the Company and the participants have no right, interest or claim in the assets of the Company, except as unsecured general creditors. The cash surrender value of these policies totaled $17.1 million and $15.6 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and is included in prepaid expenses and other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Gains related to the changes in the cash surrender value of the Company-owned life insurance plans were $1.5 million, $0.2 million and $0.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and were recorded within other non-operating income (expense) in the consolidated statement of earnings. Benefits of $2.3 million, $1.4 million and $1.7 million were paid during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Effective January 1, 2018 the Company is implementing a new discretionary match within the nonqualified deferred compensation plan. The match allows eligible employees to receive 100% matching by the Company on the first 3% of contributions and 50% on the next 2% of contributions for a total of a 4% match. The match is not to exceed $11,000 for an individual employee for 2018 and is subject to a three year cliff vesting schedule. Deferred compensation expense charged to operations for the Company’s existing restoration matching contributions was not significant during any of the periods presented. 401(k) Defined Contribution Plan The Company maintains a 401(k) savings plan for all its full-time employees who meet certain eligibility requirements. Effective January 1, 2015, the 401(k) savings plan was amended to allow employees to contribute up to 75% of their annual compensation in accordance with federal contribution limits with 100% matching by the Company on the first 3% of compensation and 50% on the next 2% of compensation for a total of a 4% match. The Company’s expense related to the plan was $5.7 million in 2017, $5.4 million in 2016 and $4.7 million in 2015.

The Company maintains the Aaron’s, Inc. Deferred Compensation Plan, which is an unfunded, nonqualified deferred compensation plan for a select group of management, highly compensated employees and non-employee directors. On a pre-tax basis, eligible employees can defer receipt of up to 75% of their base compensation and up to 75% of their incentive pay compensation, and eligible non-employee directors can defer receipt of up to 100% of their cash director fees.

Compensation deferred under the plan is credited to each participant’s deferral account and a deferred compensation liability is recorded in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheets. The deferred compensation plan liability was $12.9 million and $12.0 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Liabilities under the plan are recorded at amounts due to participants, based on the fair value of participants’ selected investments. The Company has established a rabbi trust to fund obligations under the plan with Company-owned life insurance. The obligations are unsecured general obligations of the Company and the participants have no right, interest or claim in the assets of the Company, except as unsecured general creditors. The cash surrender value of these policies totaled $17.1 million and $15.6 million as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and is included in prepaid expenses and other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. Gains related to the changes in the cash surrender value of the Company-owned life insurance plans were $1.5 million, $0.2 million and $0.8 million during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and were recorded within other non-operating income (expense) in the consolidated statement of earnings.

Benefits of $2.3 million, $1.4 million and $1.7 million were paid during the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Effective January 1, 2018 the Company is implementing a new discretionary match within the nonqualified deferred compensation plan. The match allows eligible employees to receive 100% matching by the Company on the first 3% of contributions and 50% on the next 2% of contributions for a total of a 4% match. The match is not to exceed $11,000 for an individual employee for 2018 and is subject to a three year cliff vesting schedule. Deferred compensation expense charged to operations for the Company’s existing restoration matching contributions was not significant during any of the periods presented.

401(k) Defined Contribution Plan

The Company maintains a 401(k) savings plan for all its full-time employees who meet certain eligibility requirements. Effective January 1, 2015, the 401(k) savings plan was amended to allow employees to contribute up to 75% of their annual compensation in accordance with federal contribution limits with 100% matching by the Company on the first 3% of compensation and 50% on the next 2% of compensation for a total of a 4% match. The Company’s expense related to the plan was $5.7 million in 2017, $5.4 million in 2016 and $4.7 million in 2015.