Segment Reporting (Details)
$ in Thousands
 3 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2018
USD ($)
state
store
segment
Apr. 30, 2017
USD ($)
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:    
Product sales $ 249,314 $ 251,362
Repair service agreement commissions 22,863 24,696
Service revenues 3,579 3,227
Total net sales 275,756 279,285
Finance charges and other revenues 82,631 76,541
Total revenues 358,387 355,826
Costs and expenses:    
Cost of goods sold 166,589 171,950
Selling, general and administrative expense 114,878 106,537
Provision for bad debts 44,156 55,930
Charges and credits 0 1,227
Total costs and expenses 325,623 335,644
Operating income 32,764 20,182
Interest expense 16,820 24,008
Loss on extinguishment of debt 406 349
Income (loss) before income taxes 15,538 (4,175)
Allocation of overhead by operating segments 8,400 6,400
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]    
Revenues:    
Total revenues 9,400 9,400
Retail [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 249,314 251,362
Repair service agreement commissions 22,863 24,696
Service revenues 3,579 3,227
Total net sales 275,756 279,285
Finance charges and other revenues 14 80
Total revenues 275,770 279,365
Costs and expenses:    
Cost of goods sold 166,589 171,950
Selling, general and administrative expense 77,752 73,947
Provision for bad debts 260 230
Charges and credits 0 1,227
Total costs and expenses 244,601 247,354
Operating income 31,169 32,011
Interest expense 0 0
Loss on extinguishment of debt 0 0
Income (loss) before income taxes 31,169 32,011
Credit [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 0 0
Repair service agreement commissions 0 0
Service revenues 0 0
Total net sales 0 0
Finance charges and other revenues 82,617 76,461
Total revenues 82,617 76,461
Costs and expenses:    
Cost of goods sold 0 0
Selling, general and administrative expense 37,126 32,590
Provision for bad debts 43,896 55,700
Charges and credits 0 0
Total costs and expenses 81,022 88,290
Operating income 1,595 (11,829)
Interest expense 16,820 24,008
Loss on extinguishment of debt 406 349
Income (loss) before income taxes (15,631) (36,186)
Furniture and Mattress [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 97,020 94,443
Furniture and Mattress [Member] | Retail [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 97,020 94,443
Furniture and Mattress [Member] | Credit [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 0 0
Home Appliance [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 78,023 80,122
Home Appliance [Member] | Retail [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 78,023 80,122
Home Appliance [Member] | Credit [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 0 0
Consumer Electronic [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 52,302 55,753
Consumer Electronic [Member] | Retail [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 52,302 55,753
Consumer Electronic [Member] | Credit [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 0 0
Home Office [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 18,310 16,788
Home Office [Member] | Retail [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 18,310 16,788
Home Office [Member] | Credit [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 0 0
Other [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 3,659 4,256
Other [Member] | Retail [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales 3,659 4,256
Other [Member] | Credit [Member]    
Revenues:    
Product sales $ 0 $ 0
Outside of US [Member]    
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]    
Number of stores | store 0