Dollar stores are breeding out of control.

[hollydolly]

Dollar Tree went up from $1 to $1.25 & at the same time the product amount went down. At the local IGA, I can get dog treats cheaper than the Dollar Tree now. They aren't as good of a deal to me anymore, even with gas being up. I'm still doing one main shop a month at the Walmart & Aldi. The local IGA is where I get our deli foods, their bakery breads & other brands that the bigger stores don't carry.

Same here.. the £1 store started selling stuff at £1.25, then it was £1.50 then it was 2 for £3.50.. now some items are as much as £10... yet the quality remains the same as when it was at the lower price... pretty poor...

 

[JustDave]

I take a dim view of these Dollar whatever stores, they seem to offer cheap and not-really cheap...junk. The one time I did make a purchase, it was because the local super market and Rite Aid did not have ice trays. I got a 4-pack of ice trays for $2.50 at the Dollar whatever store. I think we got at least 3 months use our of them, before the last one broke.

I haven't paid any attention to non food items at Dollar General, but their food items at the store near me are the same things available at the big stores, although it's pretty much limited to the smaller cans, rather than economy sizes. They have some generic brand of their own that sells for less, and while dirt cheap, is not as good as Walmart's IMO. For most items, their prices are higher than Walmart, and less than the other chains, but way less than the gas station convenience outfit next door. I expect the higher prices, because to me they are convenience stores, but it's mostly the same products sold elsewhere.

I totally understand and see the point of their business model in rural areas, but not when there is a Walmart across the street. I still don't understand their wide spread popularity, beyond being stop for a half gallon of milk, or a late night urge for the munchies.

 

[hollydolly]

I haven't paid any attention to non food items at Dollar General, but their food items at the store near me are the same things available at the big stores, although it's pretty much limited to the smaller cans, rather than economy sizes. They have some generic brand of their own that sells for less, and while dirt cheap, is not as good as Walmart's IMO. For most items, their prices are higher than Walmart, and less than the other chains, but way less than the gas station convenience outfit next door. I expect the higher prices, because to me they are convenience stores, but it's mostly the same products sold elsewhere.

I totally understand and see the point of their business model in rural areas, but not when there is a Walmart across the street. I still don't understand their wide spread popularity, beyond being stop for a half gallon of milk, or a late night urge for the munchies.

..again same here. There's not a single Pound store in any rural area... they are ALL in the midst of big shopping precincts

 

[JustDave]

Dollar Tree went up from $1 to $1.25 & at the same time the product amount went down. At the local IGA, I can get dog treats cheaper than the Dollar Tree now. They aren't as good of a deal to me anymore, even with gas being up. I'm still doing one main shop a month at the Walmart & Aldi. The local IGA is where I get our deli foods, their bakery breads & other brands that the bigger stores don't carry.

All of the other Dollar Stores, I thought were always highly priced unless it was something on sale that I used. I'll stop at them if we are on vacation & I need something quick.

This inflation thing, IMO, is a chance for retailers to test the waters and see what they can get away with using inflation as cover. Once we get through this economic turmoil, I expect relative price values to smooth out. Right now, there's inflation and chaotic price gouging working together. I've noticed the higher prices for half the amount at one of my local fast food joints (Hardees). I quit going there. Not because of the higher prices, because I expect that, but the smaller quantities turned me off.

 

[Alizerine]

I can honestly say that I have never been in a Dollar Store, Dollar General Store or anything like them...of course I do very little shopping!

I could have said the same thing a few years back. Then I discovered the gift wrap and bows at Dollar Tree. They came in handy at Christmas. Gradually I found other items such as cleaning supplies and foil pans. Cat treats are in smaller packs but a lot less expensive. It is close by and easy in and out.

 

[Sunny]

I haven't been to a Dollar Store in years. But back in the "old days" (before I got used to mainly shopping on Amazon) I would go to that store about once a year to get birthday cards and gift wrap, which were all very much cheaper than anywhere else. A lot of their birthday cards were 50 cents! Don't know if that's still true.

 

[SeaBreeze]

We used to have "a church on every corner", now we have a dollar store on every corner. Yeah, they may be cheaper. yet, they are cropping up like dandelions. I needed some window cleaner, and tried to remember to stop and gets some. As I drove past dollar store after dollar store, I only remember to stop when the store was in the rear view mirror. It dawned on me that in a half hour drive, I passed 6 dollar stores. There's one in the middle of a state forest on a windy mountain road. I think the only local customers must be bears and racoons. Dolar stores are breeding out of control.

Much rather have a dollar store than a church on every corner. Healthier and more beneficial for the community. I don't use them very often, but they are obviously affordable for the communities in the location.

 

[SeaBreeze]

We used to have "a church on every corner", now we have a dollar store on every corner. Yeah, they may be cheaper. yet, they are cropping up like dandelions. I needed some window cleaner, and tried to remember to stop and gets some. As I drove past dollar store after dollar store, I only remember to stop when the store was in the rear view mirror. It dawned on me that in a half hour drive, I passed 6 dollar stores. There's one in the middle of a state forest on a windy mountain road. I think the only local customers must be bears and racoons. Dolar stores are breeding out of control.

Are you angry that there's a dollar store at every corner instead of a church?

 

[Sippican]

That was because the small corner shops were more expensive.. so the supermarkets were cheaper, and therefore put the little shops out of business.. today it's the opposite.. people are more willing to buy something disposable rather than something that lasts so Hence the rise of the cheap disposable items in the Pounds shops...which have put many of the Quality store out of business..along with the rise in Online shopping

I think there is credence in that 'quality' these days are not the same as 'quality' as in the past.
These days, may quality items do not last. Cheaper material, poor workmanship all lead to broken products.
Dollar Stores are truly a 'high flyer' in the stock market. Everyone love them.
Here in the US you find many Dollar Stores in close proximity to Dollar Tree stores, and WalMart stores.

 

[SeaBreeze]

I take a dim view of these Dollar whatever stores, they seem to offer cheap and not-really cheap...junk. The one time I did make a purchase, it was because the local super market and Rite Aid did not have ice trays. I got a 4-pack of ice trays for $2.50 at the Dollar whatever store. I think we got at least 3 months use our of them, before the last one broke.

You get what you pay for, whether a dollar store, a Walmart or a Target. Regardless, they are convenient for those who just want something right away for an inexpensive price. I don't think anyone who shops there expects quality and longevity of the item. I know I don't.

 

[JustDave]

There are three Dollar chains where I live. They are Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree. I only know of two Dollar Trees, but Dollar General must have 30 outlets for every one of the others. Their popularity is mind boggling. I'd like to hear the reasoning of the person who saw the viability of such a franchise. To know the viability after the fact is one thing, but having the vision to see it before it was here is quite different. The most interesting franchise to me in our time is Block Buster Video. They sprang up like mushrooms, and then disappeared over night, a brilliant but short lived concept, although it was easy to understand the dynamics of the rise and fall. Something about today's customer psychology is driving Dollar General, but not as easy to understand.

 

[Jules]

IMO, the cheap junk at the dollar stores is the same quality as the overpriced junk in the high end stores.

I need to go to a dollar store to buy a small comb and some elastics. If they’re in stock, I know they’ll be much less expensive than any other place.

Sometimes they’re clearing out food that the big stores are no longer stocking. I do watch the BB dates.

 

[OneEyedDiva]

Lucky you! Especially if you weren't into going to church in the first place. I'm blessed to have a few "dollar stores" in my area as well, though not one on every corner. But I consider the original Dollar Tree to be the only real dollar store left, until they upped their base price to $1.25. I've renamed them "Buck & A Quarter". And now they also include items for up to $5.

 

[Lilac]

They just remodeled a local Family Dollar & put two aisles of Dollar Tree on one side. At another Dollar Tree near my brother, they just added an aisle with products up to $5. I didn't realize until then they were part of the same company until that remodel.

 

[JustDave]

I just got home from a long drive to see my doctor. My dog had rolled in poop after I let him out. I think it was deer poop because he spit something out when I told him to, and it looked like deer poop. I was exhausted and not about to drive another 50 miles to get more shampoo. Fortunately, there was a Dollar General 3.9 miles from my house.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

We only have one 1/2 an hour one way and another 1/2 an hour the other way. I like dollar stores. Here they are always located where the other stores are. Outdoor mall types.