I thought this was interesting. I have always been annoyed that I swear 10% of the local stores are “dollar stores” - one (or multiple!) on every corner.
As it has stood, in Dollar Tree nearly every item was $1. No guessing or having to look for a price. Children’s book? It’s $1. Christmas ornaments? It’s $1. Storage basket? It’s $1.
I would say I go in a Dollar Tree a few times a year. Often for work related items like decorations for a special event, storage baskets for supply areas, etc.
Will knowing that items may not be a $1 affect your desire to stop/shop at a Dollar Tree? I say YES. The convenience of knowing every item was $1 was mentally easy. My interest in items there was/is limited. Instead I’m more likely to look for my economical supplies at someplace like Big Lots or Target or yep, Amazon.
(also, if you don’t shop at Dollar Tree or are just looking to bash it, probably stay off the thread unless your comment will add to the discussion of why it’s worthy or why it’s not!!!)
It won’t change my shopping habits there TBH (not opposed to the store, though rarely go in them), but I can see why they probably need to go up in price for the same reason 5 and Dime stores are a thing of the past. A dollar doesn’t buy much anymore, and one certainly can’t expect quality from most dollar items.
I go a few times a year, usually to get things like storage containers or items for various activities I am working on. Last year, D sent a picture of a sign in the one near her school where they had bags of frozen shrimp for $1. That’s where I draw the line. Some things are too scary!
I’m not sure how the price increase will change the frequency I go or what I will buy. I have tried to cut back on what I buy because I just end up talking about it in the “bag a week” thread.
Yeah I don’t go there to buy listing items but disposable things for parties, stickers for kids projects, temporary holiday decorations for a work function - that was worth a stop
I’m not shocked… not a reflection of one-year inflation, but pretty much predictable adjustment to reality. Some things were not meant to last… That said, if and when Costco hikes the price of their $1.50 hot dog, that will rattle the stock markets!
Many years ago, a good friend and I went to Dollar Tree as outings. For her birthday one year, I found the perfect greeting card.
Outside of card was a picture of an entrance to a Dollar Store.
Inside said “May I have a price check, please?”
It was a great joke card.
Dollar Tree stores have really skeleton workforce in their stores. Who will DO a price check now? Plus this means all items will need to have prices on them…all items.
And yet every day, someone asks the cashier “How much is this?” as though they are the very first person in the history of the universe to have asked the question.
The 99 cents stores here expanded their offerings years ago because what do you expect to find for 99 cents?!? And it was $1.08 with the sales tax anyway. But I still find great bargains there.
Costco hot dogs are a $1.50? We used to love to stop for their $1.25 (with drink) after soccer away-games with the kids, since the store was not close. Even back then a $6 family meal was a deal.
We used to have a local chain in southern NE called Buck-A-Book. Overstocks, etc, all for a dollar each. Then, they started having a few books for over a dollar. THEN they started having very few books for a dollar. THEN they went out of business. For locals, I think they were owned by the Building 19 people.
Raising prices does not necessarily end the business model. Motel 6 is still in business, even though rooms in their hotels have not generally been $6 per night for a long time.
I’m actually really wondering about the quality of food at dollar stores. I see them selling King Size Snickers or pretty much any type of candy bar…but at normal supermarkets king size bars cost like 3 dollars. Is the quality of the king size bars cheaper at dollar stores or what?
The question really is… Why are the other stores selling them for so much? Can’t beat a large box of Good and Plenty for a buck. We used to send the kids in there before going into a movie theater. Sorry, same box is like $3.50
I loved Building 19…really odd lots! I had a revolving door of family members visiting for Thanksgiving one year…and I got hot cups from some donut place that had gone out of business. I think there were 100 for some ridiculously low price. I also got wallpaper boxer there for a kid bedroom that as a huge hit. I forgot about that place! It’s been gone for a long time.
