Gregory Karp, a columnist with the Morning Call of Allentown, PA, says consumers who have not checked out dollar stores recently or at all are missing out.
Stores are not the dirty and dingy places that many older consumers associate with the old five-and-dime stores.
Today, consumers can walk into a dollar store and find they are clean and stocked with brand-name merchandise, fresh fruit, refrigerated and frozen foods.
Mr. Karp said it is unlikely that a consumer could do all their shopping in dollar stores but there are many categories that offer real potential for savings.
Among the better buys consumers can find, according to Mr. Karp, are holiday and party supplies, stocking stuffer toys, school/office supplies, household cleaners, paper products, containers and snacks.
The deals found at dollar stores are drawing a larger portion of the population. According to ACNielsen, seventy percent of households shoppers at a dollar store last year.
The top four chains in the channel have a combined sales revenue of roughly $20 billion and three of those businesses rank among the top 10 retailers in the U.S.
Discussion Questions: What is the state of the dollar store industry from your perspective? Where do you see the greatest opportunities for retailers in this space to reduce operational costs while also seeking to drive top line revenues?