Dollar stores are shutting down across America. They did this to themselves
Dollar stores are shutting down across America. They did this to themselves
These are tough times for two big US dollar store chains. In the past month, Family Dollar said it will close nearly 1,000 stores and 99 Cents Only said it will go out of business.
These are tough times for two big US dollar store chains. In the past month, Family Dollar said it will close nearly 1,000 stores and 99 Cents Only said it will go out of business.
Both companies said inflation and shoplifting have contributed to their troubles. While inflation has pressured the companies’ low-income customer base and shoplifting has squeezed their profits, those factors alone can’t explain their difficulties.
Years of strategic mistakes and underinvestment have plagued Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only, retail analysts say. Both brands were acquired by other companies and faltered under their new owners.
Not to mention that dollar stores in general are horrible run, and frequently burn out and mistreat their employees through understaffing and lack of support. As covered by John Oliver. So it's really a compounding effect on these two particular chains.
Of course people shoplift more. I went in to buy one item at a dollar store recently. Huge backed up line that took me 10 minutes to the front of because there are only self checkouts now, and half of them are down.
You don't want shoplifters? Hire humans.
But hiring humans is tantamount to shoplifting in their eyes.
It sounds like they should just fix their self-checkout lanes or invest in better ones.
Good, they just sell cheap crap that promotes over-consumption.
If you don't have 99 cent only stores in your area, you may not realize their stores are about 50% food and many people buy just essentials there. We also have dollar tree, which is mainly cheap crap. We just got a five below, now that store is entirely unneeded junk.
It cost more. When I had a $200 budget for food a month I went to Costco and bought a bug bag of rice, 5 dozen eggs, fuck ton of tuna fish, and dried mashed potatoes. Buying in bulk is the way and the shit at dollar stores cost way more per quantity.
The Family Dollar is the closest store with basic essential groceries (bread, milk, etc) to where a friend's parent lives. The actual grocery stores are 30+ minutes away.
This just contributes to the increase of food deserts in some areas.
My dollar store sells a lot of stuff I use in my kitchen and around the house at a fraction of the price of anywhere else. I guess some are junky stores but the ones I go to have good stuff