From the size of store aisles to brand name pricing and product sizes, there are several
tricks dollar stores might be using to get you to spend more money. And you might be
surprised to know that they actually work. Here's a list of those tricks and how dollar
stores pull it off.
This is one of those tricks that can shock customers when they make their way up to the
cash register at a dollar store. If you go into a dollar store, it would be natural to
assume that everything is, in fact, one dollar. But that's not always the case.
Luckily, Dollar Tree actually does offer all the products on display for one dollar, so
you know what you're getting into when you shop there. However, many other similar national
chains don't offer the same kind of price guarantee.
That means you could be piling items into your cart, thinking that you're only going
to pay one dollar for each, but when the cashier rings you up, you realize you're spending
a whole lot more.
This trend isn't going to change any time soon, so we recommend you pay close attention
to the price tags on each item. It's not that you shouldn't pay more than one dollar for
an item if you think it's worth it, but it's important to know exactly how much you're
spending, so you don't break your dollar store budget.
There's so much that goes into designing a store. Organizations want us to spend more
money whenever we set foot in a store. Not only does this involve the kinds of products
you'll see inside a dollar store, but it's also reflected in the store layout.
For example, consider how Dollar Tree purposefully made its stores smaller. Rivals like Walmart
— which, on average, is 18 times the size of a dollar store — are massive, and customers
have to walk all the way through a store to see everything that's available. In reality,
this doesn't happen much: Walmart customers go to the aisles they need and move on, likely
missing a lot of what the store has to offer on the way.
But the opposite is true at Dollar Tree. Because they're so small, it's easy for customers
to walk through an entire store, while heading toward exactly what they need.
"Our stores have that option available to be able to run in, get it, and really get
out."
This means that customers are seeing a variety of items that they're likely to buy, even
if they didn't plan for it. You may not love the tiny aisles and cramped atmosphere of
a Dollar Tree, but you should know it's like that for a reason: to get you to spend more
money.
One common tactic at dollar stores is attempting to attract customers as they're walking past
the store. A boring storefront may not be that appealing, but when you put a bunch of
cheap and brightly colored items behind a glass window covered in large signs? That
may just convince you to see what the fuss is about.
Of course, there are those who go to the dollar store or its website on a regular basis to
buy essentials.
"Where did you get all this stuff anyway?"
"Oh, check it out. I got it all online."
"Cool."
But there are plenty of customers who go on a whim to see what the store has to offer.
If you're trying to save money and don't want to get sucked into the vortex of promising
deals at your local dollar store, avoid any outdoor bargains or displays that may lure
you into a full-on spending binge.
You might think dollar stores would comfortably space out shelves so people had plenty of
room to walk around one another.
Many stores, however, want you to feel a little cramped. If a store aisle is too wide, someone
can easily walk to exactly what they want without having to think about the other stuff
that's also available. With smaller aisles, however, customers are likely to move more
slowly, giving them more time to see all the products on display.
How cramped you might feel most likely depends on the store and how easily frustrated you
get with smaller aisles. But when it comes to watching your budget, this is certainly
a trick you should be on the lookout for.
A common tactic dollar stores employ is grabbing your attention with the newest seasonal items.
These items are usually placed at the front of dollar stores, as there's a good chance
they're new, fun, and likely to catch your attention.
Therefore, you might be tempted to buy something from the seasonal section before you even
get to what you need.
However, many people are going to dollar stores for essential items. These are placed in the
back of the store. And so, dollar stores make you walk through things you might not need
to get to the stuff you're there for. After all, the more you pass on your way to your
shopping list items, the more likely you are to pick up random stuff like decorations or
fun candy.
If you don't want to fall for this trick, make a beeline for what you're there for,
and put blinders on to avoid the rest.
If you've spent a lot of time in dollar stores, you've noticed there's something different
each time you're in the store. Usually, it's the seasonal items that change on a weekly
basis, but you might also find a host of other new products, from bath and beauty necessities
to new foodstuffs.
This is one of the best parts of visiting a dollar store — it gives you a chance to
roam around. Even if you went for one specific item, it's likely you're going to walk out
with an armful of stuff just because it's new.
This trick is quite successful for dollar stores. Because there are always new and rotating
items in your favorite dollar store, you're less likely to get bored with the selection.
And isn't it fun when you get to find something new and unexpected when running errands?
Marketing expert Priya Raghubir spoke to Business Insider about the psychology of store design
when it comes to the most popular dollar stores in the nation. When talking about the momentum
effect, she said:
"It's a super interesting effect which essentially shows that if you buy something which is really
cheap, then, after that, the likelihood of your buying something else that is more expensive
increases. So, shopping creates a momentum."
That's why you may see small, inexpensive items at the front of the store — by the
time you've already worked your way to the back, you may be primed to spend more money.
Of course, just like when it comes to avoiding every other trick on this list, it comes down
to being disciplined and knowing exactly what you want when you walk into the dollar store.
Don't let yourself get distracted by the things you don't need. Unless, of course, you don't
mind spending a little bit of extra money splurging on fun dollar store finds — we
certainly can't blame you for that.
"Look at all this stuff I bought. Candles. Champagne. A Dido CD."
Some items are definitely cheaper when you buy them from a dollar store. These often
include household essentials like cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and anything else
that you might use around the house on a daily basis. This stuff gets many customers in the
door because they're looking for the best deal on things they know they have to replenish
regularly.
Dollar stores tend to sell these items for cheaper because they have more expensive items
for sale, like decorations or clothes and other non-necessities. In other words, dollar
stores can get more customers in the door with their great deals on some essential items
and then charge more for items people might not need as much.
And while some dollar store chains are falling behind financially despite customer traffic,
some store executives aren't raising the price of essential products since it would take
a significant toll on their shoppers.
So, if you're trying to save money at the dollar store, stay away from the novelty or
more decorative-type items and stick with the practical stuff. Your wallet will thank
you.
If you're always trying to get a good deal when you're shopping no matter where you are,
there's something that you should pay attention to that's more important than the total price:
the per-unit price.
Examples of per-unit price include the price per ounce of a product like detergent or the
price per item in a bag of candy. You may notice all kinds of products are super-cheap
at dollar stores, but just because they're the cheapest doesn't mean they're the best
value.
If you're looking for a deal, you have to look at both how much you're getting and how
much you're spending. And so, when you compare the numbers at different retailers, you may
realize that you'll be spending more per unit of a product if you buy it from a dollar store.
It takes a little math to figure it out, but it's definitely worth the time and effort
if you're pinching your pennies. If you're lucky, the store might provide the per-unit
price next to the total price — check to see if it's there the next time you're shopping.
OK, so the dollar store you go to may not be trying to trick you with this one, but
if you believe you can get everything for less money at a dollar shop, this one might
get you for sure.
Say you're walking through a dollar store aisle, and you see a name-brand product instead
of the more generic versions you'll usually find at these stores. It would make sense
for you to think that you'd hit the jackpot, because any name-brand item is going to be
cheaper at a dollar store, right?
Unfortunately, that's not the realty. In fact, you can usually find brand name products for
much cheaper someplace else, and you're also more likely to buy in bulk or in larger sizes
at conventional stores. Our advice? Skip the name-brand products at dollar stores, and
simply stick with the tried-and-true generics that your wallet loves.
Since dollar stores change the merchandise they have available on a regular basis, you
never know what you're going to run into when you visit. On top of that, some dollar stores
may be somewhat messy and disorganized, and while this may upset some customers, others
look at it as a "treasure hunt" experience.
You never know what you're going to find, so you want to make sure you take a look at
everything just in case.
Surprisingly, this is one area in which online platforms like Amazon just can't compete.
When you order something online, you generally look at lots of similar items, and you'll
only choose one out of all of those options.
It would be difficult for an e-commerce platform to get people to "browse" the way they would
through a brick-and-mortar store like a Dollar Tree or Family Dollar.
And if we're being totally honest, it's kind of fun to work your way through the dollar
store just to see what you can find. After all, there are some good deals to take advantage
of and fun treats you just might want to take home.
When you visit a dollar store for the first time, you might be blown away by how amazing
the prices are. There is some pricing at dollar stores that you just can't beat anywhere else,
like the famous dollar store pregnancy test.
However, while the prices might be good, that doesn't mean you're getting a good bang for
your buck. That's because the quality of the products could be lower than what you'd expect.
This may not be a full-on trick that dollar stores are pulling on you, but shopping with
this assumption could prevent you going home with subpar items.
If you want to take your chances, be aware that you may not be getting top-quality products
at every dollar store you go to.
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