Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Revamped Dollar Stores Cash In on Recession

More food, cleaner aisles lure shoppers

By Ambreen Ali, Newser User

Posted May 14, 2009 12:10 PM CDT

(Newser) – When the recession sent pinched consumers hunting for bargains, dollar stores were ready. Cluttered aisles of cheap treasures have been replaced with stocked fridges and neat rows of mustard and canned beans. Half of US households now shop at dollar stores monthly, and 18% more $100,000-plus households started frequenting them at the end of 2008, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The three biggest chains are planning to open hundreds of new stores this year as their success outpaces discounters like Wal-Mart. The companies are already bracing for the recession’s end: They are confident that ads touting their stores as clean and easy will draw, and keep, richer clientele. “It doesn’t matter how much you earn, everybody loves a bargain,” says a marketer.

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

Dollar stores have seen their sales rise higher than Wal-Mart's in the recession. (AP Photo)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

We see no slowdown in consumers trending toward general thriftiness. - Adrianne Shapira,
Goldman Sachs analyst

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Wal-Mart Wants to Conquer Rest of World Now

Slow domestic demand shifts megastore's focus abroad

(NEWSER) - Wal-Mart may be quintessentially American, but the chain's focus is becoming increasingly international. With the US consumer listless and purchasing power growing—despite the recession—in many developing countries, Wal-Mart is following demand abroad. Its international division reached $100 billion in sales last year, and the company will soon have more locations outside of the US than in it, the Washington Post reports. More»

As Sales Slump, Wal-Mart Cuts Prices

Watchers see ploy to hold on to middle class post-recession

(NEWSER) - Wal-Mart will discount around 10,000 items in the face of dipping sales, even as other retailers report increases in business. The move could be a ploy to hang on to middle-class shoppers, who flocked to the big-box behemoth in the depths of the recession but have been upgrading as the economic outlook brightens, analysts tell the Wall Street Journal . Not so, says Wal-Mart. More»

Best Airfare Deals Are Now Tweeted, Emailed

Airlines ramp up discounts in promotional offers

(NEWSER) - The latest airfare deals aren't online or at travel agencies—they're targeted promotional fares, being emailed and tweeted to customers who sign up to receive them or who enroll in frequent-flier programs. These under-the-radar offers, an inexpensive form of advertising increasingly popular with recession-battered airlines, range from 10% discounts to buy-one-get-one-free ticket deals, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

Post-Crash Ireland Becomes Luxury Bargain Basement

Fancy cars, wines, homes selling at deep discount

(NEWSER) - In the midst of its worst recession in modern history, Ireland has become a bargain hunter’s paradise, with high-end cars, homes, and wines selling for a song. “It’s a bit like old vultures over the carcass,” one shopper tells Bloomberg . “You’ll see all sorts of places coming down. The recession seems to be biting.” More»

Clothes Resellers Getting Extra Picky

The resale business is booming in the recession

(NEWSER) - Stores that specialize in reselling trendy used clothes are doing a booming business these days—enough so that they can afford to be picky. So many people are looking to make a quick buck by thinning out their closets that even Dior and Juicy Couture can be rejected, the Wall Street Journal reports. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Revamped Dollar Stores Cash In on Recession