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Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

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Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#191

Post by HeckFeck »

kktkti9 wrote: post #169
sokoloff wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dollar General comes in and offers local consumers a bargain that local consumers strongly prefer. Accordingly, local consumers vote with their feet. Unless the master plan is to run competitors out of town and then change to "Two Dollar General", it seems like Dollar General is good for consumers (at least if you judge by consumers' own revealed preferences).

These places exacerbate material waste and trivial spending. Dollar objects get replaced much faster than better quality objects. They’re manipulating that “new purchase” high similar to Facebook juicing us via likes.

> They’re manipulating that “new purchase” high similar to Facebook juicing us via likes.

Very aptly put. I've been captive to their charm and can verify there is a certain dopamine thrill that quickly vanishes after the subpar goods are brought home and inspected.

These phantom brand dumps invariably smell of cheap plastic dust. That tragic scent fits the gloomy foreboding that such places bring, and should also ward off would-be entrants. It is a literal air of hopelessness. I miss real shops and solid kit.

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#192

Post by moneywoes »

theyellowkid wrote: post #136

What low income neighborhoods need is one of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grocery_Outlet Our local one is excellent, plus the wine deals are amazing. It's funny how many branded items here are 1/2 the price of the local 'normal' grocery stores. Of course, when you peek at other peoples' carts, garbage food can be strongly associated with the weight of the cart pusher (or a rough guess at the socioeconomic cla…

One of the things I severely miss having moved from the US to Canada

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#193

Post by Noos »

mgkimsal wrote: post #131
vasco wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I can't think of a way to intrude that isn't intrusive or patronizing. :/ Because it is, people can spend their money however they like and they can value convenience or have any other reason to shop there. Also being old doesn't make them incapable of deciding where to shop.

when you see someone being told "this is $76" and they only have $70, and they have to decide - while I'm waiting behind them - what to put back... the thought of telling them "it's 40% cheaper 1 mile from here" crosses my mind. This exact scenario has played out in front of me 3 times in 2021.

And they tell you that they went there but the parking lot is too big, the carriages are too hard to push, they can't really stand in line a lot because their knee hurts them, and more.

I don't think people understand that sometimes your body makes savings not a savings. You don't miss good health till its gone, or the ability to do things with it.

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#194

Post by ketzo »

throwaway0a5e wrote: post #85
travisgriggs wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would give 50 upvotes if I could for the Pratchett reference. And a good explanation to boot.

And I would give 50 downvotes if I could. The only thing that quote is good for this century is letting upscale consumers pat themselves on the back. Goods are so much cheaper than when that quote was written that using cheaper alternatives and treating them as disposable is often times cheaper in the long run for many classes of goods and usage patterns. These sorts of tropes and rules of thumb that have been stripp…

Okay, the quote might not be literally true for boots (or many consumer goods) in 2021, but it's a good intuitive explanation of why it's quote-unquote "expensive to be poor," which is absolutely a meaningful and important idea to understand.

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#195

Post by Nasrudith »

jcims wrote: post #16

It's not clear to me what the problem is that the article is outlining. The Dollar General near me has the exact same brands as you would find in any larger retail establishment, they just have found a way to stock the 80% that folks typically need. They are filling a niche between the gas station convenience store and traditional grocery/big box retail. They don't have a produce section, just a bit of fruit. Is that…

I thought the whole point of complaining about dollar stores was to mask concern for your property values and callousness to the impoverished as compassion. It struck me as more dog-whistle than any coherent non-cynical logic. "We don't want to get rid of the poor, just cheap stores. To help them!"

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#196

Post by LargoLasskhyfv »

nicoburns wrote: post #86
jstummbillig wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting. Do you know if Dollar General is cheaper per calorie when talking actual ready made meals? The linked article talks about worse price per ounce, which might mean something very different.

Per calorie probably isn't a great measure. Lots of high-calorie but nutrient-poor foods will score highly by that measure.

I've read that in times of economic hardships people survived on cheaper dog food without bad outcomes. Maybe it tastes even acceptable with some Sri Racha on it? Who knows.

Anyways... what I meant to say is probably something like don't be so fucking picky! (Regarding measurments and such.)

Arf! Arf! (SCNR)

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#197

Post by armchairhacker »

pasttense01 wrote: post #29
helsinkiandrew wrote: post #4

Good article and discussion about the economics of these "Leeches of the poor": https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27650477 TLDR: The products in Dollar Stores aren't 'cheap' in the sense that they cost less than other stores per unit - its just that they're (mostly) packaged into smaller units that people living paycheck to paycheck can afford.

Note the other stores mentioned: Walmart, Target and Costco--all discount stores. When you compare prices to convenience stores or drug stores the Dollar Stores are much cheaper. And when you look at Walmart, Target and Costco remember time is money. And it takes significantly longer to shop at Walmart, Target and Costco (the long walks to and from your car, the long walk in the store itself, the waits at the cashier…

Is Target a discount store? It’s not Whole Foods, but I always heard it was a high-end Walmart. Costco is also known for really good quality, though the prices are still cheap.

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#199

Post by etempleton »

jcims wrote: post #16

It's not clear to me what the problem is that the article is outlining. The Dollar General near me has the exact same brands as you would find in any larger retail establishment, they just have found a way to stock the 80% that folks typically need. They are filling a niche between the gas station convenience store and traditional grocery/big box retail. They don't have a produce section, just a bit of fruit. Is that…

I think the problem, as the article states, is the “bifurcation” of the economy. Politicians talk about this as the erosion of the middle or working class.

Wage stagnation is very real and inflation, which remained somewhat muted is now also very real. The average cost of a new vehicle in the US is now over $40,000. That is almost double what it was 20 years ago. The cost of groceries, anecdotally, is almost double what it was 10 years ago where I live. And yet, wages have increased only moderately.

There is nothing wrong with Dollar stores. They serve an important niche. Most everyone has probably shopped at one. The problem is that this is the primary market demand. Dollar stores are many things, but “nice” or “pleasant” are not words used to describe them. People aren’t usually shopping at dollar stores as a first choice. People are shopping at dollar stores as an only or last choice.

More dollar stores means that these chains are seeing increased demand for their retail niche, which could be interpreted as a leading edge economic indicator that families are getting poorer.

Re: Dollar stores make up nearly half of all new store openings in the U.S.

#200

Post by _xy8h »

milsorgen wrote: post #173
kktkti9 wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These places exacerbate material waste and trivial spending. Dollar objects get replaced much faster than better quality objects. They’re manipulating that “new purchase” high similar to Facebook juicing us via likes.

This is absolutely true but if you pay attention you can save money. Make a cheap lunch for work, gift bag for a birthday, quick emergency repair but just as much you see people spending 30 bucks on a bucket load of crap. Its really on the consumers shoulders to maximize the utility of their retail options. But that takes time and effort and all of us only have so much if any effort to give. I mean is it better to sp…

TLDR: DG incentivizes laziness.
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