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Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

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21–30 of 341 posts

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#21
post #4

This was inevitable, but rather than maintain the status quo or even introducing shrinkflation, they should have made the jump to 2 dollars. 1.25 is maintenance, and effectively we are still getting what a dollar used to get. 2 dollars would get us a bit more time (inflation is not going to stop) and the ability to introduce a (relative) more premium product assortment. I only mention this premium product range becau…

Exactly right. Just like the US should get rid of all coins < $0.25.

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#22
Along these line why is the US still minting pennies? At some point we could just start rounding to the nearest nickel (or dime).

Also, why is gas always ab extra 9/10 of a penny? Reminds me of paying 3123 RON for a Big Mac in Romania -- that last digit is just noise at the consumer level.

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#23

Along these line why is the US still minting pennies? At some point we could just start rounding to the nearest nickel (or dime). Also, why is gas always ab extra 9/10 of a penny? Reminds me of paying 3123 RON for a Big Mac in Romania -- that last digit is just noise at the consumer level.

That's worth at least a penny for your thoughts

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#24

i see dollar tree going broke...they used to sell groceries and sundry goods cheaper than the big stores...now they are more expensive with a lot of item as compared to the bigger stores...convenience stores with gas pumps can get away with that--everyone needs gas...but now that dollar store is no longer cheaper than the big stores, and have no gas pumps, what is the attraction?

If you are close to a bigger store, then you have a choice. In lots of the US, the closest grocery and department store could be quite a ways away. They are growing like crazy in these areas. I agree that they are becoming a mix of a grocery store, convenience store and Wal-Mart but I think that is what the rural markets want. If they need something special, that can be saved for a special trip to "town".

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#26
post #5

I suppose their employees would then be justified asking for a 25% raise?

This is Dollar Tree. They are known for only hiring part time to the tune of ~15-20 hours a week so they don't have to pay any benefits. (At least they are here in Fort Smith, AR. It may be a local manager policy.)

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#27
post #13

They have been selling for a dollar for 35 years. I'm really curious how their inventory has changed over this period. One 2020 dollar is 40 cents in 1985 dollars, but the cost of consumer goods has decreased significantly since 1985. So I wouldn't be surprised that their package sizes have not changed much. Related trivia: Between 1886-1959, the price of a bottle of Coke was a nickel [1]. [1] https://www.npr.org/sec…

Likely through shrinkflation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrinkflation

Next time you’re at the supermarket check if the bacon brands you remember are still a pound. I bet many of them are now 12 ounces.

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#28

Along these line why is the US still minting pennies? At some point we could just start rounding to the nearest nickel (or dime). Also, why is gas always ab extra 9/10 of a penny? Reminds me of paying 3123 RON for a Big Mac in Romania -- that last digit is just noise at the consumer level.

That's worth at least a penny for your thoughts

My thoughts are worth only a monatary rounding error I guess...

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#29

Along these line why is the US still minting pennies? At some point we could just start rounding to the nearest nickel (or dime). Also, why is gas always ab extra 9/10 of a penny? Reminds me of paying 3123 RON for a Big Mac in Romania -- that last digit is just noise at the consumer level.

We stopped minting pennies here in Canada in 2012. Pennies are still legal tender, but cash purchases are rounded to the nearest 5 cents. I don’t think anyone here misses the pennies.

Re: Dollar Tree says US$1.25 price point to become new standard

#30

Along these line why is the US still minting pennies? At some point we could just start rounding to the nearest nickel (or dime). Also, why is gas always ab extra 9/10 of a penny? Reminds me of paying 3123 RON for a Big Mac in Romania -- that last digit is just noise at the consumer level.

> why is gas always ab extra 9/10 of a penny

Same reason things are $.99, $19.95, $299.99 instead of $1.00, $20.00, $300.00.

In the US, there's many places that have 2 or 3 gas stations in near vicinity and price competition is fierce. So the $0.01 matters, people will drive to the gas station down the block to save that penny per gallon.

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