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

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

#151

I don't think that people in this thread appreciate how prevalent grocery shopping in dollar stores is. In the US, half of shoppers buy groceries from a dollar store. They do it because it's literally all they can afford anything else. There are more dollar stores than Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General,…

His Chrysler 300?

This thing Wikipedia describes as a V8 powered “full-size luxury car”?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_300

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

#152

I don't think that people in this thread appreciate how prevalent grocery shopping in dollar stores is. In the US, half of shoppers buy groceries from a dollar store. They do it because it's literally all they can afford anything else. There are more dollar stores than Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General,…

Also, a lot of places that don't have a local grocery store do have a dollar store. You can make $40 into a pretty luxurious week of food at Aldi if you know how to cook, and a perfectly fine week of food if you don't. The problem is when the nearest Aldi is miles away, or you don't drive.

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

#153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're thinking of this from the wrong perspective. To me, an extra 75 cents don't really matter. I'd pay it without blinking. But to many people in the US, going from $1 to $2 would literally double their expenses for the month and hurt an already tight budget. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General, where he can make $40 stretch into a week’s…

Are you aware that Dollar Tree and Dollar General are different stores with different business models? Dollar General does not price all their items for $1. I don't believe they ever have. And Dollar Tree does not sell groceries (at least not any I've ever been to).

Dollar Tree doesn't sell fresh groceries, but they certainly sell food.

https://www.nogettingoffthistrain.com/shopping/dollar-tree-g...

But even if you ignore food, the point applies to all sorts of things (cosmetics, clothing, pharmacy, etc) people go to both for at a low price point.

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

#154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If a business is unable to grow at a rate that is faster than inflation, that would mean it's shrinking in real terms. But - again - you aren't paid a salary based on how well the business is doing. When a company's profits double do you think they double everyone's salaries? Of course not - surely you know that? You're paid based on what the market for you is, and what you produce and how valuable it is to the com…

The business isn't doing any better if it grew by 6.2% this year, the currency they are receiving and paying you with has reduced in value by 6.2%, so it is breaking even. I'm not saying this in a "capitalism is bad" sort of way, I'm saying this in a "capitalism is good" sort of way. Wages are up in the majority of sectors, unemployment is falling, if your company or industry can't do 6% this year you likely have oth…

> if your company or industry can't do 6% this year you likely have other options that can

That's the right argument to make. Not inflation as you were saying before.

Talking about inflation to motivate pay rise is a logically unsound argument.

'Inflation is up 2%' - so what?

'I can get 2% elsewhere' ok we can talk.

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

#155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you're thinking of this from the wrong perspective. To me, an extra 75 cents don't really matter. I'd pay it without blinking. But to many people in the US, going from $1 to $2 would literally double their expenses for the month and hurt an already tight budget. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General, where he can make $40 stretch into a week’s…

Are you aware that Dollar Tree and Dollar General are different stores with different business models? Dollar General does not price all their items for $1. I don't believe they ever have. And Dollar Tree does not sell groceries (at least not any I've ever been to).

>And Dollar Tree does not sell groceries (at least not any I've ever been to).

May be regional, because all of them around here do. At least canned/dry goods and frozen foods. Teeny-tiny steaks. No fresh produce, obviously.

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

#156

I don't think that people in this thread appreciate how prevalent grocery shopping in dollar stores is. In the US, half of shoppers buy groceries from a dollar store. They do it because it's literally all they can afford anything else. There are more dollar stores than Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General,…

That quote is absurd. A Chrysler 300 is a luxury car.

Not necessarily, let's say it's a 2008, you can easily find 300 junkers now worth almost nothing.

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

#157
post #90

Tangentially related, I always find these stores amusing: https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5521128,0.0516247,3a,75y,157... For those who don't want to click on the link: There is a store called "99p Plus Extra", and 3 doors down is another one called "98p Plus Extra". It would be interesting to know whether they both started as pound stores.

It looks like The Simpsons parodied real life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2tv_CGuVPM ; https://simpsons.fandom.com/wiki/Thirty_Minutes_Over_Tokyo

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

#158

I don't think that people in this thread appreciate how prevalent grocery shopping in dollar stores is. In the US, half of shoppers buy groceries from a dollar store. They do it because it's literally all they can afford anything else. There are more dollar stores than Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General,…

That quote is absurd. A Chrysler 300 is a luxury car.

Chrysler 300s have been on the road for a long time. Just because new one is in the $35k range doesn’t mean that one from 10-15 years ago is that expensive. Chryslers also generally depreciate faster than say a Toyota Camry or Corolla.

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

#159
post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paper notes are extremely expensive to maintain because they can't stay in circulation long before they're worn out and need to be replaced. We really should be using $1, $2, $5 and $10 coins

Paper and linen are renewable materials that are made from easy low-impact resources to be extracted and processed, they can be remade and reissued many times for a fraction of the impact of a metal coin, not to mention the cost to transport any amount over pocket change.

There is very little in the world that is more recyclable than metal.

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

#160

I don't think that people in this thread appreciate how prevalent grocery shopping in dollar stores is. In the US, half of shoppers buy groceries from a dollar store. They do it because it's literally all they can afford anything else. There are more dollar stores than Walmart, Starbucks and McDonald’s combined. "Kyle Dishman can’t afford to shop at the local grocery store anymore. Instead he goes to Dollar General,…

That quote is absurd. A Chrysler 300 is a luxury car.

Eh. I mean, I know it wants to be one. And brand new I'm sure they're nice. But most 300s I see around me are old beaters you can buy (even now) for less than $6k. [0]

And if someone needs an occasional quart of oil for their car, it's likely got some miles on it. It's not some pricey luxury automobile anymore. It's just an old Chrysler.

[0] https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtm...

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