The announcement about Dollar Tree raising prices to $1.25 sent many loyal customers spiraling in 2021. After all, “Dollar” is in the name of the store, not “Dollar Twenty-Five.” That announcement marked the first time in 35 years the chain increased the cost of their budget-friendly items. The initial response from shoppers was lukewarm, and that’s putting it nicely.
Yet here we are, two years after that announcement, and it turns out that Dollar Tree raising prices hasn’t dramatically impacted our ability to score a great deal at the store. We still can teach you plenty of hacks to get the most bang for your buck (or your buck-25).
If you want to know what this price increase means for couponing at Dollar Tree and what else the company has in the works, let’s get into it.
But wait! Before you get started, download the official The Krazy Coupon Lady app so you never miss a Dollar Tree deal.
Dollar Tree raising prices is a permanent change.
Dollar Tree started rolling out the $1.25 base price at their stores in late 2021, with all stores converted to the new price tag during the early part of 2022. And yes, the new $1.25 price point is permanent.
However, the chain started testing the waters with higher price points well before this change. They introduced their Dollar Tree Plus concept, with standalone displays and sections in certain stores that have all sorts of items priced at $3 and $5.
The company’s head honchos didn’t make this decision on a whim or even just to combat inflation. Company execs say Dollar Tree raising prices helps reduce volatility — so they can keep growing the company with remodels, new Dollar Tree Plus concept stores, and additional products.
In late September 2021, you may have noticed they started testing higher prices in stores, experimenting with three different price points — $1, $1.25, and $1.50 — before settling on that sweet spot in the middle. Throughout the test, they found that their customers were open to a slight bump in prices.
Related: Stop overspending at Target and get these Target products at Dollar Tree instead.
Don’t worry, you can still coupon at Dollar Tree.
Despite the higher prices, the Dollar Tree coupon policy hasn’t changed. In-store Dollar Tree coupons aren’t really a thing since their prices are so low, but they’ve long accepted most manufacturer coupons.
You can use coupons worth more than the product itself, but Dollar Tree will just adjust the amount down, so don’t expect any moneymakers.
Related: Check out all the best Dollar Tree Weekly Coupon Deals right now.
As Dollar Tree Plus expands, you’re going to see more $3 and $5 items in stores.
As we mentioned, Dollar Tree Plus will continue to bring $3 and $5 items to more and more stores. These items include electronics, beauty products, toys, and crafts.
Certain locations first started testing the new items under the banner of Dollar Tree Plus in mid-2019. It was a successful enough launch for the company to expand the experiment to even more stores.
As of early 2023, about one in three Dollar Tree stores now carries Dollar Tree Plus products. And they plan to continue that expansion this year.
Related: We’ve found some surprising name brands at Dollar Tree — see a bunch in our latest Dollar Tree finds.
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