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While U.S. consumers have a wide array of choices when it comes to shopping for personal care products, a large portion of them choose to go to dollar stores for these items, according to a new report. GOBankingRates survey.
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The survey finds that the second most purchased items at dollar stores are personal care products, with 22% of US consumers buying these items at discount retailers. This is second only to food shopping, with 24% of consumers shopping for food at dollar stores, according to the data.
That’s no surprise, as NPR reports that the popularity of dollar stores has skyrocketed during the pandemic. Indeed, research suggests that 88% of Americans shop at dollar stores at least sometimes, and about 4 in 10 new store openings nationwide this year are at dollar stores, according to NPR.
Why Americans are turning to dollar stores for their personal care purchases
Sarah Mawji, managing director of Sevans PR, said soaring commodity prices have Americans looking for new ways to preserve their well-earned money.
“The recent GOBankingRates survey further indicates that many are abandoning purchases at high-end retailers and instead substituting trips to the dollar store to purchase well-known personal care items more frequently, and for less,” said Mawji. “Dollar stores today carry some of the best brand name shampoos, face washes and lotions, and sell them for less because they operate on lower margins.”
In terms of gender, women prefer dollar stores more than men for personal care items, with 23% of women buying these items compared to 19% of men, the GOBankingRates survey notes.
In terms of age brackets, the largest portion of Americans who most often purchase personal care items from dollar stores are in the 45-54 age bracket at 29%, followed by the age group of 25 to 34 years at 23% and 65 years and over. age group, with 21%, show the survey data.
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The best personal care brands offered by dollar stores
Shannon Vissers, retail analyst at MerchantMaverick.com, told GOBankingRates that she also primarily buys branded personal care items from dollar stores such as Dollar Tree.
The products these stores carry run the gamut, from deodorant to pregnancy tests and toothpaste to lip sticks.
Dollar Tree, for example, carries branded items including Dove body cream, Crest and Colgate toothpastes, and Always liners.
As for Dollar General, some of the brands it carries include Dove, Purell, Old Spice, Kotex, Axe, and Tampax.
“I personally find dollar stores to be great for toothpaste and toothbrushes,” Vissers said. “In some dollar stores, you can also find mid-range brand name shampoos and conditioners such as Tresemme, Pantene, Aussie, Herbal Essences, and Head and Shoulders; but, at Dollar Tree or other stores that keep prices $1 or less, you’ll probably only find White Rain or V05.
Vissers added, however, that consumers should keep in mind that you don’t always save money when buying personal care products at a dollar store.
“Many dollar stores, such as Dollar General, charge a lot more than a dollar for most personal care products,” she said, “and in some cases you can find the same product less. expensive at Walmart or Target.”
Stock up on $1 personal care items while you still can
The dollar store market is expected to generate $93.9 billion in revenue in 2022, down from revenue of $95 billion the previous year, according to Statista. Dollar Tree and Dollar General are the market leaders in dollar stores in the United States. The slowdown could be explained in part by the fact that some of these retailers have raised their namesake price by $1 in recent months – amid 41-year inflation.
Dollar Tree, for example, said in September it would raise prices above $1 for certain items.
“We believe that testing additional prices above $1 for Dollar Tree products will allow us over time to expand our assortments, introduce new products and meet more of our customers’ everyday needs,” said Michael Witynski, President and CEO of Dollar Tree, in an announcement at the time.
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