Dollar Tree Forced to Jack Up Their Prices Thanks to Inflation

Well, here’s a bummer.

I was first turned on to Dollar Tree a few years ago by a friend. I always kind of figured they were like Dollar General or Family Dollar in that most of the items in the store cost more than $1, but boy was I wrong. Damn near everything in the store will only set you back a buck.

Since then, Dollar Tree has been my go-to for all my little odds and ends from birthday cards to office supplies. They’re also known for being a bit of a treasure trove for collectors, because you never know what kind of random things you’re going to find in there.

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Unfortunately, things are about to change. ABC 13 is reporting that Dollar Tree is about to start selling items for $1.25 and $1.50 for the first time ever. They’re even going to start selling stuff for $3 and $5.

They’ve been testing the $3 and $5 price model in their “Dollar Tree Plus” sections since 2019 and apparently have had success, which led to their decision to expand those sections into at least 500 stores by 2024.

Michael Montani, a retail analyst at Evercore ISI, says it all comes down to inflation:

While the $1.00 price point has been devoutly maintained for decades, inflation is likely to remain higher for longer forcing the tough but necessary decision to adapt the model. Higher prices will help Dollar Tree manage "margin pressure from inflation.

While it’s not the end of the world, it’s sad to see the chain have to move away from the decades-old tradition of sticking to that $1.00 price point.