More people want to save money while still being able to spend on life’s necessities. The market’s answer, hence, is dollar stores. These shops offer a wide array of items: the everyday, necessary stuff. And the best news? The price of each is literally $1 (and less).
The affordability that dollar stores offer helped this concept become popular. In fact, the Dollar Tree, which has been in the business for a while, continues to establish branches in the US.
That said, do they offer business opportunities? And how much does the Dollar Tree franchise cost?
Dollar Tree Franchise Cost
Unfortunately, the Dollar Tree franchise cost is non-existent. That’s because the company does not offer franchising opportunities at the moment. According to their FAQ page, all the stores are operated from the company’s Corporate Headquarters in Chesapeake, Virginia.
Take heart, though, as Dollar Tree still offers other opportunities for those who want to grow with them. For instance, the company is open for real estate and vendor partnerships.
Dollar Tree Real Estate Partners
If you’re a real estate expert, you can team up with Dollar Tree to secure locations for their stores. The general description of a Dollar Tree store include the following:
- Store sizes ranging from 8,000 to 15,000 gross square feet
- An average store size of 10,000 gross square feet + at least 70 feet of square frontage
- A store carrying Dollar Tree’s philosophy: Bright Stores, Big Signs, and Clean Environment
- A store located in places where middle-America lives and shops
If you have an estate and somehow want to do a transaction with Dollar Tree, make sure that your property is:
- Located in regional or neighborhood centers
- Located in a strong retail corridor with street presence, easy ingress/egress, and ample parking space
- Located in a space where back door freight delivery is possible
You may choose from two store types:
- Freestanding
- In-line
Note that Dollar Tree has designated territories for real estate development around the US. That said, you should contact the company’s representatives who are based on the region you’re in.
Dollar Tree Vendor Partnerships
Another option from Dollar Tree that you can venture into is to become a vendor partner. This is a perfect alternative if you are promoting your own product. Especially if your merchandise is something that is new and different. The company, after all, is looking for products that fit their “Thrill of the Hunt” philosophy.
Joining the Dollar Tree vendors’ fray is easy as the company provides an online application form for those who are interested. If you’re accepted, you can enjoy perks such as the company’s Early Payment Program.
Dollar Tree Career Opportunities
There is also a lot of career opportunities offered by Dollar Tree. You can’t be a franchise owner, but you can be a part of the following:
- Store Associates
- Retail Store Management
- Merchandise Department
- Real Estate Department
- Finance Department
- Logistics
Dollar Tree even offers a recruiting program for college students! The company encourages graduates to participate in their development program called Cultivating Outstanding Retail Executives or CORE. With this training, fresh grads can establish their foundation for a retail career.
Dollar Tree vs. Dollar General
A lot of people, especially those searching online, may get mixed up and type “Dollar General franchise cost”. This happens frequently to those who are really asking about Dollar Tree.
To clarify things, Dollar General and Dollar Tree has the same concept, on which they sell single-priced merchandise. And just like the latter, the Dollar General franchise cost is also non-existent. That is, the company does not offer franchising opportunities.
However, you can still establish a dollar store despite not knowing about the Dollar General franchise cost. How? Well, you just have to build your own!
A Closer Look At Dollar Tree
Perhaps you can get an idea or two about running a dollar store if we look closer at Dollar Tree. Well, let’s start probing by looking at the company’s achievements:
- The massive popularity of Dollar Tree made it the nation’s leading operator of dollar stores. At present, the company already has 5,400 stores in several parts of the 48 US states. They even branched out to five Canadian provinces!
- Dollar Tree also allows online purchasing, which further boosted its popularity among consumers.
- You can find almost everything you need at Dollar Store. After all, the available merchandise is so wide-ranging! Some of the products include:
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- Houseware
- Glassware
- Dinnerware
- Cleaning supplies
- Candy and snacks
- Food
- Health and beauty products
- Toys and gifts
- Party supplies
- Teaching supplies
- Seasonal décor
- Dollar Tree only sells products from trusted national and regional brands.
Dollar Tree’s success is not only a matter of affordability. More importantly, it’s all about the quality that the company strives to offer through each store. From the services to the products, the dollar stores under its name aim to satisfy the consuming public’s high standards.
So, if you’re thinking of establishing your own dollar store, make sure that you pick up some lessons from Dollar Tree!