Dollar Tree Announced Price Increases and People are Losing it: 'This is Really the End of Times I Fear' The chain will be raising certain item prices to above $1.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

John Greim | Getty Images

With so many discount and chain drugstores to choose from, it's nearly imperative that each individual one find its niche.

For dollar stores, this is a no-brainer — everything in there should cost, well, one dollar much like the category claims.

But it looks like Dollar Tree is looking to shake things up amid the challenging retail landscape thanks to the pandemic by announcing that it will now start selling items for more than $1.

We know, audible gasp.

"For decades, our customers have enjoyed the "thrill-of-the-hunt' for value at one dollar - and we remain committed to that core proposition - but many are telling us that they also want a broader product assortment when they come to shop," said Michael Witynski, President and CEO of Dollar Tree in a statement. "We believe testing additional price points above $1 for Dollar Tree product will enable us over time to expand our assortments, introduce new products and meet more of our customers' everyday needs."

Naturally, the masses were less than thrilled about the switch-up.

"This is really the end times I fear," one user joked.

"Dollar Tree has become the very thing it swore to destroy," another darkly pointed out. "These are truly dark times."

Dollar Tree currently has 15,865 storefronts across the U.S. and Canada which also include stores under the name Family Dollar.

"We are a "test-and-learn' organization which is what we are doing with this new initiative," Witynski said. "We listen to our customers and believe it will make shopping with us an even better experience."

Dollar Tree was up around 10.04% year over year as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

They Went From Selling Hangers as Kids to Starting a Retail Brand Worth $2.8 Billion – Here's What the Property Brothers Learned About Entrepreneurship

The kings of HGTV, Property Brothers Drew and Jonathan Scott, share their insights as lifelong entrepreneurs.

Marketing

Trying to Reach a Multi-Generational Audience? Here Are the 3 Elements Your Marketing Strategy Must Include.

Reaching multiple generations doesn't have to be a challenge. Learn how to craft a unified, data-driven marketing strategy that combines personalization, multi-channel reach and timeless techniques to connect with audiences spanning Boomers to Gen Z and beyond.

Side Hustle

This 31-Year-Old Spends 2 Hours Per Week On His $3,000-a-Month Passive Income Side Hustle: 'Trust Your Vision'

Hansel Moore's home office "wasn't cutting it" — so he found another place to be creative.

Franchise

4 Tips for Selecting the Right Location for Your Franchise

Stay true to your model and understand your guests so your new location will create the same experience they've come to expect everywhere you operate.