Family Dollar store brands splash into summer
The latest quarterly report from Dollar Tree sported a dour look for its namesake brand, sharing that same-store sales dipped below one percent for the first quarter ended May 2, due to volatile shifts in shopping caused by the coronavirus pandemic. However, the company’s Family Dollar stores shined during the report with a quarterly same-store sales gain of 15.5%.
And based on some summer programming, the retailer doesn’t appear to have any plans of slowing down, putting some of its 20-plus own brands to work for the summer.
A visit to a Chicago location revealed a large summer beach toy and promotional display right at the entrance that mixed some high-profile snack brands with some of the store’s own toys and beach accessory items.
Down a nearby aisle though, gearing up for summer cookouts, Family Dollar’s Homeline brand dominated the paper plates, napkins, cups aisle. Also on an endcap, the chain’s Proplayer own brand apparel line deep discounted its shoes for the summer.
As some retailers have curbed promotions to curb traffic, Family Dollar was full speed ahead with its annual summer promotion. The company promoted its deals and a lengthy list of items for the summer on its homepage, too, including private brand toys, ProPlayer gear and Eatz snack chips.
More of a deep discounter than a dollar store like its parent, I was struck by the range of store brand product squeezed into such a small footprint from snack chips to home essentials to apparel and even hardware items.
