Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

BillyGr
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1578
Joined: October 5th, 2010, 7:33 pm
Been thanked: 58 times
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by BillyGr »

TW-Upstate NY wrote: November 24th, 2022, 7:09 am Call me a glutton for punishment but I tried another DG yesterday and talk about complete opposite experiences. This time around they did indeed have the item in question (a certain type of cookie I can't seem to find anywhere) and the lone employee was super helpful in showing me where it was located. Hadn't been in this unit for more than a couple of years and it's been reset into the elongated high and narrow aisle layout that one of their other local stores has had for many years prior to this. Not exactly crazy about that kind of set up to be honest. Also saw something which I had never encountered at DG previously-self checkout.
They put one of those (self check) in a store locally - unfortunately it only works for card payments, so I have no idea how well it works as I haven't ever been able to use it (not much sense using some kind of card for a couple dollars worth of stuff, which is all I usually get there at one time).
storewanderer
Posts: 14377
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by storewanderer »

BillyGr wrote: November 24th, 2022, 10:12 am
TW-Upstate NY wrote: November 24th, 2022, 7:09 am Call me a glutton for punishment but I tried another DG yesterday and talk about complete opposite experiences. This time around they did indeed have the item in question (a certain type of cookie I can't seem to find anywhere) and the lone employee was super helpful in showing me where it was located. Hadn't been in this unit for more than a couple of years and it's been reset into the elongated high and narrow aisle layout that one of their other local stores has had for many years prior to this. Not exactly crazy about that kind of set up to be honest. Also saw something which I had never encountered at DG previously-self checkout.
They put one of those (self check) in a store locally - unfortunately it only works for card payments, so I have no idea how well it works as I haven't ever been able to use it (not much sense using some kind of card for a couple dollars worth of stuff, which is all I usually get there at one time).
Dollar General Self Checkout has been a real treat. I've never seen anything like it. Yes they are easy to use as long as you just have a basic transaction. That is where the fun stops.

They've had the units at a few stores around me for probably 3 years. The self checkouts run a different POS Software than the regular registers (whatever software Trader Joe's uses, their self checkouts use it). For the first year or two, the self checkouts did not apply sale prices, did not apply clearance prices, but could apply digital coupons if you logged in with your phone number. They seem to have finally fixed that issue so the self checkouts apply sale/clearance prices. But not always. Some weeks it still doesn't work. Multiple times now I have made purchases on self checkout then had to get a void and go to regular checkout and the cashier there scans the items (does no price changes or anything just scans the items) and I get a lower total on the regular checkout than the self checkout. One store where there is a long term manager (yes these really do exist in Dollar General) we have a running joke going about if the self checkout will apply promotions or not in a given week. Sometimes he will just void off an item or discount an item on the self checkout to avoid having to do the void/re-do at normal register thing.

The units that were installed 3 years ago did accept cash but the stores had problems with the cash accepting units and taped them over so you could not insert cash into them. I have not noticed if the units installed more recently even have the cash slots but they definitely do not offer cash as a payment option on the payment screen.

If you want something voided/fixed on the self checkouts the employee is of course not there watching them EVER, either behind the register with a line or away from the area, and the interface for the employee to void/fix something is the most cumbersome I've ever seen on a self checkout (and I thought Kroger was bad).

Dollar General has ended the sale of clothing it seems, and is focusing on more home goods now. Clothing and self checkout aren't a great mix for a variety of reasons (customer experience and loss prevention reasons). So self checkout is more appropriate for Dollar General now than it once was.
mbz321
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 747
Joined: March 11th, 2010, 7:52 pm
Has thanked: 96 times
Been thanked: 54 times
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by mbz321 »

storewanderer wrote: November 23rd, 2022, 1:26 am
The Five Below Stores are very clean and organized (not sure I'd call their presentation exactly neat... but everything is where it belongs). The problem is they are understocked with little merchandise. They also hardly have any customers, and the customers who are there are not buying much. T
Five Below has opened quite a few stores in my area and none of them have traffic. Some are stocked better than others, but none are well stocked. They do have some interesting items. Prices are above $5 now and they've taken many price increases on consumables.
Maybe because I am located around Five Below's 'home turf' in the Philadelphia region, but here the stores seem plenty stocked, maybe even a bit overstocked on merchandise (like a dozen+ different brands/styles of cheapo headphones/earbuds) Some locations seem busier than others for sure though. Only their newest units seem to have Self-Checkouts...the stores around me (except for one that opened maybe last year I haven't ventured near)are all older and don't have them. The merchandise is a bit outside of my demographic for sure but they are useful in a pinch for a cheap phone cable/accessory/pair of sunglasses or such. I'm actually wearing a winter beanie that I purchased last year and has held up fine. Some of the higher priced stuff seems like absolute crap though, like a $25 (which seems to be their highest price point) 'Roomba' type thing and other stuff that probably costs like a few dollars on Wish or another Chinese reseller. I can't imagine people are buying these things there.
storewanderer
Posts: 14377
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by storewanderer »

mbz321 wrote: November 25th, 2022, 7:57 pm

Maybe because I am located around Five Below's 'home turf' in the Philadelphia region, but here the stores seem plenty stocked, maybe even a bit overstocked on merchandise (like a dozen+ different brands/styles of cheapo headphones/earbuds) Some locations seem busier than others for sure though. Only their newest units seem to have Self-Checkouts...the stores around me (except for one that opened maybe last year I haven't ventured near)are all older and don't have them. The merchandise is a bit outside of my demographic for sure but they are useful in a pinch for a cheap phone cable/accessory/pair of sunglasses or such. I'm actually wearing a winter beanie that I purchased last year and has held up fine. Some of the higher priced stuff seems like absolute crap though, like a $25 (which seems to be their highest price point) 'Roomba' type thing and other stuff that probably costs like a few dollars on Wish or another Chinese reseller. I can't imagine people are buying these things there.
So the stores there don't have large empty spaces with no merchandise (especially around the back corners)?

I have noticed their pricing is... odd. Some of the prices on items look so high I want to go ask if they are an error, but there is a sticker on the products so obviously that is not the case.

I actually really like that they have self checkout. That is one of the good things about their store.
mbz321
Assistant Store Manager
Assistant Store Manager
Posts: 747
Joined: March 11th, 2010, 7:52 pm
Has thanked: 96 times
Been thanked: 54 times
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by mbz321 »

storewanderer wrote: November 26th, 2022, 12:51 am
So the stores there don't have large empty spaces with no merchandise (especially around the back corners)?
No, not at all, although its probably been about 3 or 4 months since I've been in one so maybe the situation has changed, or the stores in my area are smaller sq. foot than some of the newer ones.
BillyGr
Store Manager
Store Manager
Posts: 1578
Joined: October 5th, 2010, 7:33 pm
Been thanked: 58 times
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by BillyGr »

storewanderer wrote: November 25th, 2022, 11:48 am
BillyGr wrote: November 24th, 2022, 10:12 am They put one of those (self-check) in a store locally - unfortunately it only works for card payments, so I have no idea how well it works as I haven't ever been able to use it (not much sense using some kind of card for a couple dollars' worth of stuff, which is all I usually get there at one time).
The units that were installed 3 years ago did accept cash but the stores had problems with the cash accepting units and taped them over so you could not insert cash into them. I have not noticed if the units installed more recently even have the cash slots, but they definitely do not offer cash as a payment option on the payment screen.
This one never had it, since the sign says card only (the electric light up sign above it, like the other registers have a number that lights when that register is open).
storewanderer
Posts: 14377
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by storewanderer »

BillyGr wrote: November 26th, 2022, 5:45 pm

This one never had it, since the sign says card only (the electric light up sign above it, like the other registers have a number that lights when that register is open).
Dollar General seems to aggressively be rolling self checkout out as they do store remodels. I actually saw one store this weekend which was quite busy where the cash acceptor appeared to be working on one of the self checkouts, and the manager was helping people use the 2 self checkouts while a cashier was behind the register (only one cashier register now- they have two counters but the second counter had a register but was missing a pinpad and missing a receipt printer).

Self checkout seems to be a good decision for Dollar General. They run such low staffing levels, almost always have only one cashier, so this really helps. The latest remodels are getting 2 self checkout units each. But they have to do something so the units will consistently accept cash. These Dollar General units seem to do a lot of cash transactions based on their locations and the small transaction sizes, they are really like a convenience store.

This also dramatically improves the checkout experience at Dollar General vs. Family Dollar. Family Dollar is quite terrible, no matter which location I go to, there is never a cashier up front, always ring bell for service, and they do not show up quickly. Family Dollar's registers also seem to be quite slow. A number of years ago when they implemented Tap it was a quick tap on the pinpad and it processed/approved. Not sure what has happened but it is clumsy now. This time I tapped my card and it was "processing" for about 5 seconds, then the machine asked if I wanted cash back (this was a credit card, not a debit card...), so when I said no, then another 5 seconds of processing, then it asked to enter PIN (again this was a credit card, no PIN), so I pressed enter to bypass that then another 5 seconds and it finally approved. Between waiting for the cashier and the slow transaction speed I was at the register for close to 2 minutes for 1 item at 1.25. It was a waste of time for that employee to quit stocking (or whatever they were doing, the store was such a disaster of boxes and crates and a huge mess) and put my $1.25 sale through. A self checkout would have been better for all involved.
TW-Upstate NY
Shift Manager
Shift Manager
Posts: 421
Joined: May 11th, 2009, 6:09 pm
Been thanked: 4 times
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by TW-Upstate NY »

storewanderer wrote: November 27th, 2022, 1:21 am Dollar General seems to aggressively be rolling self checkout out as they do store remodels
That's just what happened in this store. They moved the checkout from just in front of the entrance off in a corner on the left side as you exit. The self checkout is located between the other two "real" registers so I guess if there is an issue whomever is working the staffed register can address it but then you get a situation where it ties up and backs up the line. This location was not a ground up new build so I guess they worked with the space they had and decided that was the best place for it.
storewanderer
Posts: 14377
Joined: February 23rd, 2009, 3:54 pm
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 298 times
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by storewanderer »

TW-Upstate NY wrote: November 27th, 2022, 9:14 am
storewanderer wrote: November 27th, 2022, 1:21 am Dollar General seems to aggressively be rolling self checkout out as they do store remodels
That's just what happened in this store. They moved the checkout from just in front of the entrance off in a corner on the left side as you exit. The self checkout is located between the other two "real" registers so I guess if there is an issue whomever is working the staffed register can address it but then you get a situation where it ties up and backs up the line. This location was not a ground up new build so I guess they worked with the space they had and decided that was the best place for it.
One store, well the only store in Reno, had that configuration for a few years. They also did that configuration at a handful of other units. Recently they remodeled it and moved self checkout to be freestanding in front of the counter area and have 2 units.

A store that opened earlier this year in Doyle, CA has that configuration too (one self checkout and 2 regular ones against the wall) so I think it is very recent they moved to this freestanding self checkout layout with two units.

I am liking Dollar General's remodels a lot. I am confused where they opt to add produce and where they don't. They are really razor focused on consumable goods and these remodels highlight it. Exiting clothing was a VERY smart move.
J-Man
Personnel Manager
Personnel Manager
Posts: 296
Joined: April 10th, 2011, 4:14 pm
Been thanked: 17 times
Status: Offline

Re: Dollar General's Popshelf On Fast Track For Expansion

Post by J-Man »

storewanderer wrote: November 27th, 2022, 1:21 am
A store that opened earlier this year in Doyle, CA has that configuration too (one self checkout and 2 regular ones against the wall) so I think it is very recent they moved to this freestanding self checkout layout with two units.
I'm a fifth-generation Californian and had never heard of Doyle before reading your post. I looked it up and it has fewer than 800 residents. How can a place that small support a Dollar General -- or ANY store for that matter? Maybe a gas station/convenience store, but a Dollar General?
Post Reply