As Dollar Tree continues to move away from its standardized $1 business model, more people are finding Dollar Tree’s new price scanner in their stores.
Reactions on social media were mixed, with some users suggesting the discount retailer change its name to ‘The Tree’, while others claimed the system would ‘save significant labor and supply costs’.
Here’s what shoppers need to know about Dollar Tree stores’ new price scanners and the ongoing “multi-price journey.”
People paying attention to Dollar Tree’s price scanner
Over the past week, social media users have been posting about new price scanners installed at Dollar Tree stores across the country. The system was also featured in a segment on Fox 5 Atlanta.
Although some customers are just now discovering the scanners in Dollar Tree stores, the machines have been around in some form since at least March 2025, when one TikTok user posted a video of a price scanner in his store and called the discovery “horrifying.” As of July 22nd, the TikTok has received over 139,000 likes.
Dollar Tree did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s July 22 request for more information about the price scanner expansion.
Some people “love” scanners
Reaction to the new price scanner was mixed on social media, with some noting that Dollar Tree stores have had price scanners in place for some time.
“I’m in New Jersey and the local DTs (all but one) have had those scanners for quite some time and they love them,” one person wrote in a Facebook post. “We scan all items before checkout, even if the item has a price.”
“I think price scanners should be standard in all stores,” added another in the same post. “At Walmart, you can only scan using an app. For seniors and other populations, not everyone wants to use an app or is tech-savvy.”
Another commenter argued that stores would save on labor and supply costs by not having to price each item separately.
“Mini Walmart”
Other social media users were less impressed with both the scanner and Dollar Tree’s increased costs.
“What about the good old fashioned price tag,” one person wrote on Instagram, adding: “What a shame.”
“Why does the Dollar Tree need a scanner?” asked another. “It’s just five to eight short lines. You can walk to the aisle where your product is. It’s not like Walmart, where you have to walk several minutes to find where your product is.”
One person called the company a “Dollar Branch,” while another compared it to a “mini-Walmart.”
Dollar Tree’s “Multi-Price Journeys”
In December, USA TODAY reported that the discount retailer’s base price of $1.25 was raised to $1.50 on a growing number of major items, with prices on other items up to $10.
Part of that strategy, called the “Multi-Price Journey,” was detailed in a Dollar Tree presentation by Chief Merchandising Officer Rick McNeely. For 2024, the company has identified a number of categories that could benefit from price increases, including seasonal products, home decor and electronics, as well as health care, baby products and pet products.
The presentation said the multi-price strategy was initially launched as part of the company’s in-store Dollar Tree Plus concept and has since become a “core part” of the strategy.
According to McNeely’s presentation, customer insights influenced Dollar Tree’s decision to introduce a price point above $1.25. This included analyzing “customer shopping behavior to learn where they shopped and what they bought after shopping at Dollar Tree.”
“Data from millions of transactions tracked by our proprietary data provider reveals that Dollar Tree shoppers spend more than 90% of their wallets outside of Dollar Tree, with an average retail unit price of $3.93,” the presentation said, adding, “After shopping at Dollar Tree, approximately 90% of purchases made at competing retailers had a price greater than $3.”
“The people have power too”
This strategy mirrors other commenters’ responses to Instagram’s post about the new price scanner.
“If I go to the register and the item isn’t $1.25, I ask the cashier to take the receipt off and put it back,” one person wrote. “Businesses, good luck. Don’t buy more than the dollar, then they have to give up selling it. The people also have power.”
“I firmly refuse in principle,” another man added. “I still won’t pay more than $2 for anything that’s out there, not because I can’t do it, but because I think it’s just greed. I don’t think their product is more expensive for them. They, the customer, will buy it despite their complaints. They will be the masters of their own demise.”
Drew Pittock covers trending news from around the country for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.
