BusinessAug 28, 2025
Bargain Retailers Cash In as Shoppers Hunt for Steals, Deals, & Meals
Value Sector
Daniel Schoester
Turns out, there’s a fortune to be made in selling for less. Thanks to inflation’s squeeze, discount chains are clocking record sales amid hordes of value-conscious shoppers. With budget stocks like our recently covered ThredUp posting eightfold returns this year, the low-price playbook is paying off richly.
- Up 47.7% YTD, Dollar General’s Q2 just beat Wall Street’s top and bottom line expectations — with net sales increasing 5.1% from last year as it raised its full-year outlook.
- Ollie’s Bargain Outlet also posted the good ol’ beat and raise this second quarter — with sales jumping 17.5% from last year as the stock outpaces the market with a 21.4% YTD return.
Value for all: It’s not just lower-income consumers shopping this way, as mid-to-high-income earners are increasingly flocking to discount shelves, lifting average spend. To capitalize on this bargain boom, private labels are heating up across the board as food staples like Casey’s, Albertsons, and Conagra race to build their low-cost brands. Suddenly, clipping coupons and hunting deals is everyone’s idea of a good time.
