What is Penny Shopping at Dollar General?
Many Dollar General customers have discovered a unique way to find incredible discounts through penny shopping. When Dollar General needs to remove certain items from stores, these products are marked down to just one cent in their system. This typically happens with seasonal merchandise and older inventory that should have been pulled from shelves.
These special markdowns occur on Tuesdays. After major holidays and seasons end, Dollar General begins a markdown process. Items start at higher discount percentages and eventually reach the final penny price point if they remain on shelves past their intended removal date.
Our current list of potential Dollar General penny items updates weekly, tracking the latest additions and changes. This list contains items that might still remain in stores across the country.
Also See: Insider Secrets: A Dollar General Manager’s Guide to Penny Shopping
Preparing for a Successful Shopping Experience
Success with penny shopping starts with understanding how to identify these special items. Products have two important numbers – a SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) and a UPC (Universal Product Code). While both appear on products, the SKU number becomes particularly important during penny shopping as it confirms exact matches for discounted items.
The ideal time for penny shopping begins right when stores open. This timing matters because inventory levels are at their highest, and morning staff are typically focused on their regular opening duties.
A well-planned shopping trip includes:
- Price verification through the Dollar General app
- A list of regular shopping needs as a backup plan
- Understanding of store section layouts
- Knowledge of which seasonal items might be transitioning
Also See: 8 Biggest Mistakes Beginners Make When Penny Shopping at Dollar General
Finding Items and Price Differences
Seasonal merchandise transitions follow a standard pattern at Dollar General. After holidays, items move through a specific clearance process:
- Initial markdowns start at 25% off
- Prices drop to 50% off after several weeks
- Further reductions to 70% off follow
- Final markdowns reach 90% off
- Items remaining past this point become penny candidates
Common locations to check include:
- Top shelves above regular merchandise
- End caps near seasonal sections
- Clearance aisles
- Regular aisles where seasonal items were displayed
- Behind or between regular-priced merchandise
- Bottom shelves beneath current stock
Price verification requires attention to detail. The Dollar General app might display different prices than the register because:
- Store systems update at different times throughout the day
- Some locations update prices faster than others
- Certain items might be priced differently by region
- Register prices always take precedence over app prices
When price differences occur at checkout:
- The register price is final
- Items can be declined if the price isn’t as expected
- Screenshots of app prices don’t override register prices
- Each store’s system determines the final cost
Different locations handle these items based on several factors:
- Store management practices
- Staff scheduling and availability
- Previous inventory audit results
- Store volume and stock rotation
- Regional management policies
Morning shopping typically yields better results because:
- Night staff might not complete item removal
- New prices activate in the system
- Stores haven’t had time to pull remaining items
- Regular morning customers often overlook clearance sections
Essential Guidelines for Shopping
Successful penny shopping relies on following certain practices that make the experience positive for everyone involved.
Effective approaches include:
- Moving through the store as a regular shopper
- Checking prices independently with the app
- Shopping without disrupting store operations
- Planning alternate purchases
Practices that reduce success:
- Requesting staff assistance with price checks
- Searching through back stock areas
- Taking all items from a single spot
- Interrupting staff during their work
- Becoming upset about price differences
Conclusion
Penny shopping at Dollar General offers an opportunity to find deeply discounted items when approached with the right methods and expectations. Following appropriate shopping practices while using available tools like price checking through the app increases the likelihood of finding these special deals.
For the most current information about potential penny items, checking the weekly-updated list provides guidance about what might be available in stores.