It’s hard to beat Dollar Tree’s standard $1.25 price tag. But when it comes to online discount shopping there are other features, like wide return windows and free in-store pick-up, that might make it more affordable and more convenient to shop somewhere else in the end. The whole thing leaves me wondering if there are other stores like Dollar Tree online for a better deal.
Here’s why: shopping online at Dollar Tree often comes with bulk order requirements to score their low, low prices. But if you don’t need a whole case of a single product, then you’re just wasting money by ordering from Dollar Tree. All sales are final on online orders, so if you change your mind about a product, you’re stuck with it. I dug into other stores like Dollar Tree online and found some great alternatives. Then I scoured the return policies and shipping costs of these retailers to see where you can get the best deals.
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Your Cheat Sheet: How These Stores Like Dollar Tree Online Stack Up
- Best Everyday Low Prices: Dollar Tree
- No Minimum Number of Items Required: Daiso
- Longest Time to Return Products: Dollar General
- Lowest Flat-Rate Shipping: Five Below
- Same Day Delivery Available Through Instacart: Family Dollar
1. Family Dollar lets you return online orders in the store.
As a sister store to Dollar Tree, Family Dollar has many similarities. For instance, you can order bulk products online with a free ship-to-store option at both stores. You can also find coupons online to use in-store.
One important difference is that Family Dollar allows you to return items in-store for any purchases made online within 30 days of purchase. Refunds do not include any shipping costs you may have paid.
You can also order online and use Instacart for same-day delivery from Family Dollar, but you’ll pay regular Instacart fees.
Related: How Does Instacart Work? — A Crash Course
2. Daiso has low everyday prices at $1.75 per item, but shipping costs put it out of range.
Daiso is the closest in price to Dollar Tree as most items sell for $1.75. There are a few Japanese items, such as bento boxes and animal plushies, that are a little more expensive but still come out to less than $5.
As far as returns go, this store only issues refunds for damaged products. If an item is damaged when you receive it, you only have seven days to contact customer support to receive a refund.
Shipping is the budget-buster with this store. If you’re not on the West Coast, shipping is pretty expensive. Residents in California and Washington may enjoy slightly lower shipping fees, but it was going to cost us $19 in shipping for a $15 order. No thanks!
3. Dollar General has an app to order online for free in-store pick-up.
One feature we really like at Dollar General is the DG GO app because you can find stores and shop online for free in-store pick-up through the app. In some stores, you can scan as you go and pay in the app.
If you don’t want to take advantage of the free store pick-up option, you can also get same-day delivery from Dollar General through Door Dash, but fees apply. Online orders can also be shipped to your home via FedEx, but we found very limited products available for nationwide delivery.
What makes Dollar General stand out from the other discount retailers is that you can get a refund with a receipt for merchandise in the original packaging within 90 days of purchase. That’s the largest window of time we found for making returns.
4. Five Below has the lowest flat-rate shipping at $7.95.
Prices range from $1-$5 at Five Below, and we like that there is a wide variety of products available online for nationwide delivery. (No bulk orders required.)
While other retailers base their shipping costs on the weight of the products purchased, Five Below offers flat-rate shipping for $7.95 on all purchases. So if you’re only ordering one item, it’s not a great deal, but if you’re stocking up on lots of goodies, you can save big on shipping costs by taking advantage of this flat rate.
Of course, the best way to save money on shipping is to opt for the free same-day in-store pick-up. Another perk at Five Below is that you can return online orders in-store or by mail, but you won’t be reimbursed for any shipping costs.
5. Dollar King offers free shipping on 15 items or more on local orders.
While Dollar King’s physical stores are only in Southern California, you can order from their selection of $1.99 products from anywhere. If you’re local, you can get free shipping if you order 15 items or more, but regular shipping rates apply to all other orders.
Returns are possible within 30 days of the purchase, but you’re responsible for paying to ship it back to the store. In the end, you’ll likely pay more for shipping than for what you’re buying. However, if you’re in the LA area, we recommend taking advantage of the free shipping offer.