beware dollarama

[abbasgirl]

I generally don't have high expectations for products that I buy at dollar stores. There are many things that I don't buy there at all. Not being able to return things would bother me a lot more if I was paying more for them.

[xxTaylor]

A few years ago I had purchased some items, and when I looked at the receipt I noticed that the cashier had scanned something twice. I asked to get my money back, but the manager said it would be a 20 minute process.... So they told me to just get another item for a dollar. Kind of lame, especially since I didn't need anything else. Didn't want to fight over $1 though, so I just grabbed a chocolate bar.

[MrsSunshine]

i'm luck like janetta. we bought an owl to scare away the squirrels. it was when dh got home he realized it didn't have a nose. I had gone in after and asked if i could bring it back. they said yes. I went back and they said get another one no problems. heck a few of the owls didn't have eyes. yeesh.

if your nice they are nice back. never had issues with ours. and just found out today we are getting another one near us yay!.

[peachies]

They have that policy because there stuff is ...Pieces of crap that break in about 2 secs. The only items that are of good quality are the brand name stuff that ends up in the store.

[abbasgirl]

^ They're also my go-to place for anything made of paper - gift bags, note books, craft paper, etc. It's hard to mess up paper.

[canadian.mere]

They have that policy because there stuff is ...Pieces of crap that break in about 2 secs. The only items that are of good quality are the brand name stuff that ends up in the store.

See that's the kind of attitude that gives the store a bad rap. You don't even give it a chance, just assume the worst. We buy so many things at our local dollarama and I have had an issue with maybe two things and had no problem exchanging them because I was nice about it.

I think that everyone should have to work in retail, to see how it really is and to see the crap workers have to put up with from rude customers.

[Darth Penguin]

In my teens I worked in retail as a cashier and sometimes in different food and non-food sections of a supermarket. It was the best grounding I had to to enable myself to work in in many other types of jobs. Being able to deal with disgruntled, rude and entitled jerks as well your basic normal person is a valuble skill set.

[nana2276]

I returned a plastic container once that had a cracked lid & had no problem. I had bought a Betty Crocker 5 piece cake decorator that didn't meet up to the standard that I expected. Didn't bother returning it, but I did email the company that supplies that brand. Of course, I is NOT affiliated with Betty Crocker in any sense of the form. Got a lot of run a round & finally bought a good one from Tupperware. Ten times the price, but works ten times better. I have bought a lot of other Betty Crocker products there, but DO NOT buy that 5 piece cake decorator set It does not work.

[trishka]

I think it really depends on the store and the mananger. A friend of mine was able to get a refund or exchange on about $25 worth of products. She had bought a bunch of stuff for her nephew's birthday party and things either were broken/not operable from the package or in the case of a toy she had bought for loot bag, it smelled like burnt plastic when she opened a package. She brought it back the next day and spoke to a manager. She was very understanding and actually concerned about the quality (or lack of) with most of the products. She opened the second package of toys that my friend bought but didn't open and it also smelled the same. The manager even said that she would not give that her her kid and would have been really upset if she had purchased all of this only to find out that most of it doesn't work.

[hollyquaiscer]

I rarely shop at the dollar store. I've realized over the years that you really do get what you pay for. If you wait for sales and use your coupons, a person can find things just as cheap, if not free in other places.

[Springbreeze]

There are quite a bit of things I buy from the Dollar Store, they have a fairly good selection of books, my 3 year old usually picks a book as a treat. Cant go wrong with cards and wrapping supplies. They usually have a nice assortment of jars and cans that I use for packaging candy. But they also have a lot of stuff that I would not buy.

[seylz_gurl]

I figure with the things that didn't turn out for me at Dollarama, I am still ahead with the bargains that have turned out okay. agree, it is frustrating when you paid $3 for an item that doesn't turn out as cost of living is getting so high.

[ladyd1116]

I love the Dollarama. I'm in the store at least once a week. It's a great place to buy things for my dogs like pee pads and poop bags. If I buy any food item I always check the expiry date.

[StrawberryCheesecake]

I've never had a problem with anything I've bought at Dollarama and if I ever did I wouldn't be surprised given the fact that I only pay so little for things.

I was actually remarking the other day at how much stuff in my kitchen is from Dollarama and how long it has lasted/stood up to me using it. Namely the strainer (that I broke on my own but its still going strong for 5 years+), measuring cups and spoons, spatulas, etc.

For anyone newly living on their own its a great place to start as the stuff is so much cheaper but comparitive in quality to what Walmart sells for example. Lets face it everything is made in China now a days and I'd rather spend several dollars less for pretty much the same item.

Things I do stay away from there though are the hardware/repair section and the cleaning/pet supplies. My favorite aisle by far is the kitchen one, secondly the plastic containers (some are even made in Canada!). And I have bought a few things from the dollarstore in terms of food and been happy with pricing. Staples like spices and mustard, things there usually aren't coupons for.

[HappyCouponSaver78]

I go there for crafts and hair elastics and paper and art supplies but not food!