Strapped for cash, consumers who once shopped at Wal-Mart and
But the shift to dollar stores is about more than price, Brian Sozzi, chief equities strategist at Belus Capital Advisors, told us.
While Wal-Mart and Kmart are cutting costs and trimming staff, chains like Family Dollar, Dollar General, and The Dollar Tree are investing heavily in making their stores appealing to customers.
As a result,
Case in point: Dollar General's new eye-catching coolers, in comparison to Kmart's.
Here are the coolers at Dollar General. Note they are well-lit, with clear product labeling to entice the customer:
And here are Kmart's coolers, which Sozzi notes appear outdated. Some of the lights are out, giving customers the illusion that food could be old or expired, he says:
