The dollar store sounds like a great concept, for some things it is.
Everything sells for around a dollar, but that doesn't mean it's a good deal, it might just actually be only work a buck.

The dollar store industry rakes in billions.
Need lightbulbs? Two for a buck.
Reading glasses? A dollar a pair.

Yvonee Zaske, (bargain shopper): "This is the best place for party supplies and gift wrapping."

I went shopping with bargain hunters.
One of the best dollar store deals hands down- is gift wrap.
Paper, ribbons, bags of all sizes.

Yvonne Zaske, (bargain shopper: "You know they're 'gonna tear it open anyway, within minutes."

Party supplies are another winner.
From streamers and hats to balloons, and party favors.
School and office supplies also get a thumbs up.
Chalk. Rulers. Push pins. A 4 pack of invsible tape.
How do the stores do it?

Walter, store manager: "We buy a lot of overruns. We buy a lot of closeouts."

You've heard of Nalley's and Chef Boyardee-
Jennifer McGraw: "I bet you never heard of mama's kitchen, but most of these are actually bran names"

But selection and quality vary, and so do the stores.
There's " Dollar Store, "Dollar Tree", and "the family dollar store."
The phrase dollar store is generic- and not everything is a good buy.
In fact Consumers Reports researchers found some deals are dicey.

Think twice about vitamins-
Consumer Reports found you can't always be sure of the ingredients. Stick to brand names.

Be careful about toys for children under 3.
Many safety recalls involve cheap, imported toys with dangerous parts, and high levels of lead.

You should also think twice about 1 dollar extension cords.
Consumer Reports found some cords may have faulty wiring that could cause fire. Even with safety labels it's hard to tell what's real and what's counterfeit.

Yvonne Zaske, (bargain shopper): "Unfortunately the batteries I wanted, they don't have."
Yvonne swears by dollar store batteries. Others complain they leak, and don't last.

We loaded the batteries, mixed up the flashlights, numbered them, turned them on and let them burn.
Flashlight number 3 lasted 40 minutes.
Flashlight number 4 lasted just over 4 hours
Number 1 burned nearly 7 and a half hours.
And number 2 burned for nearly 11 hours.

Which is which?
The 4th place flashlight had a 1 dollar battery by Sunbeam It also had the bum switch and no bulb.
The 3rd place flashlight had the Energizer batteries from Walgreen's.
The 2nd place batteries leaked! That's what ruins equipment!
It's a 1 dollar Samsung brand called Pleomax.
The winning batteries- are also 1 dollar by Panasonic.

Jennifer McGraw: "Two lessons. When you pay a dollar for a flashlight, don't expect high quality and 1 buck batteries might not be a good idea.

If you're looking for real dollar deals, you have to be picky.
Inspect it, read the labels, even shake it, before you take it

Dollar Stores sound like a great idea and for the most part they are.
Be aware of what you're buying and make sure it's worth it so you get real value for every dollar you spend.