Philadelphia-area couponers (including me) were thrown for a loop this weekend when they went to the Dollar Tree to buy their newspapers and found nothing. Explanations ranged from "it's just a problem with the trucks" to a very snarky "The Inquirer can't keep selling all those copies for $1 just so you can get your coupons!"
Was this a decision made by the Inquirer or The Dollar Tree? Considering that the Inquirer/Daily News filed for bankruptcy protection back in February, it may be an order of the bankruptcy court that they can no longer continue to sell papers at a loss. I've been trying to call both Dollar Tree corporate office in Virginia and the corporate offices for the Inquirer and have yet to get a straight answer!
Is it the end of the world? Should it be the end of your couponing? Absolutely not! Most weeks the value of the coupons still justifies the cost of buying multiple copies....just maybe not as many copies!
What can you do? Since nobody will give me a straight answer, I suggest emailing both The Dollar Tree and The Inquirer. In the event that this is not an order of the Bankruptcy Court, perhaps we can convince either the Inquirer to resume supplying them to the Dollar Tree, or the Dollar Tree to start selling them again.
To contact Dollar Tree, click here
To contact The Inquirer, click here (use the emails for the Adminstration Department)
Stacey
WOW! I got my papers at Walmart this week so I didn't need to make a separate trip. They are $1.25 at Walmart.
Melio
Having worked in the newspaper world, I'm guessing that DT was the one NOT making any money on the deal - they were probably breaking even (stands paid the newspaper $1 for Sunday papers sold, the stand/store kept $.50 per paper). If the newspaper upped its price (as our local newspaper and closet large city has done), then DT would have to start selling it at an outright loss. Does that make sense?
Mindi Cherry
It does make sense...but I also look at it this way:
Almost every time I was there, I ended up buying something else. Whether it was letting each of my kids pick out a toy, or realizing that I needed something that I didn't feel like going to the store for, or seeing that I could get 350 leis at Dollar Tree for much less hassle than ordering them through Oriental Trading, it was rare that I walked in, bought just newspapers and walked out.
Stores have loss leaders to get you in there. Considering that Dollar Tree is thriving in this economy and paid their CEO a $1.13 million performance bonus (for a total compensation package of $3.75 million in 2008), I'm not feeling too sorry for them if they take a $.06/copy loss to get customers in the store buying other things 😉
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/05/dollar-tree-ceos-pay-increased-nearly-45-percent-last-year
Maria
I didn't know that Walmart sells the papers at a discount. Is that true in the Philly area walmarts?
Stacey
Yes, that is in the Philly area for Walmart. I've gotten them in Harleysville, Exton, East Greenville and the Norristown one on Trooper Rd.
Kelly W
WOW! I just put a post about this on my site yesterday. Thought they had just sold out before I got there and the lines were too long to ask a cashier. I am so bummed!! My 4 papers from WaWa cost me $7! The Wilmington News Journal is .$25 less expensive but the ads are different and sometimes the really good coupons are missing. Urg.......
Kelly W
Just got this back from the Enquirer - so Jim Gregory is the one to contact.
"I've sent along your message, Kelly, to our vice president of
circulation, Jim Gregory, for his review. I edit the newspaper, but I'm
not directly involved in delivering it.
Sincerely,
Bill Marimow"
Maria
Stacey, I just called the area walmarts and they all said that they sold the Sunday paper for 1.75. Did you get the early Sunday edition?
Julie
The Inquirer price stamp says $1.75 and then in small print something about being $2.00 outside the metropolitan area. I'm outside the metro area. Grocery stores and WaWa charged the $2, but gas stations charged only $1.75. Until last weekend. Now it's $2 everywhere in my corner of the world.
Stacey
I've only gotten the Saturday edition at Walmart. And it's been $1.25 every time, including this past Saturday.
couponsavvy
Man oh Man... I know they canceled my subscruption as I got it at .88 a copy and they said it would go up. I said no thanks. Im starting to really think abouthow much I need to coupon. I mean I still will but not at the rate I have been.
Kelly W
Just got this response from the Inquirer: :o(
"Good Afternoon Kelly,
I am writing from the Philadelphia Inquirer in response to your email in regards to Dollar Tree locations. I wanted to let you know that we have stopped serving all Dollar Tree locations in our market. There are many Dollar Trees in Delaware. If you would kindly let me know which location you shopped at as I would like to provide you with a list of the nearest retailers.
I appreciate your business and look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Jim"
PGK
The DT in North Wales seems to have stopped carrying the papers about 4-5 weeks ago, so I had an inkling that something was up. How sad.
tuppermom6
I am in the Chgo area and can get the Sun Trib at DT for $1. For anyone in the print newspaper business to cut off a successful outlet for distribution does not make sense to me. They are not depriving subscribers their papers. Advertisers care about how many papers get moved. When those numbers shrink, they will see their advertising revenue decrease. This move demonstrates the kind of short term thinking that has businesses in trouble.
Barb Szyszkiewicz, sfo
We have a brand-new Dollar Tree here and they do not sell any newspapers of any kind.
What I said....
Maybe we should just lobby to get the inserts out of the Sunday papers to begin with. I mean, aren't we 'paying' for these coupons... coupons that legally aren't meant to be sold?
Deb H.
Here in southern Minnesota, the DT has not been carrying the Minneapolis paper for over a month. I was wondering what the scoop was. Perhaps all DT's are discontinuing this service. I save enough with coupons that I figure I will purchase the papers I want at the going price.
Shannon H
I live in northeastern pa our Dollar Tree's do not sell any news papers. I have been picking up 2 copies of the Philedelphia Inquirer (when I can find them)at $2 a copy, I get one local paper delivered for $1 and if it's a good week pick for coupons pick up 1 addition local paper at $1.50. I never bought the paper before I started couponing even adding the cost of the paper to my weekly budget I still come out way ahead now that I am couponing. The Philedelphia Inquirer is worth the $2 for me because on a week when my paper has $78 worth of coupons the Inquirer will have atleast double if not triple that. It's to bad though that for you whose lacal paper it is can't get a better deal. Like I said my local delivered one is $0.50 cheaper.