Between 2010 and 2015, high unemployment, stagnant disposable income, volatile energy costs and a changing mass-market perception of dollar stores contributed to a 3.3 percent growth rate, $66.7 billion in revenue and a $2.6 billion profit for the channel, according to IBISWorld’s September 2015 report titled “Dollar & Variety Stores in the US.”

During the recession, the countercyclical discount retail channel experienced years of growth, even to the point of becoming one of the fastest-growing retail channels during the time period, according to “Dollar & Variety Stores in the US,” an April 2014 report by IBISWorld.

Although discount retailers offer a wide variety of products for one-stop shopping at an affordable price, it’s their consumables selections that having been boosting sales, albeit indirectly.

Similar to how fast food restaurants added dollar or value menus in order to entice consumers, the value proposition for discount retailers has helped dollar retail chains gain market share against traditional retail formats.