John Oliver on Sunday took a deep dive into the world of dollar stores ― and in particular, the two companies that own the lion’s share of the market: Dollar Tree, which also owns Family Dollar, and Dollar General.
Oliver shared videos from social media from inside stores showing just how trashed they often are.
“Those look less like functioning stores and more like ‘American Ninja Warrior: Retail Edition,’” he said. “They look like someone picked up a dollar store, shook it, and dumped it out into another dollar store.”
That “total disaster,” he said, is the result of poor corporate management and disgraceful treatment of retail employees.
In one video, a single overwhelmed woman at the cash register was the only employee working, with customers feeling so badly for her that they began helping around the store.
“Imagine how monumentally shitty a store would have to be for you ― a customer ― to walk in and say, ‘Oh fuck, they need me!’” Oliver said.
Dollar store workers, Oliver added, are often poorly paid and placed in unsafe conditions where they may encounter everything from rodents running wild to birds crapping on the merch to armed robbers.
Oliver concluded with an all-too-honest mock promotional video for dollar stores.
Check it out below:
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