Dollarama trends 2024-2025: from threat to opportunity for Quebec SMEs
Dollarama continues to shake up retailing in Quebec. With inflation, bargain-hunting and the rise of e-commerce, the brand is attracting an ever-growing customer base, including middle-income households. For Quebec’s SMEs, this may seem worrying. Yet Dollarama trends 2024-2025 also reveal strategic opportunities: positioning differently, leveraging data, banking on digital and creating a customer experience that the discount giants can’t offer.
In this article, we analyze recent data around Dollarama and consumer behavior, then translate these trends into concrete actions for local businesses: positioning, high-performance website creation, e-commerce, AI and CRM management. The aim: to turn “Dollarama competition” into a real growth driver for your SME.
1. What recent figures reveal about Dollarama and buying behaviour
To understand the opportunities, we must first look at the facts. Dollarama is no longer just a $1 store. The retailer has become a major player in the consumer landscape of Quebec and Canada.
According to the 2024 financial results published by the company, Dollarama recorded sales growth of over 12% in its last fiscal year, supported by an increase in traffic and average basket (source: Dollarama 2024 financial press releases). The network now boasts over 1,500 stores in Canada, with a strong concentration in Quebec.
This success is part of a wider context. According to a Statistics Canada analysis of consumer behavior in times of inflation, more than 65% of Canadian households say they actively seek out discounts and low-price stores to reduce their grocery and basic goods bills(Statistics Canada). A 2024 study published by Deloitte on retailing in Canada confirms that value and discount formats are among the most resilient in the current economic climate.
For Quebec SMEs, these figures mean three things:
- Price is more than ever a key factor, especially for convenience products (basics, stationery, simple decoration, seasonal products).
- The “$1 store” reflex is becoming an ingrained behavior for some recurring purchases.
- Consumers are looking to optimize their budgets, but not necessarily to sacrifice quality or experience.
At the same time, several retail reports show a rise in hybrid consumption: we buy the “cheap” for some products, and invest in more qualitative products or services for others. A McKinsey study on post-pandemic trends (2023-2024) notes that many consumers are “arbitraging”: offsetting their premium purchases by buying more low-cost brands in other categories(McKinsey & Company).
Bottom line: Dollarama’s massive presence doesn’t mean that SMEs are doomed. It does mean that positioning must be clear: either you accept to enter a price war (which is a long-term loser), or you capitalize on what Dollarama can’t offer: human proximity, specialization, service, personalization, local expertise, strong brand.
2. How SMEs can differentiate themselves from Dollarama
The first mistake would be to try to copy Dollarama: cut prices as low as possible, reduce quality, squeeze margins. The resources of an SME are nothing like those of a discount giant. On the other hand, there are a number of strategic areas where a small business can gain a clear advantage.
1. Focus on specialization and quality
Dollarama shines in volume and breadth at low prices, but it can’t be an expert in everything. An SME can position itself clearly:
- Local products (food, crafts, well-being, Quebec clothing, etc.).
- Specialized products (niche equipment, health products, eco-responsible, zero waste).
- Additional services: advice, adjustments, repairs, local delivery, subscription.
In-store or online, explain why your products are worth more: provenance, durability, guarantee, local impact. Consumers don’t just buy price, they buy perceived value.
2. Creating an incomparable customer experience
A Dollarama store is designed for efficiency, not emotion. An SME can, on the contrary, transform the act of buying into an experience:
- Warm atmosphere, product showcasing, demonstrations.
- Customer events: workshops, tastings, product launches.
- A simple but generous loyalty program, linked to a CRM like those offered by Nuaweb for sales and marketing management.
Good management of customer data via a CRM enables us to personalize offers, send targeted promotions and reward the best customers – something that the big chains do on a large scale, but that SMEs can do in a much more human and precise way.
3. Build a strong, local brand identity
Dollarama is a national, even international brand, but is still perceived as anonymous. Quebec SMEs have one major asset: local roots. Tell your story: who you are, why you started your business, your connection to your city or neighborhood. Communicate on :
- Your impact on the local economy (jobs, local suppliers).
- Your values (environment, inclusion, support for local causes).
- Your commitment to after-sales service.
This translates digitally into a well-designed site, a presence on Google and social networks, and a regular content strategy. An agency like Nuaweb can help you build this digital showcase so that your brand is never “invisible” in the face of the big banners.
4. A smart pricing strategy
You won’t win on every product. But you can :
- Identify a few aggressively-priced loss-leader items (to compete psychologically with Dollarama in certain key categories).
- Structure bundles or subscriptions (e.g. monthly baskets, service packages) that increase perceived value.
- Communicate clearly on value for money, not just gross price.
The key: your customer must understand that buying from you is a rational and emotional choice, even if it’s not the lowest price on the market.
3. Take a cue from the Dollarama model on efficiency, data and omnichannel
While copying Dollarama’s pricing model is risky, it makes sense to draw inspiration from some of its operational strengths: efficiency, readability of the offer, standardization, data analysis. With the right digital tools, even an SME can make great strides in this direction.
1. Clarify and simplify your offer
One of Dollarama’s secrets: simple prices (e.g. $1.25, $2, $3, $4) and easy-to-understand shelves. For SMEs :
- Reduce unnecessary complexity (too many variants that cannibalize your sales).
- Create a clear pricing grid (price tiers, packages, packs).
- Make your site easy to navigate, with clear categories and a fluid shopping path.
An audit of your user experience and a redesign of your online store can transform your conversion rate. Nuaweb’s e-commerce division specializes in online store optimization for Quebec SMEs.
2. Leverage your data like a major retailer
Giants like Dollarama make their decisions based on massive data: sales by product, by region, seasonality, average basket, etc. Today, affordable tools enable SMEs to do the same on their own scale. Today, affordable tools enable SMEs to do the same at their own scale:
- Set up a CRM to track your customers’ behavior: purchase frequency, preferences, history.
- Connect your CRM to your website and checkout system.
- Use dashboards to identify your star products, your most profitable customers, your peak periods.
With a well-established CRM management system, you can automate personalized e-mail campaigns, relaunch abandoned shopping baskets, segment your customers by interest or value, and make better purchasing and inventory decisions.
3. Become omnichannel without blowing your costs
Quebec consumers compare online before buying, even if they finalize the purchase in-store. The omnichannel experience (coherent between web and physical store) is a basic expectation in 2024-2025. In concrete terms :
- Have a professional website that’s up to date, fast and mobile-optimized – not just a static page.
- Enable online inventory consultation, in-store reservation or online ordering with pick-up.
- Offer several secure online payment options.
With an e-shop solution tailored to SMEs, you can gradually integrate in-store pick-up, local delivery or postal dispatch, without aiming for the logistics of a giant from the outset.
4. Using AI and chatbots for customer service
Where Dollarama is rather discreet about customer-side AI, an SME can distinguish itself with augmented customer service:
- Chatbot on your site to answer frequently asked questions 24/7 (opening hours, product availability, delivery times).
- Virtual assistant to collect visitor contact details and integrate them into your CRM.
- Product recommendations based on browsing behavior.
TheAI and chatbot solutionsoffered by Nuaweb are designed specifically for SMEs, to automate the first level of service without losing the human touch where it counts.
4. Concrete strategies to turn Dollarama pressure into competitive advantage
Let’s move on from principles to concrete actions you can plan now for the next 12 to 24 months.
1. Map your offer vs. that of discount stores
Start with a simple diagnosis:
- List the categories of products or services you offer.
- Identify which ones are in direct competition with Dollarama or similar chains.
- For each category, decide whether to differentiate strongly (quality, service, range), reduce its importance in your offer, or use it as a loss leader.
This work will help you clarify where you really want to fight – and where it’s best to gradually withdraw or reposition yourself.
2. Review your digital presence to “capture” customers before Dollarama
Many consumers start by Googling “where to buy X nearby”. If you’re not visible, the reflex will be to go to the best-known chain store. It becomes strategic to :
- Optimize your Google Business listing (photos, opening hours, customer reviews, clear description).
- Have an SEO-optimized website that responds to local searches (“product X in Montreal”, “store Y in Quebec City”, etc.).
- Publish useful content: guides, comparisons, user tips that position your expertise.
A team specialized in website creation for Quebec SMEs can help you structure this positioning so that you appear as a natural alternative to the big banners in your region.
3. Set up a loyalty tunnel (before, during and after purchase)
Dollarama often attracts impulse and one-time purchases. You, on the other hand, can build a long-term relationship:
- Pre-purchase: targeted advertising (Google / Meta) to optimized landing pages, chatbot that responds to objections, educational content.
- During purchase: seamless in-store or online experience, complementary offers, attentive service.
- Post-purchase: follow-up e-mail, request for feedback, invitation to a loyalty program or upcoming event, personalized offers via your CRM.
A CRM well integrated with your website, e-commerce and marketing tools is the backbone of this tunnel. That’s where solutions like Nuaweb – Gestion CRM become a strategic investment rather than just an “extra tool”.
4. Using inflationary constraints as a positive argument
Instead of being told that “everything costs more”, explain to your customers how you can help them consume better:
- Offer more durable products that need to be replaced less often.
- Offer service packages that avoid unforeseen costs (e.g. maintenance, extended warranties).
- Communicate honestly about your prices: raw material costs, choice to pay your employees and local suppliers fairly.
This approach, if consistent with your actions, can create a strong brand affinity with customers who want to support the local economy while remaining reasonable in their spending.
Conclusion: turning Dollarama’s shadow into a springboard for your SME
Trends in 2024-2025 clearly show that Dollarama and discount stores will continue to grow, driven by the search for savings in a context of inflation. But this reality is not inevitable for Quebec SMEs. On the contrary, it highlights what makes you unique: your local roots, your ability to offer quality, advice, personalization and a customer experience that the discount giants can’t replicate.
By drawing on Dollarama’s strengths (efficiency, readability of offer, data) while capitalizing on your own assets (specialization, proximity, strong local brand), you can not only resist, but take market share in higher value-added segments. The decisive lever: your digital transformation, from website to e-commerce, viaAI, chatbots and a well-integrated CRM.
If you’d like to analyze your positioning in relation to the big banners, optimize your online presence and implement the right digital tools to attract, convert and retain your customers in Quebec, the Nuaweb team can help.
Schedule a free consultation with a Nuaweb expert to assess your concrete opportunities in the face of Dollarama trends and build a strategy tailored to your business reality.
