The dollar store business in Southwest Virginia is booming.

In March, Roanoke Times retail reporter and blogger Amanda Codispoti reported that between March and April, three new dollar stores were opening in Roanoke alone: one Dollar Tree and two Family Dollar locations. A Dollar General location is also set to open by the end of the year in southeast Roanoke. These are the three major dollar store chains in our area, and it seems everyone has his or her favorite.

When I asked readers on my Shoptimist blog about their preferences, many mentioned that store cleanliness, helpful associates and specific brands kept them coming back to certain stores.

More than 310 readers voted in my poll asking which dollar store is their favorite, and more than 50 percent voted for Dollar Tree. Dollar General followed closely behind with around 39 percent of the vote. About 6 percent said they don’t shop at dollar stores — a total that’s more than the 3.9 percent who said they prefer Family Dollar.

Dollar Tree is the closest store to my home, so I shop there the most out of convenience. It’s my go-to store for wrapping paper and bows, as well as seasonal decorations. I’ve also found some great items in the food department, like brand-name frozen vegetables, candies, salty snacks and bread. It’s also easy to get items for free or nearly free with the use of coupons.

I also like stopping by a Dollar General Market, which has a great selection of produce, seasonal items and party supplies, but the closest one is in Troutville.

What readers like

There are approximately 20 Dollar Tree locations in and bordering the Roanoke and New River valleys, and more than 40 Dollar General locations. Family Dollar has only 15 local retailers, a possible reason why it has fewer fans.

Blog commenter Beth is a Dollar Tree fan. She wrote, “I particularly like the stores that have frozen food sections and carry the Nature’s Own bread products. The bread products are such a great deal. I love that I can get bread products without high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors and colors at such a bargain price! Especially now that the Dollar Tree takes coupons, I find myself shopping there more and more!”

Jbx2 echoed her response, writing, “Dollar Tree gets my vote! Greeting cards, gift bags, wrapping paper all for a dollar. I also get makeup pads, cotton balls there. And I helped with a wedding where we used dollar store wine glasses as part of the centerpiece. They were super nice and looked great. More recently I bought some storage containers to be used in a closet. The same type of product sells at Target for around $8. They look great and hold everything perfectly.”

Dollar General received some positive feedback as well.

Jeffrey wrote, “Dollar General has my vote, especially the Dollar General Markets. You can get just about anything you need in there.”

Besides the Dollar General Market in Troutville, there’s also one in Christiansburg. These stores have the same policies as regular Dollar General stores but have an expanded grocery section and are larger overall.

Blog reader Kathy has grown to appreciate Dollar General stores all over the country. She wrote, “When we RV’d across the country 3-4 [years] ago we always managed to find one to buy canned goods, bread, cereal, etc. at good deals. Hubby even got a nice camouflage thermal shirt there last year!”

What’s the difference?

Dollar Tree is the only local dollar store where most everything in stores is actually $1, or sometimes less. The biggest drawback to these low prices is that all sales are final and no refunds are issued, unlike at the two other retailers. The store does allow exchanges on everything except seasonal items.

Though each retailer has an online presence, Family Dollar  does not offer online shopping. Dollar Tree requires bulk purchases for online orders, but also offers free in-store pick-up on qualifying products. Dollar General  doesn’t require bulk purchases and offers free shipping on orders more than $25.

All three retailers carry select brand names and accept manufacturer coupons, though Family Dollar and Dollar General also offer store coupons that can be printed from their websites and found in print ads.

These store coupons can be stacked with manufacturer coupons for double savings; however Family Dollar does not accept coupons on sale or clearance items. However, Family Dollar shoppers can use mobile coupons that can be accessed via text message or smartphone browsers.

Dollar Tree started accepting coupons in the past year, and has begun adding more products to its aisles, including clothes, fresh produce, frozen foods and more.

Each retailer accepts printable Internet coupons (like those on Coupons.com), though Dollar Tree limits Internet coupons to two per household, per day.

For readers who aren’t dollar store shoppers, I hope you’ll give them a chance. Start by browsing the Dollar General or Family Dollar ads in newspapers and online. This is a convenient way to compare prices and get a taste of where you could be saving.

I also suggest you stop in various stores from time to time. The merchandise is constantly changing, so you may find something on a second visit.

Do you agree with the results of the poll? If you don’t shop at dollar stores, what’s the reason?

Locally we have three big dollar stores: Dollar General, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar.

Each of these retailers have varying coupon policies, return policies and prices — but which do you prefer? I’ll be covering the ins-and-outs of each store in a column this Saturday, but I’d like to hear your opinions.

Do you like the store with the most name brands or the store with the lowest prices? Do you care about the store’s coupon policy or do you figure you’re getting a deal no matter what? Maybe you just visit the store that’s closest to your work or home.

No matter the reason, share why you love or loathe these local dollar stores in the comments section and take the poll below.

The biggest shopping news of 2012 included big changes at J.C. Penney and Food Lion, the continued explosion of daily deals, and changes to store rewards and coupon policies.

 JCP

J.C. Penney has remained a hot topic on the Shoptimist blog since it made changes to its coupon policy (they’re no longer accepted), named Ellen DeGeneres its spokeswoman and altered its sale schedule.

Since the initial changes last January, the retailer has done away with the monthly deals and “best prices.” Now, shoppers have two options: everyday prices and clearance prices (the final markdown of the product). The retailer did hold a sale on Black Friday, but otherwise the cheapest prices to be found in stores will be the regular clearance markdowns. There are no other scheduled sales to date.

However, shoppers still miss their coupons and aren’t as pleased with the current selection. The weekly sales are also missed by many.

Still, there are a few things that could get shoppers’ attention in the future. There’s still a chance that Sephora cosmetics could be added to Roanoke J.C. Penney stores by 2015. Additionally, the specialty “shops” in stores will increase to 40 (there are currently 11 in the Valley View location) this year. Even more will be added by 2015.

Will these changes appeal to the angry shoppers who have abandoned the store since early 2012?

Food Lion

Last March, Food Lion made some in-store changes. Aisles were widened, prices were lowered and the produce section was expanded. Local shoppers left mostly positive comments on the blog about the changes. After visiting a Food Lion, I appreciated the ample room for navigating a cart and have noticed the prices are more competitive than in the past. The produce section seems to have a better selection as well.

Additionally, kiosks that dispense Food Lion coupons were installed in stores. These coupons cannot be stacked with manufacturer coupons, which are still not doubled by the grocer, but the coupons offering dollars off your total purchase are attractive.

Doubled coupons and more self-checkout lanes remain on the wish list of many shoppers, which is something we’ll keep an eye on in 2013.

Walgreens

Walgreens introduced the Balance Rewards program in September. It allows shoppers to earn points for purchases that can later be traded in for store discounts. Rewards start at $5 for 5,000 points and go as high as $50 for 40,000 points.

To earn additional points, shoppers can enroll in Walk with Walgreens, which will give them 10 Balance Rewards points for every mile walked and tracked through the website.

This new program did not end Register Rewards, a program similar to the loyalty program at CVS. However, the introduction of Balance Rewards did cause some confusion because shoppers can now receive both points and Register Rewards for purchases.

Can the retailer come up with a better way to combine the two programs in 2013?

Dollar Tree

It seems too good to be true, but Dollar Tree, the store where everything is $1, started accepting coupons in August.

With coupon values regularly reaching 50 cents to $1, this meant lots of freebies and bargains. The retailer regularly has name-brand products that often have corresponding coupons such as Ziploc, Glad and Campbell’s.

But just a few months later, in early December, the store made some policy changes. Now, shoppers can use only two Internet coupons per household, per day and no retailer-specific coupons will be accepted.

I think the first change is the biggest. The previous policy limited it to two Internet coupons per transaction, so you could check out twice if necessary. I’m a little shocked that retailer-specific coupons were accepted in the first place.

Groopdealz

One of my favorite new online retail sites is Groopdealz, which specializes in flash sales and daily deals of boutique and Etsy vendors.

Etsy continues to grow in popularity, so a marriage between the two sites means fantastic deals on unique items. Of course, there are multiple sites like this to choose from, but this is one I can attest is legitimate.

I have found many pieces of jewelry and art prints for $10 or less on the website, and shipping often is free or minimal. I suggest “liking” the site on Facebook. The retailer sends out updates every time a sale is starting or new merchandise has been added.

What retail/shopping changes are you hoping to see in 2013?

From time to time, retailers update their policies and smart shoppers need to stay in the know. Here are some changes that effect shoppers locally:

Dollar Tree stores, where everything is $1 or less, are now accepting manufacturer’s coupons.

If you’re shopping in-store, you can use up to two print-at-home coupons per shopping trip and one manufacturer coupon per item. There are a few important details: Coupons for free items with no purchase requirements will not be accepted and coupons cannot be redeemed for more than the purchase price of the item. Management also has the right to refuse any coupon or limit quantities, so certain rules could differ depending on which store you shop. For more information, visit www.dollartree.com.

Target recently introduced Target Baby Alerts. Exclusive baby coupons, deals and other announcements will be texted to shoppers up to six times per month. Some of the deals for August include buy one, get one half-off Gerber onesies, $2 off Burt’s Bees Baby Bee toiletry items, $2 off Huggies and 10 percent off your first baby order. To start receiving these text alerts, text BABY to 827438.

Walgreens is reworking its shopping rewards program and will soon introduce Balance Rewards.

Shoppers can enroll in the new program online early at bit.ly/R7Ohr8, though the program won’t officially start until Sept. 16. Full details haven’t been released yet, but the new program will be points-based, giving shoppers the opportunity to earn points for shopping and redeem them for products and other rewards.

Walmart is bringing back layaway for the 2012 holiday season after a successful run in 2011. Layaway will become available again Sept. 16 and be available through Dec. 14. Customers who “like” their favorite store will have the opportunity to put items on layaway two days early.

This year’s program offers an extended list of eligible categories. Also, shoppers who make their final payment will receive a refund of the $15 layaway fee in the form of a Walmart gift card. According to the retailer’s website, the down payment for layaway is 10 percent or $10 (whichever is greater). To be eligible, individual items must be priced at $15 or more, and the total layaway purchase must be $50 or more. For more information, visit www.walmart.com/layaway.

I’m a big CVS shopper. If you can get in the right rotation with their Extra Bucks rewards program, a lot of money can be saved. If you’re just starting out or an avid CVS shopper, this promotion is very attractive.

From Sept. 16 to Dec. 15, CVS is offering 4 percent back quarterly — double the 2 percent they usually offer — each time you use your Extra Care card in stores or for online purchases. You will have to sign up at bit.ly/PrSO8H to take advantage of this deal, but this could have a huge impact on the Extra Bucks you receive. Have your Extra Care card handy when you sign up, you will need to enter the number on the back.

Details about the evolving Walgreens rewards policy will be updated there as they are released.