A decade of slow growth delivered magnificent gains for “dollar store” stocks like Dollar Tree and Dollar General, but both are now going off a cliff. However, pundits can’t agree: Is it because high inflation is making the poor even poorer, pricing them out of even the cheapest retail option in town? Or is it because inflation is easing, so they can now head to larger big box stores where prices have been slashed to increase competition and snag more discount shoppers?
Big box stores like WalMart and Target have introduced more low-cost items to bring in more of these customers, but dollar stores have been contending with other issues as well. There were employee protests at Dollar General due to poor working conditions — an issue that was validated by millions of dollars in fines from the US Department of Labor. Dollar Tree kept contaminated applesauce on its shelves for weeks, even after the manufacturer issued a recall notice. And at Family Dollar (owned by Dollar Tree), a rat infestation struck a distribution center, and it was apparently so severe that the entire facility had to be closed down.
It’s gotten bad enough that Dollar Tree is now considering selling off the Family Dollar brand entirely. But all the dollar stores also overplayed their hand, opening too many new retail locations during their growth period that now they can’t sustain. These are expensive problems stemming from mismanagement, but the core of the issue is a simple common denominator.
Dollar General Stock, 2010-Present
Americans are struggling, going deeper into debt, and their money keeps being worth less than it was 5 years ago. Inflation and other economic woes always hit the poor the hardest. Both dollar stores and big box stores have tight margins, but larger chains have more ability to adjust their inventories with more lower-tier products as needed, helping them more or less obsolete the dollar chains in response to market pressures. And with such tight margins, any mismanagement will have a more destructive effect on the bottom line. […]
— Read More: www.infowars.com
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
