Global Toy News Insight
For the toy industry, Dollar General’s holiday strategy highlights the growing importance of value retail as a meaningful toy channel, particularly as families remain focused on affordability. With more than 170 seasonal toys, approximately half priced at $10 or less and recognizable brands and properties including LEGO, Pokémon, Bluey, Play-Doh, Hasbro and Mini Brands, the retailer is combining strong IP with accessible price points to attract holiday shoppers. Its dedicated $5-and-under toy assortment also reinforces the opportunity for manufacturers to develop smaller formats, collectibles and impulse-driven products that fit value-oriented retail environments.
The strategy also demonstrates how value retailers can provide toy companies with significant reach beyond traditional mass and specialty channels. Dollar General’s large store footprint puts toys in front of consumers in thousands of communities while creating opportunities for stocking stuffers, incremental purchases and last-minute gifting. For manufacturers and licensors, the takeaway is that compelling products at lower price points—particularly those connected to established brands and collectible trends—can play an increasingly important role in capturing holiday spending.
Dollar General Helps Families Stretch Holiday Budgets with Toy Deals, New Items, and Everyday Low Prices
Retailer welcomes more than 170 seasonal toys with approximately half $10 or less and debuts dedicated $5-and-under toy shelf
GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dollar General (NYSE: DG) is helping customers stretch their dollars this holiday season with an expanded holiday assortment, highlighted by a dedicated shelf featuring toys priced at $5 and under. With more than 170 seasonal toys, half the assortment is priced at $10 or less, while approximately 95% is priced $20 or less, helping customers find affordable gifts for children of all ages.
To help customers save even more this season, Dollar General is offering 25% off toy purchases of $75 or more in a single transaction starting October 1 through December 24, 2026.
To help customers save even more this season, Dollar General is offering 25% off toy purchases of $75 or more in a single transaction starting October 1 through December 24, 2026. The offer applies to qualifying toy purchases, including clearance toys, with some exclusions.
“This holiday season, we’re focused on delivering what matters most to our customers: creating memorable moments for less because holiday toy shopping should be exciting, not stressful,” said Steve O’Brien, Dollar General’s vice president and division merchandise manager. “We’re helping families discover affordable gifts from brands they know and love and we are bringing back our printed toy guide to help create a little nostalgia with wish-list making with prices families can feel good about.”
New Toys, Favorite Brands and Trending Collectibles
Dollar General’s holiday assortment reflects some of the year’s most popular toy trends, including collectibles, sensory toys and beloved characters.
New for 2026, customers can find toys inspired by Formula 1® racing, the 30th anniversary of Pokémon® and popular franchises including Disney® Stitch, The Nightmare Before Christmas™, Bluey®, Spider-Man® and The Grinch™.
Among the season’s featured brands and products:
- Over 40 $1 giftable items including coloring, puzzle and activity books, novelty pens and stickers. Seasonal favorites for only a dollar include candy cane shaped pens, Create-A-Face sticker books and coloring books featuring favorite characters like Hello Kitty®, Bluey, Mickey Mouse, Paw Patrol® and more.
- More than 20 NEW LEGO® sets for 2026, featuring fan-favorite themes and characters, including LEGO Frozen, Minecraft, Bluey, Spider-Man, Star Wars™ and Botanicals, with options ranging from $5 to $30.
- Pokémon expanded core and holiday assortments celebrating the brand’s 30th anniversary.
- Play-Doh® products with approximately 10 items priced from $2.50 to $15, including stocking stuffer favorites and Disney-themed play sets.
- Melissa & Doug® toys, including new matching games, wooden vehicles and an exclusive fishing set.
- Bluey toys and plush, including a new hide-and-seek interactive toy and children’s guitar.
- Trending collectibles such as Mini Brands™, My Mini Baby™, WWE Ballers™, Fugglers™ and sensory-focused squishy toys starting at just $1.
- Family game night fun with new $2 Hasbro® Classic Mini Games, including favorites such as Connect Four, Yahtzee, Operation and Hungry Hippos.
- Select DG stores will offer new princess dress assortments
Dollar General also sells over 300 crafting items, perfect for creating homemade gifts or as gifts themselves, with 85% priced less than $5 and more than 50 items for only $1. Items include paint, wooden and canvas surfaces, air dry clay, Crayola®, Elmer’s® Glue, ribbon, stickers and more. The retailer also offers kids’ craft kits for $6.50 including diamond art and jewelry making.
Chance to Win a 2026 Ram® 1500 Truck
In collaboration with Hot Wheels, Dollar General is offering customers an opportunity to enter the Dollar General x Hot Wheels® Ram Sweepstakes, running from September 14 through December 14, 2026. The exclusive promotion gives eligible customers a chance to win a real-life sized 2026 Ram 1500 truck, built strong and riding smooth.
Customers may enter once per person, per email address, per day during the sweepstakes period. No purchase is necessary. The promotion is open to legal U.S. residents of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., age 18 or older, who possess a valid driver’s license. Additional terms and conditions apply. Discover Hot Wheels products at Dollar General enter the sweepstakes at https://www.dollargeneral.com/ch/brand-page/mattel.
Convenient Holiday Shopping
To make the holidays even easier, customers can shop Dollar General’s assortment in stores or online through myDG®, which offers delivery directly to customers’ doorsteps from participating stores. Customers can receive a free delivery fee on one myDG Delivery order using their myDG account, helping shoppers save time while checking gifts off their holiday lists. Delivery is also available through third-party platforms including DoorDash and UberEats. For more information, visit dollargeneral.com.
About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) is proud to serve as America’s neighborhood general store. Founded in 1939, Dollar General lives its mission of Serving Others every day by providing access to affordable products and services for its customers, career opportunities for its employees, and literacy and education support for its hometown communities. As of July 31, 2026, the Company’s 21,148 Dollar General, DG Market, DGX and pOpshelf stores across the United States and Mi Súper Dollar General stores in Mexico provide everyday essentials including food, health and wellness products, cleaning and laundry supplies, self-care and beauty items, and seasonal décor from our high-quality private brands alongside many of the world’s most trusted brands such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, General Mills, Hershey, J.M. Smucker, Kraft, Mars, Nestlé, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.
