In October 2023, Dollar General announced the return of Todd Vasos as CEO, replacing Jeff Owen amid challenges with sales growth and operational issues, signaling a strategic shift to leverage Vasos' prior experience in steering the company through expansions. Earlier in 2023, the company faced significant scrutiny and agreed to a $1 million settlement with OSHA for repeated workplace safety violations across multiple stores, highlighting ongoing concerns about employee safety and prompting commitments to improve hazard abatement processes. In May 2024, Dollar General reported a slowdown in same-store sales growth, attributing it to economic pressures on low-income consumers, which led to a revised lower full-year outlook and a dip in stock performance. Additionally, throughout 2023 and 2024, the retailer continued its aggressive store expansion, opening over 1,000 new locations in fiscal 2023 alone, focusing on underserved rural markets to bolster its footprint.

Dollar General operates as a leading discount retailer in the United States, with over 19,000 stores primarily in rural and suburban areas, offering everyday essentials like groceries, household items, and apparel at low prices to budget-conscious shoppers. Founded in 1939 and headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, the company has evolved from a family-owned business into a Fortune 500 entity listed on the NYSE under the ticker DG. Currently, Dollar General positions itself as an accessible convenience option for low-to-middle-income households, emphasizing proximity and affordability in communities often overlooked by larger retailers. Its business model focuses on small-format stores that require minimal staffing and inventory, enabling rapid expansion and operational efficiency. This positioning has allowed Dollar General to capture significant market share in the value retail segment, especially during economic uncertainties when consumers seek cost savings.

Dollar General leverages advanced supply chain technologies, including AI-driven inventory management systems from partners like Symbotic, to optimize warehouse automation and reduce stockouts in its distribution centers. The company's tech applications include mobile apps for digital coupons and a robust e-commerce platform integrated with in-store pickup, enhancing customer engagement through data analytics for personalized promotions. In the retail industry, which is moderately positioned for innovation due to the rise of omnichannel strategies, Dollar General invests in IoT for real-time shelf monitoring and predictive analytics to forecast demand more accurately. Career-wise, the tech department offers solid development opportunities through internal training programs, though salaries average around $120,000 for software engineers, which is competitive but below tech giants; the company's reputation in the industry is average, praised for work-life balance but critiqued for limited cutting-edge projects compared to pure tech firms.

Dollar General faces challenges such as intense competition from Walmart and Dollar Tree, which offer broader product selections and aggressive pricing, potentially eroding market share in overlapping regions. Operational weaknesses include persistent supply chain disruptions and high employee turnover rates, exacerbated by safety issues that have led to fines and reputational damage. Opportunities lie in expanding fresh food offerings through initiatives like DG Fresh, which could attract more frequent shoppers and increase basket sizes in food deserts. Threats include economic downturns that squeeze discretionary spending among its core low-income customer base, as well as rising inflation impacting procurement costs. Additionally, regulatory pressures on labor practices and potential antitrust scrutiny in the retail sector pose ongoing risks to its expansion strategy.