Monday, October 18, 2010 | Edited by Daniel Moores

Dollar General Discount to Drive Holiday Toy Sales With the vast majority of toys it sells being $5 or less, it's not likely that many individuals are going to spend $250 for the holidays on these items at Dollar General. There are individuals and organizations, however, engaged in toy drives that are looking to buy large quantities of toys at a low price. These are the shoppers the chain has targeted with a 10 percent discount on bulk toy purchases of $250 or more between now and Christmas Eve. "Dollar General is proud to help charitable organizations during the holidays once again," said Todd Vasos, Dollar General's chief merchandising officer, in a statement. "We hope this discount will help organizations stretch their dollars farther to help more children have a happy holiday." The chain also plans to host in-store toy drives to benefit needy kids in the communities it serves. Dollar General has more than 9,100 stores across the U.S. The retailer said it has over 350 items, including art supplies, board games, licensed toys and plush animals, that have a top price point of $5. (Source: Retail Wire, 10/15/10) What's In It For You: Challenge companies in your market to pledge $250 for a bulk purchase in their name as part of a sponsorship package. For large companies, it's a low-cost way to generate goodwill with consumers. Small businesses might encourage their customers to donate dollars at their locations and sponsor a bulk buy with that. You may even sweeten your sponsorship offerings by trading overnight and weekend advertising spots.