All Other General Merchandise Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average all other general merchandise stores business in the United States generates $8.3M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 8,057 all other general merchandise stores businesses in the U.S., employing 538,798 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a All Other General Merchandise Stores Business Actually Do?
Discount general merchandise retailers — dollar stores (Dollar General, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree), Big Lots, Five Below.
Who buys: Value-conscious households, treasure hunters.
Average Revenue
$8.3M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$124K
per year
Total Businesses
8,057
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$332K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
2.4
firms per 100K people
How Much Do All Other General Merchandise Stores Charge?
Dollar stores and general merchandise discount retailers earn 30–40% gross on high volume.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Consumables markup | 25–40% |
Seasonal/discretionary markup | 35–60% |
Average transaction | $8–15 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete all other general merchandise stores business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a all other general merchandise stores business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the all other general merchandise stores industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $5.1M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $1.2M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $681K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $341K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $681K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $332K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
6.32%
openings/year
Closure Rate
2.06%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+1.49%
annual
Businesses Closed
708
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a All Other General Merchandise Stores Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
9 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a all other general merchandise stores business do?
- Discount general merchandise retailers — dollar stores (Dollar General, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree), Big Lots, Five Below. Value-conscious households, treasure hunters.
- How much do all other general merchandise stores charge?
- Dollar stores and general merchandise discount retailers earn 30–40% gross on high volume. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average all other general merchandise stores make per year?
- The average all other general merchandise stores business generates $8.3M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $332K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many all other general merchandise stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 8,057 all other general merchandise stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 538,798 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a all other general merchandise stores business?
- Startup costs for a all other general merchandise stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The all other general merchandise stores industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 1.5%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.3% and 2.1% respectively.
Approximately 90% of all other general merchandise stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 708 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The all other general merchandise stores industry has declined 29% since 2000 (from 9,122 to 6,488 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare All Other General Merchandise Stores revenue with other industries: