review dollarama com

May 19, 2025

Thinking about Dollarama.com or that $250 gift card offer? You might want to pump the brakes. There’s more going on behind the scenes than meets the eye—and not all of it’s great. Here’s what you need to know, straight up.


Dollarama.com isn’t what most people think

A lot of folks see “Dollarama.com” and assume it’s some big online version of the physical stores in Canada. It’s not. The official website barely functions like a store. It lists products and store info, but you can’t really shop there.

What’s confusing is that people still try to review it like it’s Amazon. Trustpilot has over 120 reviews, mostly bad. The average rating is 2.2 out of 5. That’s pretty rough for a retail brand that’s supposed to be all about affordable convenience.

One of the biggest complaints? People expect solid value, but what they get is a mixed bag—cheap gadgets that break, snacks that taste like air, and packaging that feels slapped together. Someone even said their shortbread cookies tasted like cardboard. Not even stale—just... cardboard.


The prices are good, but you pay in other ways

Dollarama nails the low-price game. You’ll find stuff for $1.25 that would cost you $3.99 at other retailers. And for quick fixes—school supplies, kitchen sponges, phone cables—they’re hard to beat.

But the tradeoff is real. The quality is wildly inconsistent. A charging cable might last six months. Or six hours. One customer said they bought a moon lamp that didn’t even turn on—and because of Dollarama’s no-return policy, they were stuck with it.

There’s no refund. No exchange. You take your chances and live with it. That works if you’re buying party balloons or tape. It’s a lot more frustrating when it’s electronics or anything you actually rely on.


Service depends on the store—and luck

Customer service at Dollarama is all over the place. In some stores, staff are friendly, fast, and helpful. In others, they act like you just interrupted their break. It’s not consistent, and that’s a problem when you're dealing with issues.

There are a lot of reports about cashiers being rude, bagging items carelessly, or ignoring customers. In some cases, people were double-charged or overcharged and told there was “nothing that could be done.” That’s the default answer when there's no return policy to lean on.

One person even had to go to the police because they were sold a preloaded gift card that didn’t actually have any money on it—and got stonewalled when they asked for help.


That $250 Dollarama gift card? It’s a scam

Now, let’s talk about ReviewDollar.com, the site promising a $250 Dollarama gift card if you “just complete a few steps.” Don’t bother. It’s not real. It has nothing to do with the real Dollarama. It’s a bait site built to trick people into handing over their personal info.

Here’s how it works: you go to the site, type in your name and email, and suddenly you’re knee-deep in shady “offers.” Want the gift card? Then sign up for a bunch of free trials, hand over your credit card, and get ready for spam—and possibly charges you never authorized.

You won’t get the card. You’ll just get annoyed. Sites like MalwareTips and Reddit have flagged it for what it is: a data-harvesting trap disguised as a promo.


Most online reviews back this up

On PissedConsumer, Dollarama has a 2.3-star rating. Not exactly a glowing endorsement. Only about 4 in 10 reviewers would recommend it.

People complain about everything from expired food to poor packaging to sketchy chemical smells in toys. Some even say they’ve found items labeled as "BPA-free" that still had toxic components when tested. Not a good look.

Even employee reviews are lukewarm. On Glassdoor and Indeed, current and former staff describe it as “ok,” “stressful,” or “manageable”—not exactly passion-filled endorsements. The pay's decent, but the support and management structure leave a lot to be desired.


So, is Dollarama ever worth it?

Yes—if you know what you’re doing. Dollarama is great for things that don’t need to last forever. Stuff like party decorations, seasonal items, basic cleaning products. It’s convenient. It’s cheap. And if you don’t expect premium quality, you won’t be disappointed.

But for anything you plan to rely on, like chargers, tools, or toys for kids, it’s a gamble. And since you can’t return anything, one dud means wasted money.

The store also doesn’t have a solid online shopping system. There’s a product catalog online, but it doesn’t let you buy anything unless you’re doing a bulk business order. And even then, it's clunky.


Here’s how to stay out of trouble

Avoid anything that seems too good to be true. If you see a pop-up or email about a free $250 Dollarama card, skip it. Only trust promotions from Dollarama’s official website or verified social media channels.

Always check what you're buying before you leave the store. If it looks broken, feels weird, or seems off-brand, it probably is.

If you're buying a gift card, ask the cashier to verify the balance right then and there. Once you walk out the door, it’s your problem.

And don’t expect much if you try contacting customer service. Dollarama isn’t set up like Amazon. There’s no “chat with an agent” or “track your return.” If something goes wrong, you’re mostly on your own.


Bottom line

Dollarama in person? Solid for the right things. Dollarama online? Confusing and untrustworthy. That $250 card offer? Scam. Don’t touch it.

If you stick to cheap essentials, keep your expectations low, and avoid the shady promos, you’ll be fine. But go in thinking you’re getting high-quality goods and five-star service, and you’ll probably be disappointed.