(NEXSTAR) – If you shop at Dollar General, you may qualify for payment (or store credit) through a settlement recently reached with the discount retailer.
Dollar General was accused of charging customers different prices than the prices posted in its stores. The retailer has denied any wrongdoing, but agreed to a settlement in the class action lawsuit brought in New Jersey.
Some impacted customers have reported receiving notices via email that they qualify for the settlement this week. According to the settlement website, all U.S. shoppers “who paid more or less for merchandise than the advertised price labeled on the shelf at a Dollar General store from October 10, 2016, through November 19, 2025,” may be eligible to submit a claim.
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Court documents indicate $8.5 million may be used to respond to “approved valid claims.”
Under the proposed settlement, there are two available payout methods, according to the settlement administrators: a cash payment and “in-store benefit.”
Customers who provide proof that they filed a complaint with a government agency, like your state’s consumer protection department, or Dollar General regarding a price overcharge of a specific product “that has not previously been resolved by Dollar General,” can receive up to $10 for each complaint, up to $20 per household. If the overcharge is greater than $10 for a complaint, you’ll receive the higher amount (the same is true for the household cap).
Those who documented the overcharge “via objective, contemporaneous evidence” can also qualify for that payout.
Eligible shoppers can also receive an “in-store benefit” of $3 off the first $10 they spend on a purchase of at least $10, pre-tax, during a yet-to-be-determined two-day window (excluding Saturday) at any Dollar General store in the U.S. There is no proof necessary to claim this in-store credit.
You have until April 13 to file or return a claim to receive the cash payment or the credit. If you received a notice about the settlement, you’ll need the notice ID and confirmation code to complete the form.
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If you did not receive a notice and have proof of the incorrect charge, you’ll be directed to this form. There, you’ll be asked details about the latter, including what the item was, where it was purchased, what the listed price was, and how much you paid.
You will need to have a myDG account to receive the credit, or complete an online registration form. Those without a myDG account who complete the online form will receive a postcard or email from Dollar General with the in-store credit, administrators said.
If you received notice that you are part of the settlement class, you don’t need to take any action to receive the in-store credit, according to the settlement website.
You can find more information about the settlement here. A final fairness hearing on the proposed settlement is scheduled for March 19, but the deadline to object or opt out is March 2.
