News & Trending Shopping & Deals News

10 Things We All Hate About Five Below

From misleading price points to cluttered aisles, Five Below frustrates shoppers.

Five Below store exterior
Updated May 15, 2025
Fact checked

One of the best shopping hacks is to go to discount stores, where prices tend to be lower. However, not all discount stores are created equal.

Five Below is a level or two above true dollar stores like Dollar Tree and Dollar General. As the name suggests, most of Five Below's merchandise costs below five dollars, giving the company latitude to carry a broader spectrum of merchandise. However, while you might expect a little more from this chain, given that their price point is above most of their competitors, prepare to be disappointed.

Here are some of the common problems that Five Below customers have noticed. These issues remind you that, despite the branding and all of the fun items they have to offer, Five Below is still a dollar store.

Earn cash back on everyday purchases with a debit card

Want to earn cash back on your everyday purchases without using a credit card? With the Discover® Cashback Debit account (member FDIC), you can earn 1.00% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month!1

Don’t leave money on the table — it only takes minutes to apply and it won’t impact your credit score.

Learn more about the Discover Cashback Checking account 

The store's name doesn't match the price

jetcityimage/Adobe Five Below shelves

Like closely related dollar stores, Five Below found that having a price limit in your name makes things tricky when inflation hits.

To offer more products above the five-dollar threshold, Five Below introduced stores with a "Five Beyond" section, which offers items that cost over the five-dollar limit. This leaves Five Below without the distinction that attracted customers to it in the first place — that every item would reliably cost below five dollars.

It's almost always messy

jetcityimage/Adobe Five Below bin

This is a common issue at most Five Below locations, causing problems for customers as well as Instacart shoppers who serve them.

Redditor gephotonyc said, "Normally, I avoid Five Below. But … there are not very many batches here in New York City, so I jumped at a biggish batch of 39 items. I found 36, and in the process, I felt like I had discovered new subatomic particles. I went 30 minutes over on the shop time. Never doing Five Below again!"

The goods are cheap quality

Gina Sanders/Adobe Woman buying clothes

Okay, so we know that Five Below is a slight cut above dollar stores. But the merchandise should work for at least a little while.

The keychain I bought lasted less than two weeks, and it's not like keychains get a lot of wear and tear. Redditor AttitudeandEffort2 says, "Everything at Five Below will break in days ..."

Get a protection plan on all your appliances

Did you know if your air conditioner stops working, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it? Same with plumbing, electrical issues, appliances, and more.

Whether or not you’re a new homeowner, a home warranty from Choice Home Warranty could pick up the slack where insurance falls short and protect you against surprise expenses. If a covered system in your home breaks, you can call their hotline 24/7 to get it repaired.

For a limited time, you can get your first month free with a Single Payment home warranty plan.

Get a free quote

Hard-to-find customer service

DifferR/Adobe retail store interior with customers

Customers' experiences range from being denied entry two minutes before closing time to hostility and racial profiling, according to Yelp reviews. While you might shop at Five Below for low prices, you probably don't do so for the stellar customer service.

Online orders can get canceled

Postmodern Studio/Adobe Five Below website in browser

Five Below simply doesn't have the same infrastructure to complete the online orders they offer on their website. Customers on Reddit have complained of orders getting canceled often because Five Below couldn't fill them.

Alleged Five Below manager (who goes by the Reddit handle huevosconchorizo69) explains this phenomenon: "They get canceled because they don't have the items or can't find them. The website will say we have it, but chances are it's in the back somewhere, and no employee is going to go back there and tear all the boxes open just to find your item."

While shopping at Five Below can keep more cash in your wallet, sometimes the hassle isn't worth it when it comes to online ordering. 

They charge for plastic bags

Krakenimages.com/Adobe woman holding credit card

While this practice is common in some places in the U.S., it's preposterous in others. One annoyed customer on Yelp complained, "Nothing like inconveniencing customers to charge for plastic bags. Increase your prices by a couple of pennies and stop haggling over a freaking plastic bag."

Shopping pro tip: This month's best deals

My Ocean studio/Adobe stylish woman with shopping bags

July is here, and with Independence Day on the horizon, it’s the peak of summer. That also means peak season for red-hot deals and unbeatable savings. Now’s the time to save big on:

  • Grills, coolers, and outdoor living upgrades
  • Travel must-haves for road trips and beach days
  • Swimwear and summer fashion
  • For grocery savings, grab seasonal produce like watermelon, peaches, and tomatoes

As fireworks fill the skies, retailers are quietly making room for back-to-school inventory. That means July is your chance to scoop up summer favorites while the deals are still blazing.

Staff-assisted checkout is the worst of both worlds

EdNurg/Adobe Buying bottle of water

At Five Below, you get neither the convenience of having an employee bag your purchases nor the autonomy to do it without a micromanager staring over your shoulder.

Instead, "assisted self-checkout" requires you to scan and bag your items under the watchful eye of an employee, who may just redo the process for you anyway.

The poster bin is rarely ever organized

BOOCYS/Adobe vintage music concert posters

A popular category at Five Below is home decor, including posters. But if you're after a specific movie or character poster, keep moving. Odds are that they won't have the one you want, and the slotted poster bin will be mixed up anyway.

Alert: Americans lost billions to identity theft and fraud

According to the FTC, Americans lost over $10 billion to fraud and identity theft in 2023. Before your next online purchase, safeguard your data with all-in-one identity theft protection services from Aura.

Starting at just $9 per month, access Aura's Dark Web monitoring that scours data breaches for your sensitive personal data including Social Security numbers (SSN), Medicare information, and phone numbers.

Save up to 68% when you sign up today.

Electronics don't last

Scott Griessel/Adobe Woman with headphones singing

Again, we know Five Below is a dressed-up dollar store. But the electronics section could use a little love. Chargers, headphones, speakers, and other devices are notorious for breaking quickly.

Redditor SoundH0le (allegedly a Five Below employee) observed, "I had this dude buy a speaker. I kid you not, he walked back in 10 minutes later to return it. It's like this with every electronic."

Quick tips: How to cut costs on your utility bills

fizkes/Adobe senior woman calculating utility bills

Many people overlook their monthly utility expenses as fixed costs. But with small changes, you can see immediate drop in your bills. Here are some tips:

  • Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust temperatures
  • Switch to LED bulbs, which use up to 75% less energy than incandescent
  • Wash clothes in cold water and hang items to dry
  • Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degree Fahrenheit

Don't waste money. Remember that every dollar saved on a monthly bill turns into $12 annually.

So much plastic

photka/Adobe Disposable single use plastic

Between the flimsy toys, cheap electronics, and abundant packaging, the store is filled with all varieties of plastic. If you've got planetary health in mind, Five Below might not be the best place to shop.

Bottom line

Felix Mizioznikov/Adobe Five Below

Retailers like Five Below and dollar stores can have a place in your life for certain purchases. For instance, you don't have to worry much about the quality of wrapping paper or birthday cards.

Whether you shop at a discount retailer for frugality or choose a higher-end store for quality, you can always stretch your budget using top rewards credit cards that earn points on everyday purchases. 

By developing savvy financial habits, you can determine when it's worth it to shop at Five Below and when you need to pursue higher-quality options.

Lucrative, Flat-Rate Cash Rewards

5.0
info

Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

Current Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks
Card Details


Must-Read Buzz

Financebuzz logo

Thanks for subscribing!

Please check your email to confirm your subscription.