We shopped at TJ Maxx and Ross to see which was a better discount store — and the winner was clear (TJX, ROST)

The American retail industry isn’t dying — it’s divided.

A report done in 2018 by the management-consultancy firm Deloitte found that the most successful areas of retail were at the two extremes of the spectrum: high-end retailers and price-conscious stores. Those trying to follow a “jack of all trades” model are missing out.

The survey of 2,000 people found that only 20% of consumers were better off last year than they were in 2007 and that 80% had less money to spend on shopping than they did in the past.

Consumers are hungry for bargains, and discount retailers are booming.

Read more: We shopped at Dollar Tree and Dollar General to see which offered a better shopping experience, and the winner was unmistakable

After comparing two of the US’s biggest dollar-store chains, Dollar Tree and Dollar General, we decided to put two of the best-known off-price chains — Ross Stores and TJ Maxx — to the test.

Here’s how the shopping experience compares:

This comparison was done in February 2018.