Dollar General had received offers for only about 4 million Family Dollar shares of a total 114 million outstanding shares as of Oct. 30, a day before the offer was to expire. Dollar General’s perseverance to close a deal highlights its struggles in a weak economy where penny-pinching customers look for more discounts and deals. Dollar stores have been a popular choice for such customers, but rising competition from mass retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N) and Target Corp (TGT.N) opening small-format stores has intensified pressure on them to merge.