And deep discounters have emerged, like Datek and Ameritrade, with commissions under $10.

Phar-Mor, which had been opening as many as 60 new stores a year, is the largest of the drugstore chains called deep discounters.

"Conventional wisdom would indicate that the deep discounter is the way to go in this economy," Mr. Foxe said.

Other deep discounters, including Wal-Mart and Best Buy, have stuck near their customary prices of just under $10.

Q. Why are deep discounters taking so much market share?

Banks, which do mostly local business, receive about 10 percent, and the balance goes to the country's 90 or so "deep discounters."

At first, the share-pricing method used by deep discounters seems simpler, featuring fewer multipliers and add-ons.

But the whole industry - deep discounters included - is shot through with complex pricing.

At some deep discounters it was as little as $48.

Another lesson is that most successful mail-order companies are not particularly deep discounters.