Like buyers' discount clubs such as Costco, the companies attract people looking for a better price.

Consumers must pay to join discount clubs, while travel agents, he maintained, often fail to tell customers about their options.

The discount clubs are inconsistent in how they describe their offerings.

Therefore, although discount clubs may indeed offer genuine bargains, it can be extremely difficult for a shopper to determine how much of a bargain is involved.

The company has expanded in other ways as well: Playbill Online, a theater news service and discount club on the Internet (www.

More than half of all consumer books are now sold in such outlets as pet shops, discount clubs, mass merchandisers, office product stores and computer retailers.

Another part would be aimed at tourists and members of discount clubs.

But the chain, which operates in 17 southeastern states and through an online store, is a discount club.

SOME hotel groups have discount clubs that you may join, other than their frequent-stay programs.

Consumer cooperatives are very different from "discount clubs," which charge annual fees in exchange for a discount on purchases.