It will also depend on the continued success of the store's new discounts.

And even with the company's new discount, the drugs may still be out of reach for many of the uninsured.

Eastern said the new discounts would bring fares to about the same level as a year ago.

Likewise, it wasn't until this year that Sprint began a series of programs aimed at giving small businesses better billing service and new discounts.

The returns, he said, were merely a way for him to take advantage of new discounts.

In general, Continental's competitors said they would have to assess the details of the new discounts before announcing any specific actions.

Mr. Kelly said that estimates of how many people would use the new discounts might simply have been too high.

Some dealers said showroom traffic had dropped off in recent weeks, most likely because consumers sensed new discounts were coming.

Chrysler plans to announce its new discounts Friday morning and put them into effect Saturday.

American Express offices report that they are getting word of new discounts daily.