NOTHING COSTS MORE THAN IT USED TO:

The great American consumer is very much alive. It's just that people aren't shopping like they used to, reluctant to pay full price or even leave the couch -- cutting deep into the business of many top retailers. [...]

For decades, Americans have relied on the country's dense footprint of shopping centers and department stores for their prom dresses, paper towels and everything in between. Often, they were willing to drive to the mall, pay full price or wait for annual sales to get a deal.

But that has been transformed in the last decade, with the meteoric rise of the online giant Amazon, discount and low-cost stores like T. J. Maxx gaining popularity, and a long recession that reset the value of a dollar.

People continue to spend. In the spring, household spending rose at an annualized rate of 4.2 percent, driving overall economic growth. But more and more, they now want bargains and convenience -- in stores and online -- and know how to find them.

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