Working with the premise that shoppers typically are creatures of habit and that the economy's doldrums offer an opportunity to change those habits, some retailers are plowing money into standing out
from the crowd, hoping to grab market share and emerge from the economy's slump in better shape than their rivals.
Some -- like home-improvement giant Home Depot -- are sprucing up
their stores and investing more in customer service. Others, like discounter Wal-Mart and consumer-electronics specialist Best Buy, are touting their commitment to low prices or promoting special
deals to help strapped consumers stretch their dollars.
Drugstore chains CVS Caremark and Walgreen are making a play for health- and beauty-product shoppers who are trading down from
department stores. Both chains have been selling private-label cosmetics goods that are pricier than those usually sold at the corner drugstore but cheaper than department-store versions.
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