By: Anne D'Innocenzio

 The economic downturn has changed shopper in a variety of ways, leaving retailers, marketers and investors to try to figure out which shopping habits consumers will keep when the economy recovers. Patty Edwards comments in this article. It read:

"'We are looking at stuff that reminds me of the 1970s,' said Patricia Edwards of investment manager Wentworth, Hauser and Violich.' Americans have seen a huge amount of their balance sheet evaporate. The effects will be more lingering.'"

"Edwards, of Wentworth, Hauser and Violich, agrees that new fans of discounters will keep buying at discounters as long as the products measure up."

Read the full article here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008063100_consumers210.html