discount-pricing CD to build store traffic but in these stores, total volume did not respond as much as was needed for breakeven because of the already-low prices prevailing before the change. meanwhile, small-and medium-sized retailers were outraged at the extreme cuts in their margins, and many of them failed to pass along the wholesale price cuts to consumers in lower retail prices. even though universal put stickers on their CD advertising the lower retail prices, these retailers simply covered them with larger stickers with higher prices on them. retail prices on average fell by only 5 percent in the year after the price cuts, instead of the 30 percent planned by universal. unit sales volume increased not 21 percent, but only 8 to 13 percent on average. further, competitors did not lower their prices in response to universal,s move, making it difficult to maintain the lower pricing strategy. as a result, universal