The firm has now focused its attention on higher-priced and higher-margin products that are not in the transportation fuel area.

Sellers of higher-priced products are able to pay far more to acquire customers than vendors of cheaper wares can justify.

Then too, like oil, blood can be refined into a variety of higher-priced products with market values fluctuating widely depending on world supply and demand.

It would protect the Chinese, who have low production costs, from tariffs imposed by countries trying to protect their own, higher-priced products.

"Major manufacturers used to make these cigars until they began moving to higher-priced products," he said.

But it has also developed higher-priced products, including its Peak 1 line of backpacks and sleeping bags, which were introduced in 1978.

As in most walks of life, you generally get what you pay for and a higher-priced product will generally be of higher quality.

The company hoped that the new computer would help Radio Shack move into higher-priced products, and improve its "schlocky" image among customers.

"It's difficult to get the numbers we anticipated on some of the higher-priced rental products," Mr. Rockhold said.

There is, for example, renewed interest among drinkers in both name brands and higher-priced products.