Retail buyers of old grappled with this problem as they do today.
( ( ( Retail buyers ) ( of old ) ) ( ( ( grappled ( with ( this problem ) ) ) ( as ( they ( do today ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (JJ Retail) (NNS buyers)) (PP (IN of) (ADJP (JJ old)))) (VP (VBD grappled) (PP (IN with) (NP (DT this) (NN problem))) (SBAR (IN as) (S (NP (PRP they)) (VP (VBP do) (NP (NN today)))))) (. .)))
The same problem was faced by retail buyers in old times.
( ( The ( same problem ) ) ( ( was ( faced ( by ( ( retail buyers ) ( in ( old times ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (DT The) (JJ same) (NN problem)) (VP (VBD was) (VP (VBN faced) (PP (IN by) (NP (NP (JJ retail) (NNS buyers)) (PP (IN in) (NP (JJ old) (NNS times))))))) (. .)))