Shankaran Viswanathan (asker) Jul 26, 2009:

Thank you! My sincere thanks to all those who have made their suggestions. Actually this is a new expression that is coming into vogue with the economic crisis going on. Perhaps people will agree on a common term when this phenomenon is better understood by organisations who have to deal with this in their contacts with the consumers. In my source text, this term occurs repeatedly and in my translation I have used all of the above according to context.

polyglot45 Jul 23, 2009:

sorry was in a meeting - I think you've got all you need

Miranda Joubioux (X) Jul 23, 2009:

heading/moving downmarket I agree with the downmarket take on this.
http://www.motorauthority.com/renault-staying-upscale-with-h...
cf. last para.

Jocelyne S Jul 23, 2009:

Go for it, polyglot! I'll leave the posting to polyglot, since he came up with the main part.

B D Finch Jul 23, 2009:

downmarket Jocelyne or polyglot, why don't you suggest "downmarket shift" as an answer. It would have my vote.

Jocelyne S Jul 23, 2009:

Shift You might be able to tack "shift" on to polygot's "downmarket". A downmarket shift, for example.

polyglot45 Jul 23, 2009:

something with moving downmarket ?