Products and services in the middle market will feel the squeeze that comes with tight financial times, as people look for cheaper buys on the low end most of the time, while occasionally indulging in a high-end treat, The Sunday Business Post reported.

Products on the lower end of the market will likely see stronger growth than originally expected, as companies such as eBay, which has “made a business out of the middle class' developing love for seeking out a bargain,” are likely to see a drop in business, Michael Silverstien, a U.S. consumer specialist, told Ireland's The Sunday Business Post.

Silverstein's business manual, Treasure Hunt, advises brand owners to “begin moving up, down, or in both directions” to avoid getting trapped in the middle market segment, The Sunday Business Post reported.

“It's going to be fairly Darwinian – only the fittest would make it through. Companies are going to have to increase their level of innovation to make it worthwhile and compelling for people to buy things,” Silverstein told The Sunday Business Post.

Currently in the United States, consumers spend 13 percent on premium products, 32 percent on discount items and 55 percent on mid-range products. Silverstein predicts that in 10 years, 22 percent will be spent on top-end items, 37 percent on mid-market products and 41 percent on value priced items.