"The market opportunity clearly existed, but there were no products available to service this consumer segment," Mr. Williams said.

Indeed, the price elasticity of demand varies between types of purchase and among consumer segments.

"We're seeing more pronounced weakness in the consumer segment," Mr. Kumar said.

But the consumer segment is only about 15 percent of Dell's PC business.

"Giorgio will allow us to reach a large consumer segment that we don't currently serve," an Avon spokesman said.

The consumer segment, where Hewlett-Packard thrives, has been hardest hit.

In 2007 and 2008 a restructuring of the consumer segment took place.

Elsevier uses its imprints to market to different consumer segments.

The consumer segment is the company's largest in sales revenue, representing 36.8 percent of the total in 1991.

The initiative was groundbreaking as for the first time Fairtrade coffee was being offered to a larger consumer segment.