--- title: Why Firms Get Emerging Markets Products Wrong description: Common misconceptions about emerging markets consumers often lead to suboptimal product development. We look at the mistakes firms make. image: https://blog.pricebeam.com/hubfs/Blog/watering-watering-can-man-vietnam-162637%20%281%29.jpeg --- [Skip to content](https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong#main-content) [![PriceBeam](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/lead-flow-images/PBLogoTransparent%20(1).png?width=400&height=100&name=PBLogoTransparent%20(1).png)](https://www.pricebeam.com/) - Solutions ![RGM360](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RGM360_Headlines.png?width=319&height=255&name=RGM360_Headlines.png)[PriceBeam RGM360](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm360) is an end-to-end Revenue Optimization Platform, offering unmatched value by integrating market research, internal data with AI and next-generation simulation and optimization tools. Predictive Research - [Predictive Revenue Research](https://www.pricebeam.com/predictive-research) - [Willingness-to-Pay](https://www.pricebeam.com/willingness-to-pay) - [Comparative Willingness-to-Pay](https://www.pricebeam.com/comparative-willingness-to-pay) - [Value Attributes / Choice-Based Conjoint](https://www.pricebeam.com/value-attributes) - [Price Pack Architecture](https://www.pricebeam.com/ppa-price-pack-architecture-study) - [Promotion Lab](https://www.pricebeam.com/promotion-optimization) - [Promotion Lab Enhanced](https://www.pricebeam.com/promotion-lab-enhanced) - [Assortment Lab](https://www.pricebeam.com/assortment-optimization) - [Core / Basic Survey](https://www.pricebeam.com/core-study) - [Ranking Analysis / MaxDiff](https://www.pricebeam.com/ranking-analysis-maxdiff) - [Menu-Based Conjoint](https://www.pricebeam.com/menu-based-conjoint-analysis) - [RGM Study](https://www.pricebeam.com/revenue-growth-management) - [RGM Study - Promotion](https://www.pricebeam.com/revenue-growth-management-promotion) - [RGM Study - Ultra](https://www.pricebeam.com/revenue-growth-management-ultra) - [Concept Test](https://www.pricebeam.com/concept-test) - [Claims Test](https://www.pricebeam.com/claims-test) - [Product Variant Test](https://www.pricebeam.com/product-variant-test) - [FAQ](https://www.pricebeam.com/faq) RGM Data Lake - [RGM Data Lake](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-data-lake) - [Prescriptive Analytics](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-data-lake-prescriptive-analytics) - [Stakeholder Communication](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-data-lake-stakeholder-communication) - [Data Integration](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-data-lake-data-integration) - [FAQ](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-data-lake-faq) Simulation & Optimization - [RGM Optimizer & Simulator](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-optimizer-simulator) - [AI: Virtual Customer Modelling](https://www.pricebeam.com/ai-virtual-customers) - [RGM Simulation](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-simulation) - [Prescriptive Optimization](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-prescriptive-optimization) - [FAQ](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-optimizer-simulator-faq) - Industries & Challenges Industries - [FMCGs/CPG](https://www.pricebeam.com/consumer-goods-pricing) - [Cosmetics](https://www.pricebeam.com/cosmetics-pricing) - [Beverages](https://www.pricebeam.com/beverage-pricing) - [Beer, Wine & Spirits](https://www.pricebeam.com/alcoholic-beverage-pricing) - [Apparel](https://www.pricebeam.com/apparel-pricing) - [Home Care](https://www.pricebeam.com/home-care-pricing) - [Home Appliances](https://www.pricebeam.com/home-appliances-pricing) - [Food Products](https://www.pricebeam.com/food-products-pricing) - [Pet Food](https://www.pricebeam.com/pet-food-pricing) - [DIY & Home Improvement](https://www.pricebeam.com/diy-pricing) - [Consumer Services](https://www.pricebeam.com/consumer-services-pricing) - [Media & Publishing](https://www.pricebeam.com/media-and-publishing-pricing) - [Hotels & Hospitality](https://www.pricebeam.com/hospitality-pricing) - [Subscription Services](https://www.pricebeam.com/subscription-services-pricing) - [Phones & Telecom](https://www.pricebeam.com/telecommunication-pricing) - [Memberships](https://www.pricebeam.com/membership-pricing) - [Training & Education](https://www.pricebeam.com/training-and-education-pricing) - [Retail](https://www.pricebeam.com/retail-pricing) - [E-commerce](https://www.pricebeam.com/ecommerce-pricing) - [Events](https://www.pricebeam.com/event-pricing) - [Sports Subscriptions](https://www.pricebeam.com/sports-subscription-pricing) - [Streaming](https://www.pricebeam.com/video-on-demand-pricing) - [Consumer Electronics](https://www.pricebeam.com/consumer-pricing-electronics) - [Start-ups](https://www.pricebeam.com/entrepreneur-pricing) - [SaaS & Software](https://www.pricebeam.com/saas-software-pricing) - [Consumer Finance](https://www.pricebeam.com/consumer-finance-pricing) - [Equity Analysis](https://www.pricebeam.com/equity-analysis-pricing-insights) - [Veterinary Products](https://www.pricebeam.com/veterinary-products-pricing) - [OTC Pharmaceuticals](https://www.pricebeam.com/otc-pharmaceuticals-pricing) - [Automotive](https://www.pricebeam.com/automotive-pricing) - [Auto Aftermarket](https://www.pricebeam.com/automotive-aftermarket-pricing) Pricing Challenges Solved - [Pricing New Products](https://www.pricebeam.com/pricing-new-products) - [Brand Health & Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/brand-health-pricing) - [M&A Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/mergers-and-acquisitions-pricing) - [Investment Portfolios & Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/portfolio-growth-pricing) - [Price Segmentation](https://www.pricebeam.com/price-segmentation) - [Sales Team & Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/sales-team-pricing) - [International Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/international-pricing) - [Navigating New Tariffs](https://www.pricebeam.com/tariffs) - [Price Optimization](https://www.pricebeam.com/price-optimization) - [Price Increases](https://www.pricebeam.com/price-increase-management) - [Pricing Strategy](https://www.pricebeam.com/pricing-strategy) - [Psychological Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/psychological-pricing) - [Value-Based Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/value-based-pricing) - [Lifecycle Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/lifecycle-pricing) - [Market Launch Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/market-launch-pricing) - [Value Communication](https://www.pricebeam.com/value-communication) - [Assortment Pricing](https://www.pricebeam.com/assortment-pricing) - [Promotions & Discounts](https://www.pricebeam.com/promotion-pricing) - Plans - [Plans overview](https://www.pricebeam.com/plans) - [Predictive Research Plans](https://www.pricebeam.com/predictive-research-plans) - [RGM Data Lake Plans](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-data-lake-plans) - [RGM Optimizer Plans](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-optimizer-simulator-plans) - [Pricing Power Tracker](https://www.pricebeam.com/pricing-power-tracker) - [Pricing Power Snapshot](https://www.pricebeam.com/pricing-power-snapshot) - Resources - [Webinars](https://www.pricebeam.com/resources) - [Blog](https://blog.pricebeam.com) - [Case Studies](https://www.pricebeam.com/customer-case-studies) - [Newsletter](https://www.pricebeam.com/newsletter) - [RGM Pulse Survey 2026](https://www.pricebeam.com/rgm-pulse-survey-2026) - About - [Company](https://www.pricebeam.com/about) - [News & Events](https://www.pricebeam.com/news) - [Partners](https://www.pricebeam.com/partners) - [Press](https://www.pricebeam.com/press) - [Careers](https://www.pricebeam.com/careers) - [Contact](https://www.pricebeam.com/contact) ![Search icon](https://5018647.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/5018647/Design/Icons/Font%20Awesome/search.svg) [All posts](https://blog.pricebeam.com/all) August 22, 2017 # Why Firms Get Emerging Markets Products Wrong ![Picture of PriceBeam](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/PBLogoBadge240x240.png?width=50&name=PBLogoBadge240x240.png)   PriceBeam  ·  1 minute read ![emerging markets product development](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/watering-watering-can-man-vietnam-162637%20(1).jpeg?width=1024&name=watering-watering-can-man-vietnam-162637%20(1).jpeg "emerging markets product development") No two markets are identical. This is true for developed nations, too. However, once multinational corporations attempt to break into emerging markets they quickly discover that the differences are much greater and that the conditions in these markets change more rapidly than in developed nations. The consumers in these markets do, indeed, have different needs, preferences and taste, which much be considered when developing the product. However, contrary to what many firms believe, the consumers in these markets are incredibly demanding as their spending power is relatively lower and their required functionality is often higher.   **“Good” Is Not Good Enough** Dartmouth University’s Vijay Govindarajan, who has extensively studied product development and innovation in emerging markets, found that Western firms would typically develop 3 different product versions in their home market; the top-of-the-line product, which offers the best performance at a premium price; the “better” version, which provides 80% of the performance at only 80% of the price; and the “good” version, which provides 70% of the performance at 70% of the price. For emerging markets, however, they will launch the “fair” version, which provides 50% performance at 50% of the original price. This is a suboptimal approach that has its roots in the incorrect assumptions that all emerging markets consumers are highly price sensitive and willing to give up functionality for a lower price. The “fair” version rarely fares well as the upmarket segment, who can actually afford a product that is 50% of Western prices, won’t be willing to compromise the functionality, and moreover, this segment is often driven by cachet and prestige, which is not favoured by the lower price either. On the other hand, the price conscious consumers who the product is targeted at will not care too much about the Western brand, and prefer a locally produced version from a non-brand manufacturer who can beat the price by a mile.  In many cases, emerging markets consumers will be even more demanding than Western ones. As consumers cannot afford to repair products on a regular basis, there are high expectations for the durability of products in these markets, and for some products also the ability to withstand tough conditions (tools, clothing, etc.) -- so while Western brands are in good standing, they will quickly lose their standing if they cannot deliver the required functionality, durability, and price-level. Essentially, as Govindarajan puts is, multinational corporations must be able to offer 100% functionality at 10% of the price. A slight exaggeration perhaps, but nevertheless not far from the reality where competition from local, cost-efficient manufacturers is fierce. [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2519095/e3c780f6-d41e-430c-bef7-668d315a0b20.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2519095/e3c780f6-d41e-430c-bef7-668d315a0b20) Share: [facebook-f icon](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong) [linkedin-in icon](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong) [twitter icon](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong) [pinterest-p icon](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/link/?url=https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong) [envelope icon](mailto:?body=https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong) ## Related posts [![Willingness to Pay Drift: The Hidden Risk in Your Pricing Strategy](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hubfs/image-png-May-13-2025-12-31-41-4124-PM.png)](https://blog.pricebeam.com/willingness-to-pay-drift-the-hidden-risk-in-your-pricing-strategy) [Pricing](https://blog.pricebeam.com/topic/pricing) #### [Willingness to Pay Drift: The Hidden Risk in Your Pricing Strategy](https://blog.pricebeam.com/willingness-to-pay-drift-the-hidden-risk-in-your-pricing-strategy) [![marketing plan.jpg](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hubfs/Blog/marketing%20plan.jpg)](https://blog.pricebeam.com/4-common-branding-mistakes-companies-make) #### [4 Common Branding Mistakes Companies Make](https://blog.pricebeam.com/4-common-branding-mistakes-companies-make) [![Blog article: 10 common pricing mistakes and how to avoid them](https://blog.pricebeam.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/an%20image%20of%20different%20industries.jpeg)](https://blog.pricebeam.com/10-common-pricing-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them) [Pricing](https://blog.pricebeam.com/topic/pricing) #### [10 Common Pricing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them](https://blog.pricebeam.com/10-common-pricing-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them) **Pricing Right, Made Easy** Almost all companies struggle to price right. They use methods such as cost plus a fixed margin. They use guesses and gut feel. They peg their price to a competitor’s. They price themselves too low, leaving money on the table, or too high, forsaking sales volume. They lose out on the profits they should be earning. PriceBeam changes all that. With a methodology that is confirmed to be accurate in thousands of projects, PriceBeam provides AI-powered market insights software that generates actionable insights into consumers' willingness-to-pay, competitive price positioning, packaging and assortment dynamics, promotional benchmarking, and opportunities from new product pricing. [facebook-f icon](https://www.facebook.com/pricebeam) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/pricebeam) [twitter icon](https://twitter.com/pricebeam) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/pricebeam) [Follow us on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/c/pricebeam) **Company** [About](https://www.pricebeam.com/about) [Careers](https://www.pricebeam.com/careers) [Press Resources](https://www.pricebeam.com/press) [Partners](https://www.pricebeam.com/partners) [Contact Us](https://www.pricebeam.com/contact) [Terms](https://www.pricebeam.com/terms) [Prize Draw Terms](https://www.pricebeam.com/prize-draw-terms) [Privacy](https://www.pricebeam.com/privacy) **Resources** [Blog](https://blog.pricebeam.com) [Get a Demo](https://www.pricebeam.com/demo) [Webinars](https://www.pricebeam.com/resources) [Downloads](https://www.pricebeam.com/resources) [Newsletter](https://www.pricebeam.com/newsletter) Copyright © 2026 by PriceBeam. All Rights Reserved ![](https://dc.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=32758&fmt=gif) ![](https://px.ads.linkedin.com/collect/?pid=32758&fmt=gif) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "PriceBeam", "url" : "https://blog.pricebeam.com/author/pricebeam" }, "datePublished" : "2017-08-22T12:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Why Firms Get Emerging Markets Products Wrong", "image" : [ "https://blog.pricebeam.com/hubfs/Blog/watering-watering-can-man-vietnam-162637%20%281%29.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.pricebeam.com/why-firms-get-emerging-markets-products-wrong", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.pricebeam.com/hubfs/lead-flow-images/PBLogoTransparent%20(1).png" }, "name" : "PriceBeam" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "contactPoint" : [ { "@type" : "ContactPoint", "contactType" : "sales", "telephone" : "+44 207 081 2770" } ], "name" : "PriceBeam", "sameAs" : [ "https://www.facebook.com/pricebeam", "https://www.linkedin.com/company/pricebeam", "https://twitter.com/pricebeam", "https://www.youtube.com/c/pricebeam" ], "url" : "https://www.pricebeam.com" } ```