Problem of "Me Too" Products

"Companies are implementing various marketing strategies to overcome economic recession.  Among those marketing strategies, selling ‘Me Too’ products are booming right now.

Me too products means that very similar to products manufactured by other companies an already on the market. It is a tactic of a market follower who attempts to avoid losing market share to a competitor by offering a product that is similar to a competitor’s products.

The most famous me too products in Korean domestic market is ‘Choco-pie.’  The chocolate covered pie produced by Orion entered the market in 1974.  After it became popular, the competitor Lotte produced another chocolate covered pie under the same name ‘Choco-pie.’ 

  © Orion | Captured image from Orion Webpage

 Orion’s ‘Choco-pie’ is the top-selling chocolate covered pie producer in the Korean market, but Lotte’s is the best in Russia and several markets overseas.

© Lotte | Captured image from Lotte Webpage

There are various me too products on the market because companies are reducing investment fees to develop new products.  

Producing me too products makes possible to reduce the initial investment fees such as market analysis and R&D fees when companies introduce new products.

Also manufacturing me too products are somewhat encouraged by the market environments because there has been little significant litigation in the food industry conflict over patented technologies, unlike IT industry.

Customers’ opinions are divided on this issue.  Some customers are welcoming me too products because those are cheaper than the original products, but some customers are saying that copying the original products are a clear violation of the IP rights.   

To you, what is most important? Protecting originals or producing cheaper products?

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