Over the past decade, the consumer market experienced rapid expansion driven by traffic, platform, and demographic dividends. Many business models scaled quickly under these conditions. However, as consumption becomes more rational and competition intensifies, several once-successful models are now being pushed out of the market.
This is not a temporary downturn—it reflects a fundamental shift in consumer logic.
Traffic-Driven “Hit Product” Models Are Losing Effectiveness
In the past, brands relied heavily on advertising, viral products, and rapid monetization. Today, rising traffic costs, changing platform rules, and consumer fatigue toward advertising have made this approach increasingly unsustainable.
Without strong product value and brand loyalty, traffic-only businesses struggle to survive.
Low-End Price Wars and Severe Homogenization
Industries with low differentiation often fall into price wars. While low prices may attract short-term attention, long-term consequences include shrinking margins, declining quality, and unstable customer bases.
As consumers become more value-conscious rather than price-obsessed, purely price-driven competition is losing relevance.
One-Time Transaction Models That Ignore Long-Term Relationships
Many brands still focus solely on first-time sales, overlooking customer lifetime value. In reality, repeat purchases, trust, and word-of-mouth are the foundation of sustainable growth.
Models that fail to build long-term customer relationships are increasingly fragile.
Pseudo “Premiumization” Without Real Value
Some brands attempt to justify higher prices through packaging and storytelling without delivering meaningful improvements. As consumers grow more discerning, superficial “upgrades” are quickly exposed.
True premium positioning requires genuine functional or experiential value.
Marketing-Heavy, Product-Light Short-Termism
In an era of transparency, product quality speaks louder than marketing slogans. Over-reliance on promotions and hype, while neglecting product development and user experience, ultimately erodes trust.
Consumers today are willing to pay for reliability, clarity, and long-term credibility.
Conclusion
What the market is eliminating is not entire industries, but outdated mindsets. The era of growth driven by efficiency alone is ending. The future belongs to businesses that prioritize user value, long-term trust, and sustainable quality over short-term gains.
