Idiom
first-mover disadvantage
Meaning
A situation in which a company or individual that creates or introduces a new idea, product, or service is later at a disadvantage because others are able to copy or improve upon it, making the original seem less innovative or valuable, or because of other factors, such as breaking down barriers (at a cost) that others thus won't have to face.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“The first company suffered from a first-mover disadvantage.”
“Small businesses often fear a first-mover disadvantage when they try something completely new.”
“The startup spent millions on new technology, only to face a first-mover disadvantage when competitors launched cheaper, improved versions later.”
“You might face a first-mover disadvantage if you spend your entire budget educating customers, only for a rival to steal them with a slightly better price.”
“The inventor realized the first-mover disadvantage when she saw other brands fix the small design flaws that her original product had struggled with for years.”
“By investing heavily in unproven infrastructure, the firm encountered a significant first-mover disadvantage, as later entrants capitalized on the market without bearing the initial development costs.”
Examples
simple
“The first company suffered from a first-mover disadvantage.”
“Small businesses often fear a first-mover disadvantage when they try something completely new.”
contextual
“The startup spent millions on new technology, only to face a first-mover disadvantage when competitors launched cheaper, improved versions later.”
“You might face a first-mover disadvantage if you spend your entire budget educating customers, only for a rival to steal them with a slightly better price.”
“The inventor realized the first-mover disadvantage when she saw other brands fix the small design flaws that her original product had struggled with for years.”
complex
“By investing heavily in unproven infrastructure, the firm encountered a significant first-mover disadvantage, as later entrants capitalized on the market without bearing the initial development costs.”
Key words
- Updated