Examples of Market Entry Strategies: Practical Examples That Actually Work

Start with real examples of market entry strategies, not theory

If you’re building a market analysis, investors and executives are not impressed by textbook diagrams. They want examples of market entry strategies: practical examples that prove you understand how expansion actually works in 2025.

Below are eight of the best examples, each tied to a classic strategy. As you read, ask three questions for your own plan:

• How did this company reduce risk?
• How did it get local knowledge?
• How did it balance control with speed?

Those questions matter more than memorizing labels.

1. Exporting: Dyson’s direct‑to‑consumer push into the U.S.

Exporting is the most straightforward example of a market entry strategy: you sell into a foreign market while keeping production at home. It’s low‑commitment, but also offers less control over branding and customer experience if you rely heavily on distributors.

A clean, recent example: Dyson expanding in the United States.

Dyson manufactures primarily in Asia and sells into the U.S. through a mix of:

• Its own U.S. website and direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) channels
• Major retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Costco
• Online marketplaces such as Amazon

This exporting‑first approach let Dyson test new categories (like air purifiers and hair tools) without building factories or a dense retail footprint in the U.S. Initially, it leaned on retailers and marketplaces, then gradually expanded its own branded stores and service centers once demand was validated.

Why this example matters for your plan:

• Exporting works well when your product is high‑value, low‑weight, and standardized.
• It’s a strong starting point for a staged market entry: export first, then localize operations later.

When you list examples of market entry strategies: practical examples in a business plan, a Dyson‑style export model is often the lowest‑risk option to justify to stakeholders.

2. Licensing: Disney’s global character licensing

Licensing is a classic example of an asset‑light entry strategy: you grant another company the right to use your intellectual property (IP) in exchange for fees and royalties.

Disney is one of the best examples of market entry strategies: practical examples in licensing. Rather than directly manufacturing everything from toys to apparel in every country, Disney licenses its characters and brands to local and global partners who:

• Produce and distribute merchandise
• Localize products for cultural and regulatory fit
• Handle retail relationships and logistics

This allows Disney to:

• Enter and deepen presence in dozens of markets without owning factories
• Benefit from local partners’ distribution networks
• Maintain control via strict brand and quality guidelines built into licensing contracts

For your market analysis, licensing works best when:

• Your core value is IP (brand, technology, characters, patents)
• Local manufacturing or regulation is complex or expensive
• You want reach without heavy capital investment

If your business has strong IP but limited operational muscle, a Disney‑style licensing model is a compelling example of market entry strategy to highlight.

3. Franchising: McDonald’s adapting to local tastes

Franchising is a powerful way to scale quickly while leveraging local entrepreneurs’ capital and knowledge. It’s one of the best examples of market entry strategies: practical examples for consumer brands.

McDonald’s provides a textbook case:

• It grants franchise rights to local operators
• Franchisees invest their own capital in real estate and operations
• McDonald’s supplies brand, menu frameworks, training, and systems

What makes McDonald’s particularly interesting for your market analysis is how it balances global consistency with local adaptation:

• India: Expanded vegetarian menu and removed beef and pork from many locations
• Japan: Introduced seasonal items tailored to local tastes
• Middle East: Halal certification and regionally adapted offerings

Franchising gives McDonald’s:

• Rapid footprint growth with shared financial risk
• On‑the‑ground partners who understand local labor markets, regulations, and consumer preferences

For your business plan, franchising is a credible example of a market entry strategy if:

• The concept is standardized and replicable
• Brand consistency can be enforced via contracts and training
• Unit economics work for independent owner‑operators

4. Joint ventures: Starbucks and Tata in India

Joint ventures (JVs) are about sharing ownership, risk, and local insight. They’re especially attractive in markets with regulatory barriers or complex business environments.

One of the best real examples of a JV market entry is Starbucks in India. Rather than go it alone, Starbucks formed Tata Starbucks Limited, a 50:50 joint venture with Tata Consumer Products.

Why this JV is a strong example of market entry strategy:

• Tata brought deep local knowledge, real estate access, and supply chain capabilities.
• Starbucks brought brand, product, and store operating expertise.
• Together they navigated India’s regulatory environment and consumer preferences more effectively than Starbucks likely could have on its own.

By 2024, Starbucks had hundreds of stores in India, with ongoing expansion plans. The JV structure allowed both parties to share profits and strategic control while aligning incentives.

You should consider a JV in your own plan when:

• Local regulation favors or requires local ownership
• You face high cultural or operational uncertainty
• There is a strong local player whose capabilities complement yours

5. Acquisition: Microsoft’s purchase of LinkedIn

Acquisition is the high‑commitment, high‑control route. You buy your way in rather than build from scratch.

A widely discussed example of this strategy is Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016 for over $26 billion. While not a traditional geographic expansion, it’s a clear case of entering and deepening presence in a global professional network market overnight.

What this acquisition achieved:

• Instant access to LinkedIn’s 900M+ members worldwide (as of 2023–2024)
• Integration of LinkedIn data with Microsoft products like Office and Dynamics
• Stronger competitive positioning in enterprise and talent solutions

For geographic market entry, similar logic applies:

• Buying a local competitor or distributor gives you customers, staff, and regulatory licenses on day one.
• You gain local market knowledge, but you also inherit legacy systems and cultural baggage.

In your market analysis, an acquisition‑driven entry strategy can be justified when:

• Speed matters more than cost
• There are attractive, reasonably priced targets
• Integration risks are understood and manageable

If you’re citing examples of market entry strategies: practical examples, an acquisition like Microsoft–LinkedIn shows the “buy, don’t build” path clearly.

6. Greenfield investment: Tesla’s Gigafactory in Germany

Greenfield investment means building new operations from the ground up in the target market. It’s capital‑intensive but offers maximum control.

Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin‑Brandenburg is a strong real example:

• Tesla chose to build a major European manufacturing hub in Germany
• It constructed a new facility rather than acquiring an existing automaker plant
• The factory supports vehicle production closer to European customers, reducing shipping time and tariffs

This example of greenfield entry shows when it makes sense:

• You need custom facilities or advanced technology that existing plants can’t easily provide
• Long‑term volume justifies the up‑front investment
• You want direct control over labor, quality, and environmental standards

For your business plan, a greenfield strategy is harder to defend unless you can show:

• Strong, sustained demand forecasts
• Access to capital
• Regulatory and community support (environmental and labor issues are front‑and‑center in 2024–2025)

7. Digital‑first entry: Shein and cross‑border e‑commerce

Not every market entry requires physical presence. Cross‑border e‑commerce has become one of the most interesting examples of market entry strategies: practical examples in recent years.

Shein, the fast‑fashion platform, built much of its global presence through:

• Mobile‑first apps and websites targeting U.S. and European consumers
• Aggressive social media and influencer marketing
• Direct shipping from Asia to end customers

Instead of opening stores or regional warehouses first, Shein:

• Tested demand digitally
• Optimized logistics and data‑driven merchandising
• Only later began experimenting with pop‑ups and more localized operations

This digital‑first example of market entry works when:

• Your product can be shipped directly to consumers at reasonable cost
• Regulations allow cross‑border sales without excessive friction
• You can compete on digital marketing and user experience

For your market analysis, a digital‑first strategy is often the lowest‑cost way to validate a market before committing to physical infrastructure.

8. Platform partnerships: Apple Pay’s bank‑by‑bank expansion

Sometimes the smartest move is to piggyback on existing infrastructure. Platform partnerships are subtle but powerful examples of market entry strategies: practical examples in regulated industries like payments.

Apple Pay didn’t “enter” each country by opening Apple‑branded banks. Instead, it:

• Partnered with local banks, card networks, and regulators
• Negotiated country‑specific agreements
• Integrated with existing payment rails and security standards

This partnership‑driven approach allowed Apple Pay to:

• Scale globally without becoming a bank
• Adapt to local regulations and consumer payment habits
• Share economics with financial institutions rather than compete directly with all of them

If you’re in fintech, healthtech, or any regulated space, this kind of platform partnership is often a more realistic example of market entry strategy than going fully direct.

How to choose between these examples of market entry strategies

Listing examples of market entry strategies: practical examples is only useful if you can connect them to your decisions. In a market analysis section of a business plan, investors want to see that you’ve weighed trade‑offs.

Think in terms of four axes:

1. Control vs. speed

• High control: Greenfield, acquisition, wholly owned subsidiaries
• High speed: Exporting, licensing, franchising, digital‑first entry

2. Capital intensity vs. risk sharing

• High capital: Greenfield plants, acquisitions, large retail rollouts
• Shared risk: Franchising, joint ventures, licensing

3. Local knowledge vs. standardization

• Deep local knowledge: JVs, acquisitions, strong local partners
• High standardization: Exporting, digital‑only models, centralized production

4. Regulatory complexity

• Heavily regulated: Finance, health, energy often favor JVs and partnerships
• Lightly regulated: Consumer e‑commerce can often start with exporting or digital‑first entry

A credible market analysis doesn’t just say “we’ll franchise” or “we’ll export.” It references real examples of companies that used similar strategies in similar conditions, then explains why your context aligns.

2024–2025 trends shaping market entry decisions

When you present examples of market entry strategies: practical examples today, you should anchor them in current trends. A few that matter in 2024–2025:

Regulatory scrutiny and data privacy
Data protection rules (like the EU’s GDPR and similar laws in other regions) affect how you handle customer data when entering new markets. For background on privacy and data standards, U.S. businesses often look to resources from the Federal Trade Commission: https://www.ftc.gov.

Supply chain resilience
After COVID‑19 and ongoing geopolitical tensions, many companies are “nearshoring” or “friend‑shoring” production. That’s pushing some firms from pure exporting toward regional manufacturing hubs. The U.S. International Trade Administration (https://www.trade.gov) publishes trade and industry data that can help you assess these shifts.

Sustainability expectations
Environmental and social standards are no longer a nice‑to‑have. Greenfield investments and acquisitions increasingly face environmental review and community scrutiny. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov) is one source for regulatory context if you’re planning manufacturing or resource‑intensive operations.

Digital‑first and hybrid models
Many companies now mix strategies: entering digitally, then layering on local partnerships or physical presence once demand is clear. Your market analysis can show a phased approach: DTC e‑commerce first, then a JV or franchise network.

FAQ: examples of market entry strategies

What are some common examples of market entry strategies companies use?
Common examples of market entry strategies: practical examples include exporting (Dyson selling into the U.S.), licensing (Disney’s character licensing), franchising (McDonald’s global network), joint ventures (Starbucks–Tata in India), acquisitions (Microsoft buying LinkedIn), greenfield investments (Tesla’s Germany factory), digital‑first entry (Shein’s cross‑border e‑commerce), and platform partnerships (Apple Pay working with local banks).

What is an example of a low‑risk market entry strategy for a small business?
A realistic example of a low‑risk strategy is starting with exporting via online marketplaces and your own website, then using local distributors. This approach keeps capital needs modest while you test demand and learn about regulations, pricing, and customer preferences before committing to local offices or facilities.

How do I decide which example of market entry strategy fits my startup?
Start with your constraints: capital, regulatory environment, need for local customization, and speed to revenue. Then map your situation to real examples of similar companies. For instance, a brand‑driven consumer concept might look at franchising like McDonald’s, while a software platform might study Apple Pay’s partnership approach or a digital‑first entry like Shein.

Can I combine different market entry strategies?
Yes. Many of the best examples of market entry strategies: practical examples are hybrid. A company might export first, then form a joint venture, and eventually acquire its local partner. Or it might start digital‑only, then move into franchising or greenfield investment once demand is proven.

Are there industries where certain examples of market entry strategies don’t work well?
Some strategies are a poor fit in highly regulated sectors. For example, pure franchising can be difficult in banking or healthcare, where licenses, clinical standards, or capital requirements limit who can operate. In those cases, joint ventures, acquisitions, or tightly structured partnerships are more common examples of workable entry strategies.

Use these examples of market entry strategies: practical examples as reference points, not scripts. The value in your market analysis comes from showing that you understand why a specific strategy worked for a specific company, and how those lessons apply—or don’t apply—to your own expansion plan.