So we are getting ready to launch our product and I have this crazy idea. I want to partner with a company that I’m trying to put out of business 🙂 Assuming they agree, is that a good idea? To put it a bit more in perspective: It would be like if Henry Ford said, try our car and if you hate it, we’ll buy you a horse. But he partnered with the horse company where they gave away the horse, so it didn’t cost Ford anything. Am I nuts?
Questions
Would you partner with a competitor?
7 answers from the community
A· Apr 2, 2014
Oligopoly is the way to go, and happens eventually whether you try to or not, so you may as well get started early and often.
A· Apr 2, 2014
Your statement made no sense. Why would the horse company give away the horse?
A· Apr 2, 2014
That may be a bad example. But the point is they give away a little to a super targeted market so they can sell more later. Kind of like giving away the horse to sell the saddle, food, boarding, medicine, lessons, etc.
A· Apr 2, 2014
If they're interested, they're just trying to stall you. Focus on being a winner in the market.
A· Apr 2, 2014
Bad idea, had a similar experience where a competitor approached our company, They will try and stall and get as much information from you as possible to replicate your offering if they see you as a threat. We decided against it and told them to fuck off in a nice way of course. If you cannot compete and grow faster than them then you have no product and should go back to the drawing board.
A· Apr 3, 2014
Just came across this in my Twitter feed!
http://www.carolroth.com/blog/frenemies-why-playing-nice-with-the-competition-makes-sense/
A· Apr 3, 2014
Sounds like you're just scared and trying to hedge your bets early. Or else this was linkbait to post a blog post (like above).