A case study on the first-mover advantage of cosmeceutical industry

全球醫學美容的蓬勃發展，醫療院所在提供醫學美容服務同時，除了專業的醫療技術之外，也向消費者推薦這些可以幫助術後保養的醫學美容保養品。而這些經由臨床測試及專業醫師證實對於皮膚健康有療效的醫學美容保養品，既有科學的證實加上醫師推薦，形成一定的公信力，和一般市面上的美容商品形成區隔，進而讓這些起手術後搭配塗抹的醫學美容產品，也另闢形成一個全新的商機。 本研究針對醫學美容保養品產業以先進者優勢的相關研究進行探討，而過去的醫學美容文獻比較注重於由消費者端出發的議題研究，對於醫美品牌廠商進入產業的經營卻付之闕如。有鑑於此，本研究透過個案研究的方法，以國內醫美保養品品牌為例進行先進者優勢之探討，試圖找出欲成功達先進者優勢廠商需具備的能力和面向。 根據本研究顯示出台灣醫學美容保養品廠商進入市場具有先進者優勢，本研將究對於各品牌採用不同通路（醫療、開架式、網路）、不同品牌定位（高、中、平價）的醫學美容品牌，以其先進者廠商佔據不同的市場。各品牌廠商的優勢組合及養成及差異化形成：品牌廠商一方面教育消費者，並建立起「醫學美容保養品」的新概念，將專業度提升和傳統的保養進行區隔；另一方面建立起公司自身優勢，在此產業進入的廠商的優勢來源有：佔有技術領先、關鍵要素佔領和將顧客不確定性的消除，隨著廠商本身不同的資源，選擇專屬自身的行銷組合經營，並與供應商、通路商和終端的顧客建立關係。將產品多元化和採多品牌策略，滿足不同消費族群，而達到產能擴增、成本減低和增加其市佔率，藉此不斷擴增公司資源，進行更多的產品創新、技術精進和品牌行銷，卻也成為後進者進入市場的天然屏障，得以維持自身的優勢。Medical cosmetology is now growing rapidly around the whole world. Clinics, which perform cosmetic surgery, provide not only professional medical services, but also promote those cosmeceutical products which can help quick recovery from surgery. These cosmeceutical products, which have the approval from doctors and passed clinical trial, build a strong barrier for its competitor and create a new business opportunity. This research tries to study the First-Mover Advantage of the cosmeceutical industry. The old studies of cosmetic surgery focus more on customer driven issues. There are not many researches about business running for cosmeceutical brand. Therefore, our research study the First-Mover Advantage of cosmeceutical industry in Taiwan by case study methodology and try to find what are the necessary requirements for the First-Mover company. According to our research, cosmeceutical companies have the fist-mover advantage in Taiwan market. In this study, for each cosmeceutical brand have different channel (medical, open-frame , network), different brand positioning (high, middle, parity), with its advanced to occupy a different market. Each brand has their advantages of combination, and develop the differentiation. The cosmeceutical surgery brand companies educate its customer about the new concept of medical skincare product and build up its advantages. The advantages of these companies are: technology leadership, key factor occupation, customer uncertainty elimination. According to different resources of each company, the market and business strategy should be properly managed. The first mover companies have to build up the relationship with its suppliers, channels and end users. Use product diversification and multiple-brand strategy can satisfy various customer groups, increase production capacity, reduce costs and raise the market share. Based on the above strategies, the first mover companies can build up a strong barrier which the followers cannot easily passed, by product innovation, technology improvement, and branding