4 Best Practices for Retailers Entering Emerging International Markets

1. Brace for the voids. In most emerging markets, the retail value chain is still in a nascent phase. This means that key links along the chain — e.g., logistics, payment infrastructures, talent, etc. — will either be inadequately developed or outright missing. Even the best honed business strategies can disappear into these institutional voids, making it imperative for retailers to invest in identifying, understanding and addressing these gaps. Where possible, retailers can structure their strategies around the void. But if business-critical components in the supply chain, for example, are lacking, then they'll need to develop competencies and/or partnerships to rectify the situation.