Why trade evidence carries veto power in market entry
African market entries often stall when consumer interest looks strong while retailers and distributors cannot deliver on workable terms. TACT weights trade for decision power as well as sample design.
TACT Insights
Many market entry decks still open with consumer interest. Purchase intent scores look encouraging, focus groups sound positive, and leadership approves capital on that basis.
Problems appear later when retailers decline to stock at the modelled margin, distributors cannot reach the described catchment, or logistics break the unit economics. Consumer interest alone left the commercial path incomplete.
TACT treats trade as a veto leg for that reason. Consumer evidence can support a thesis and competitive evidence can map white space, while trade can reverse a go recommendation when shelf, margin, or logistics fail.
Trade does not need the largest sample to hold that role. In the fixed 60/30/10 split, consumer remains the largest evidence stream, and trade can still override a go call when channel reality cannot support the capital plan.
Before committing, leadership teams should confirm that the people who move goods will move theirs on terms that keep the business viable.
