During my consulting years I worked with two competitors in the same medical device category

During my consulting years I worked with two competitors in the same medical device category.

Same procedure. Similar products. One had 18% market share. The other had 7%.

I spent three months trying to find the product difference that explained it. There wasn't one.

The difference was the distributor network. The 18% company had spent seven years building relationships with the right surgical teams. The 7% company was still trying to win on a slightly better spec.

I've never forgotten that. Product gets you to the table. Distribution decides who gets to stay.