market-entry diagnostic
Four weeks to turn the findings into an executable market-entry plan.
A focused paid product delivered independently by Setsail. You receive a map that you can execute or commission directly. We do not promise listing or local delivery results. Channel development is a referral, not a full-scope delivery contract.
Fees and payment
Pricing is public
- Four-week diagnosticThe range depends on the number of markets, the B2B/B2C modules, and product-category complexity. It is fixed before work starts and is not increased midway.
- NT$50,000–80,000
- Fully paid in advanceOnce four weeks of our capacity are reserved for your project, that capacity cannot be assigned to someone else; local interview costs are also paid up front.
- Before starting
- Credited against the first marketing monthIf you continue into execution, this amount is credited against the first monthly fee, so you do not pay twice.
- full amount
- The report is yoursIf you decide not to enter after reading it, or find someone else to implement it, the report will still be yours.
- Unconditionally
Diagnose first vs enter the market directly
Why not save these four weeks?
It's not wrong to enter directly, it's a way to place your bet. The difference is not whether you spend money, but in which order you spend money, and whether you can turn around if you make a mistake.
Go straight in – spend your money first where it’s not recoverable
- Packaging revision and material shooting
- Trade-show booths and travel
- Samples, freight, initial stocking
- The quotation is based on feeling, and the anchor is settled the first time.
Start with a diagnostic — buy clarity before you place the bet
- Four weeks, one fixed fee
- Know where to enter and what price to quote
- Know what each step in the channel takes
- Know who holds each required licence
The question is not whether to spend, but whether to spend before or after the big investment.
If you choose the right market, entering the market directly is the fastest way; if you choose the wrong market, you won't be able to get your money back. The cost of diagnosis is typically a single-digit percentage of the approach budget.
01 The cost of a wrong decision is asymmetric
- Direct entry puts most of the money into costs you cannot recover: packaging changes, content production, trade-show booths, samples, freight, and initial stock. Choose the wrong market or price band and it is all sunk. A wrong diagnosis costs one decision, while you can still change direction.
02 The key numbers only emerge much later
- What each channel step takes, the listing and display terms, and the real payment period are often disclosed only at the quote stage. By then you have spent time and may have stocked goods. The diagnostic brings those facts forward before you place the bet.
03 The first quote anchors the negotiation and is hard to reset
- If you don’t know the local price range, your quote will be a guess. The first quote in a B2B negotiation will determine how the other party categorizes you - if you quote too high, you won't get the next meeting, if you quote too low, you won't be able to raise the price. This is the most practical difference.
04 “Fast” is often an illusion
- Entering directly saves four weeks, but it may cost six months in the wrong market. The 90 days after a diagnostic have direction: you know whom to approach, what price to quote, and which assets are missing.
When not to get a diagnosis
I write this because this page is not trying to persuade you to buy:
- There is already a buyer waiting for you, all that’s left is the contract and conditions—then talk directly, don’t take any detours
- There is only one clear market, and you have already been to it, talked about it, and know the market conditions
- The budget is small enough for just one attempt - spend the money on that attempt, not the report
- What you want is execution, not judgment. The direction has already been decided.
If any of these conditions applies, we will say directly that a diagnostic is unnecessary and refer you to the right service provider if needed.
Deliverables
what will you get
Six items, all included in one report; item 06 is the meeting.
- 01
Target Market Convergence Report
Narrow your candidate markets to one or two countries, with each market’s size range, competitor price bands, and reasons for excluding the others.
- 02
Channel map and margin stack
What does each step take between your ex-factory price and the local shelf price? We obtain the data through interviews with local partners, not by compiling public sources. This is the most costly part of the report.
- 03
Compliance Threshold Checklist
Import registration, labeling requirements, and necessary certifications (food entering Malaysia also requires a halal assessment). Itemize who applies, how long it takes, and which items must be held by a local entity.
- 04
Marketing asset gap inventory
What do you have, what is missing, and what should come first? Sell sheets, product catalogues, a B2B website enquiry journey, and local-language content, prioritized as an action list rather than a wish list.
- 05
90-day market-entry plan
Schedule, budget interval and stop loss conditions. Write it in such a way that you can directly use it for execution or outsourcing.
- 06
a briefing meeting
Walk through the report together and answer questions. It does not end with sending a PDF.
Rhythm
How the four weeks work
- Kickoff and market convergenceInterviews about your products, cost structure and existing inquiries; preliminary scan of candidate markets and competitive product price ranges.
- Week 1
- Local interviewsObtain first-hand information on channel structure and margin stack through local partners; compliance thresholds are confirmed one by one.
- Week 2
- Gaps and plansMarketing asset inventory; 90-day entry draft plan, including budget range and stop loss conditions.
- Week 3
- Finalization and presentationReport finalization, briefing session, Q&A and discussion of follow-up options.
- Week 4
The four-week schedule reflects the turnaround time for local interviews, not a queue. Compressing it usually means skipping the channel section, which is the most valuable part of the report.
two modules
Choose one based on your sales model
B2B module
- Importer → distributor → retail buyer chain, plus the margin stack
- Exhibition map, sales sheet
- B2B website enquiry journey, LinkedIn outreach
- Boundary: distributor development is a referral, not a full-scope delivery contract
B2C module
- Platform comparison: opening a shop vs joining a platform
- Logistics and payment-rail options, plus advertising tests
- KOL, community and content localization
- Boundary: we do not operate stores; when needed, we refer you to a store operator
Make sure it fits first
This product selects its clients
Suitable
- Already have products for sale and want to enter 1–2 overseas markets
- I’m stuck because I don’t know whether it is worth investing, and I do not want to spend money on materials first.
- Some people from overseas have come to ask, but you don’t know how to quote or negotiate terms.
- Planning to do it myself, just need a reliable map
Not a fit
- The product is still in the concept stage and there is nothing ready to ship.
- You want “guaranteed listing” or “guaranteed sales”; we do not promise local delivery results
- You want to compare free proposals
- You want us to bundle company formation, customs, and logistics (those are referred to a service provider for that market under a direct contract).
I write it down to save both parties time. If you fall in the right column, just say so and we won't take you thirty minutes to tell you.
FAQ
You might ask
- Can't I check this myself?
- Most answers can be found, and we publish all 34 questions in the checklist without requiring an email. What public sources cannot tell you is in Sections 02 and 03: what each channel step takes and who holds each licence. That information is not public; it comes through local relationships.
- Why not just do marketing?
- Before you know which market to enter, what price to charge, or which channel to use, every asset and ad is a guess. The diagnostic fee can be credited against the first marketing month, so for clients who continue into execution this is about putting the steps in the right order, not paying twice.
- Can you guarantee listing or transaction?
- No, and we do not accept that type of engagement. Channel development is a referral, not a full-scope contract. Anyone who guarantees the result is either taking a gamble or avoiding responsibility.
- Why pay in full upfront?
- With one-person operations, once four weeks of our capacity are reserved for your project, that capacity cannot be assigned to another client. Local-partner interview costs in the report are also paid up front. This is fixed; price and delivery scope are stated before work begins and are not added midway.
- How is this different from a free proposal?
- A free proposal is a sales document designed to get you to sign a deal. The diagnosis is the work product you bought - even if you decide not to enter that market after reading it, or find someone else to execute it, the report is still yours.
- Will four weeks be too long?
- The four-week schedule reflects the turnaround time for local interviews, not a queue. Wanting it faster usually means skipping Section 02, which is the most valuable section.
Clearly outside our scope
boundary
- No promise of listing, channel access, or sales results
- No free diagnostics or success-fee arrangements
- We do not take on company formation, customs, or logistics. We refer you to the service provider for that market, and you contract directly with them.
- We do not collect or transfer third-party funds; you pay advertising and media fees directly to the platform.
For complete network rules, see partner network; See the cases that have been done Case files.
Book a 30-minute consultation Take a look at the free checklist first
