Product designs that provide a competitive advantage to companies are examined from the perspective of product architecture using examples of constant cash flow business models of consumables, such as printer ink and toner. The design of consumables closely deals with environmental recycling issues and antitrust conflicts, which are sources of anxiety. Furthermore, third-party entry into the consumables market must also be addressed.

This paper chronologically explores the circumstances surrounding the differences that developed among companies by examining the early years of the online securities industry in Japan. In an environment where many companies are immersed in the dominant, conventional wisdom of “explosive growth of the customer base” and engage in intense competition by reducing costs, this paper follows the activity of six influential companies and studies the processes that have enabled them to maintain their leadership position while adhering to their convictions.