The Reverse Engineering business model analyzes an existing technology or competitor's product and uses the data gathered to develop a similar or compatible product. Due to the low investment required in research and development, the products can be offered at a lower price than their market counterparts. Reverse engineering is not limited to products or services; it can also be applied to entire business models, for example, by analyzing competitors' value chains and applying their principles to the focal company. The advantage of this type of imitation is that it allows for the omission of superfluous features, the substitution of expensive materials for less expensive ones, and the expansion of established successful products to new customer segments that would not want or could not afford the expensive originals. By dint of learning from the pioneers' mistakes and experiences, imitations frequently have the potential to be as good as the original. The primary objective is not to achieve 'first-mover advantages,' but to optimize currently available products. 
Because such imitations may infringe on the intellectual property rights of the original inventors and developers, it is critical to have a thorough understanding of patents and licenses in order to ensure compliance with the law and avoid time-consuming and costly litigation. Additionally, it is critical to monitor patent expiration dates, as imitations of goods based on expired patents cannot be challenged by the original patent holders.

When and how to apply Reverse Engineering:

This pattern is frequently used by companies in the automotive, pharmaceutical, and software industries. The allure and numerous benefits of reverse engineering are frequently surprising intuitive. These include lowering costs and shortening the time required for research and development activities, acquiring knowledge and know-how for already-proven products, and recreating products whose manufacturers or documentation no longer exist. Scanners and printers play a critical role in the spread of reverse engineering practices.
Well-known companies that use this pattern are Emporia and Amazon Retail.