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I have read both but not sure which means what?

There are many such products available on the market.
There are many such products available in the market.

Note: I'm pretty clear about using on while describing the product availability on the Internet where in does not sound okay to me.

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    A small side-point: as well as all the things discussed by @oerkelens, "There are many such products available in the market" can also mean that, if you go to the market (in the sense of the town square with all the stalls and little shops), you'll find a lot of those products. "... on the market" doesn't have that possible meaning.
    – David Richerby
    Commented Feb 19, 2014 at 19:09
  • @DavidRicherby - could you please clarify? I don't understand.
    – CowperKettle
    Commented Feb 8, 2017 at 10:24
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    @CowperKettle "The market" can be a place, like this. "In the market" could also mean "at that place", whereas "on the market" only means "available for sale."
    – David Richerby
    Commented Feb 8, 2017 at 11:02

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25

When you use "in" the market, I tend to feel that you are talking about a product or company compared to others in that market.

We need to position our product well in the market.
CompanyX is our most important competitor in this market.
In this market, it is important to be innovative.

You can also be in the market if you are willing to buy something. Compare:

CompanyX is on the market for a takeover.
CompanyX is in the market for a takeover.

The first sentence means someone can buy them - the second indicates they want to buy!

If something is for sale, it is on the market.

Our product has been on the market for two months now.
There is a lot of software on the market.
I want to move to another town; I put my house on the market.

In today's market, it will take a while for my house to be sold.

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    "I'm in the market for a house, so before you put your house on the market, I'd like to have a look at it." This means that I would like to buy a house, so before you let the world know that your house is for sale, I would like to have a look at it.
    – BobRodes
    Commented Feb 19, 2014 at 14:25
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    #BobRodes I'm sorry man. I changed my mind, I took my house off the market.
    – oerkelens
    Commented Feb 19, 2014 at 14:47
  • @oerkelens , May you please clarify companyX examples? Who sell? Who buy? What about giving another example(please?)
    – FNH
    Commented Jun 4, 2014 at 2:44
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    @user2444: If companyX is on the market for a take over, it means companyY can buy companyX. If companyX is in the market for a takeover, companyX wants to buy companyY.
    – oerkelens
    Commented Jun 4, 2014 at 6:35

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