Let's go back to basics ... what are you trying to protect? The original purpose of a patent was to protect the small inventor who would be given time to negotiate manufacturing, financing and distribution. What a PCT does is set the clock ticking, you have certain hurdles at fixed intervals to apply in SELECTED countries.
Nobody can afford global patent (except the MNCs), one client estimated it would be 6 figures by time lawyer and renewal fees were added up. And I mean LARGE 6 figures. Instead you pick the ones that are at most risk of
- manufacturing base
- key distribution hubs (eg customs clearance) in Europe
- markets where want to eventually expand
The only major countries not belonging to PCT are Argentina, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, and Iran. BTW nearly everyone belongs to WIPO but not every country has ratified every treaty. Most people find that patents are just a line in the sand, you still have to work to erect the fence, doing business intelligence on competitors, perhaps reverse engineering to discover infringement, informing customs and keeping a legal team on hand. One of the big media barons had a famous remark that lawyers are like bull pitdogs, you keep them around to scare the heebeejeebees out of everyone else.
BTW ... if your product is successful, accept that others will try to copy it (like a lock on safe, only measured in delay). You just have to come up with the next big idea before that (aka continuous incremental innovation) like the Red Queen running as fast as possible just to stay in one spot.