US market entry for Canadian brands.
The US is the closest market a Canadian brand can enter and still a genuinely different market.
It has more than eight times the population, fifty sets of state tax rules, a separate Amazon marketplace with its own reviews, and shoppers who compare your price against competitors you have never met. The easy cross-border playbook also changed: duty-free de minimis entry was suspended for all countries at the time of writing, so shipping single parcels over the border no longer avoids duties. Theory Road runs the commercial side of a US launch for Canadian companies, from the market read and pricing to Amazon US, the storefront, paid media and retail, and works alongside your customs broker, accountant and attorney on the parts they own.
Questions this page answers
- How do Canadian brands sell to US customers now that Section 321 changed?
- Can a Canadian company be a non-resident importer in the US?
- How do I sell on Amazon US from Canada?
- Do Canadian sellers have to collect US sales tax?
- Should a Canadian brand use a US 3PL?
- What changes when a Canadian company expands to the US?
Step 1 of 2
How can we help you get found?
Next: name, email and budget. That’s it.
What the US market asks of you.
The US asks a Canadian brand to operate at a different scale and a different speed. Demand can arrive faster than a Canadian supply plan expects, competition in every category is deeper, and the customer has more choice at every price point. Fulfillment has to feel domestic: US shoppers expect US shipping times, US returns and prices in dollars without surprise duties at the door. Selling into the US also means dealing with state sales tax, a US Amazon account with its own history, and marketing that reads as written for American buyers.
The common mistake is treating the US as a larger province. Brands ship from a Canadian warehouse, keep Canadian pricing converted at the day's exchange rate, and run the same ads with a wider target. That approach leaned heavily on Section 321 duty-free parcels, which are no longer available at the time of writing. Other traps: launching on Amazon.com with zero US reviews, discovering sales tax obligations after the fact, and US product pages that still say colour, show CAD prices or mention shipping from Ontario, which quietly lowers trust.
We start with a market read: US demand for your category, the competitors that actually own the search results, and a US price that works after duties, freight and 3PL fees. Your customs broker sets up importing and your accountant sets up sales tax; we plan around their answers. Then we run the launch: an Americanized storefront, Amazon US listings and advertising, review generation that follows the rules, paid search and social tuned to US regions, and retail or wholesale outreach once the numbers hold. Reporting is weekly, in US dollars, by channel.
- Weeks 1 to 3US market read and landed costCategory demand, the competitors that own search, and a US price that survives duties, freight and fulfillment fees.
- Weeks 3 to 6Import, fulfillment and tax setupYour broker, 3PL and accountant set up importing, inventory in the US and sales tax, and we plan around their timelines.
- Weeks 5 to 9Storefront and Amazon US buildUS product pages, US pricing and shipping promises, Amazon.com listings, Brand Registry and tracking installed and tested.
- Weeks 8 to 14Launch and early reviewsAmazon advertising, paid search and social in chosen US regions, and compliant review requests from real buyers.
- Months 4 to 9Scale and retail outreachShift budget to the channels that pay back, then pitch US retailers and distributors with real sell-through data.
Where US launches stall.
Section 321 is no longer the shortcut
Many Canadian brands built US sales on duty-free parcels under the de minimis rule. With that treatment suspended for all countries since August 29, 2025, at the time of writing, each parcel now needs an entry and may owe duties.
Importer of record decisions
You can act as a non-resident importer or appoint a US entity or partner as importer of record. The choice affects bonds, liability, duty payments and USMCA claims. Your licensed customs broker should make this call with you.
Starting from zero reviews
Amazon.com and Amazon.ca are separate marketplaces, and Canadian reviews and sales history do not carry over to US listings. A US launch needs a plan for early, compliant reviews and advertising that can carry a new listing.
Pricing for a bigger, harsher shelf
Converting Canadian prices at the exchange rate rarely works. US shoppers anchor on competitors, promotions and free shipping thresholds, and your landed cost now includes duties, brokerage, freight and 3PL fees that a Canadian price never carried.
What we run for you.
US market read and pricing
We size demand for your category in the US, map the competitors that actually rank and sell, and set a US price built on full landed cost rather than a currency conversion.
US storefront
A Shopify or existing storefront adapted for US buyers: US dollar pricing, US shipping and returns promises, American spelling and units, and tracking that separates US revenue from Canadian revenue.
Amazon US launch
Amazon.com listings, Brand Registry, A+ content, inventory planning with your 3PL or FBA, sponsored ads, and compliant review generation, run as a separate marketplace with its own launch plan.
Paid search and social
Google, Meta and other paid channels aimed at the US regions where your category sells, with budgets set against landed margin and results reported weekly in US dollars.
Retail and wholesale pipeline
Once direct sales prove demand, we build the retailer, distributor and wholesale pipeline with sell-through data, line sheets and a pitch written for US buyers.
Advisor coordination
We keep your customs broker, accountant, attorney and 3PL working from one launch plan, so importing, sales tax and trademark steps land before the marketing that depends on them.
How US demand gets built.
US rules to plan for.
Customs entry and USMCA.
With de minimis suspended at the time of writing, imports need entries and may owe duties. USMCA qualification depends on rules of origin; your licensed customs broker confirms classification and eligibility.
State sales tax nexus.
There is no federal VAT. States can require remote and foreign sellers to collect sales tax once economic nexus thresholds are met. Your accountant confirms where you must register.
US labeling.
Canadian bilingual labels do not automatically satisfy US rules. Food uses the FDA Nutrition Facts format, and many consumer packages need US customary units. Your regulatory advisor or attorney confirms requirements.
Trademark and Brand Registry.
Foreign-domiciled applicants at the USPTO must use a US-licensed attorney. Amazon Brand Registry needs a registered or pending trademark from an eligible office, so your attorney should file early.
Claims and reviews.
The FTC regulates advertising claims, endorsements and reviews, including incentivized reviews. We build marketing within those rules and flag product claims for your attorney to review.
A good fit
- Canadian brands with steady domestic sales and margin that can absorb duties, freight and US fulfillment fees.
- Founders ready to hold inventory in the US and treat Amazon.com as a separate launch, not an extension of Amazon.ca.
- Teams that already work with a customs broker and accountant, or will engage them before inventory moves south.
Probably not a fit
- Brands whose whole model depended on duty-free Section 321 parcels and cannot absorb duties at current margins.
- Companies looking for customs brokerage, tax filing or legal work; we coordinate with those advisors but do not replace them.
Platforms and categories we launch into.
- Amazon account management
- Amazon Brand Registry and brand protection
- Shopify builds, migrations and growth
- Google Shopping and Performance Max management
- Klaviyo email and SMS management
- Walmart Marketplace setup and management
- Product brands
- CPG brands
- Food and beverage brands
- Beauty and skincare brands
- Outdoor and sporting goods brands
- Apparel and fashion brands
Reading before a US launch.
- E-commerce · Takeaway
Section 321 de minimis let shipments valued at 800 dollars or less enter the US free of duties and most fees, which is how many foreign stores shipped single parcels straight to American buyers.
E-commerce · 10 min read
Section 321 and US De Minimis Changes: What DTC Brands Do Now.
The duty-free de minimis route that cross-border stores were built on is suspended. This is what Section 321 was, what changed, and how to rebuild fulfillment, unit economics and duty messaging for US buyers.
Read - E-commerce · Takeaway
The importer of record is the party legally responsible to US Customs and Border Protection for a shipment's classification, value, duties, fees and admissibility.
E-commerce · 10 min read
Importer of Record Explained: IOR Options for Foreign Brands.
Every shipment into the US needs a party that answers to US Customs for it. Here is what the importer of record owes, the four ways foreign brands fill the role, and how the choice changes landed cost and launch timing.
Read - E-commerce · Takeaway
The United States has no federal VAT or national sales tax; sales tax is set by individual states and, in many of them, by cities, counties and special districts on top.
E-commerce · 10 min read
US Sales Tax for Foreign Sellers: Nexus, Marketplaces, Prices.
How sales tax in the USA actually works for a brand based abroad: why there is no federal VAT, when a state can make you collect, what marketplaces handle for you, and what your accountant and your storefront each own.
Read
Questions from founders abroad.
- How do Canadian brands sell to US customers now that Section 321 changed?
- At the time of writing, the US has suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries, so single parcels shipped from Canada need entries and may owe duties. Most brands now import inventory in bulk to a US 3PL or Amazon fulfillment center, handle duties once per shipment through a customs broker, then ship to customers domestically. Confirm the current rules and your product's classification with a licensed customs broker.
- Can a Canadian company be a non-resident importer in the US?
- Generally yes. A foreign company can act as importer of record in the US without a US entity, typically with a customs bond and a broker holding power of attorney. Some brands prefer a US subsidiary or partner as importer. The right structure depends on liability, duty payments and USMCA claims, so decide it with your licensed customs broker and attorney. We plan the launch around their answer.
- Do my Amazon.ca reviews carry over to Amazon.com?
- No. Amazon.com is a separate marketplace, and listings there start without your Canadian reviews or sales history. You can manage both from one account, but the US launch needs its own plan: strong listings, Brand Registry, sponsored ads to generate early sales, and compliant review requests through Amazon's own tools. We run that US launch as its own project.
- Do Canadian sellers have to collect US sales tax?
- Possibly. There is no federal VAT, but states can require remote and foreign sellers to collect sales tax once they pass economic nexus thresholds, which vary by state. Amazon and other marketplace facilitators collect on marketplace sales in most states, but your own storefront sales are yours to handle. Your accountant should confirm where you must register before launch.
- Should a Canadian brand use a US 3PL?
- For most consumer brands, yes. US shoppers expect domestic shipping speed and simple returns, and with de minimis suspended at the time of writing, shipping each order across the border adds duties and entry work per parcel. Importing in bulk to a US 3PL or Amazon fulfillment usually gives better delivery times and clearer landed costs. We help choose and integrate the 3PL with your storefront.
- How long does a US launch take for a Canadian brand?
- Plan on roughly two to three months from kickoff to launch, driven mostly by importing, 3PL onboarding and trademark timing rather than marketing. The first three months after launch are for learning which channels pay back. Retail and wholesale outreach usually starts after that, once you have US sell-through data to show buyers.
Let’s plan your US launch.
A short note on where the business is and where it needs to go. A senior partner replies within one business day.