US market entry for German, Austrian and Swiss companies.
Companies from Germany, Austria and Switzerland arrive in the US with a reputation that most competitors would pay for: engineering, quality, reliability.
That covers both consumer brands and the Mittelstand manufacturers, machine builders and industrial suppliers that sell to other businesses. The reputation opens doors. It does not close deals on its own, because American buyers expect a different tone, faster answers and a local point of contact. Theory Road runs the commercial side of US market entry for DACH companies: market read, positioning and pricing, US website and search, Amazon US for consumer lines, trade show and distributor pipeline, paid media, and reporting. Your US entity, sales tax, customs and contracts stay with your Steuerberater, attorney and customs broker, and we coordinate with them.
Questions this page answers
- Markteintritt USA for German companies
- How to set up a GmbH subsidiary in the USA
- Zoll USA: customs and duties for German exports
- Sales tax USA for foreign sellers
- How to find a US distributor for industrial products
- How to market German engineering in America
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 DACH companies to keep their precision but change their pitch. German, Austrian and Swiss marketing tends to state specifications carefully and avoid anything that sounds like exaggeration. American buyers, whether homeowners or plant managers, expect the outcome first: time saved, downtime avoided, cost per unit. Industrial buyers also expect US-based support, stock and response times, and they often buy through distributors, reps and integrators. Consumer buyers want Amazon, reviews and fast free shipping. Both groups judge a new supplier by how easy it is to buy from.
What typically goes wrong starts with a strong trade fair presence that does not translate. A company exhibits at a major US show, collects badges, and has no US website, pricing or follow-up process ready for them. A distributor agreement signed early gives exclusivity across the whole country to a partner that sells three states well. Spec sheets written for German engineers go unread by US buyers. Customs, sales tax and entity questions stall because the Steuerberater back home is not a US specialist.
We build the commercial engine around the reputation you have. First a market read: segments, competitors, price bands, channel structure and landed cost with your customs broker. Then US positioning that leads with outcomes and keeps every claim backed by your documentation, a US website built for search, and a lead process that captures and follows up trade show and inbound interest fast. For consumer lines we launch on Shopify and Amazon US. Distributor and rep conversations begin with data on where demand actually is, so territories match performance.
- Weeks 1 to 6Market read and channel structureSegments, competitors, price bands, distributor landscape and landed cost built with your customs broker.
- Weeks 4 to 10US positioning and websiteOutcome-first English copy backed by your documentation, a US site built for search, CRM and lead routing.
- Weeks 8 to 16Search, paid media and AmazonSearch and LinkedIn for B2B lines, Shopify and Amazon US for consumer lines, all tracked to leads or margin.
- Months 4 to 9Trade shows and distributor pipelineTargeted shows with pre-booked meetings, fast follow-up and rep or distributor talks guided by demand data.
- Months 9 to 18Scale territories and accountsExpand where pipeline converts, formalize distributor territories, and plan any US team or office.
Where US launches stall.
Precise claims in a louder market
DACH companies understate, while US competitors lead with outcomes and confident comparisons. Copy has to become direct and benefit-first without making claims your data cannot support, since the FTC expects substantiation for advertising claims.
Distributor terms signed too early
Nationwide exclusivity given to a first US distributor can lock a company into weak coverage for years. Territories, targets and exit terms need your attorney, and demand data should shape who covers which region.
Trade shows without a follow-up engine
A booth at a large US show produces contacts, not customers. Without a US website, pricing logic, CRM and fast follow-up from US time zones, most leads go cold within weeks.
Home advisors are not US specialists
A Steuerberater or German counsel usually cannot advise on US sales tax nexus, state registration or entity choice. Bring in US accountants, attorneys and a customs broker early so decisions do not stall the launch.
What we run for you.
Market read and landed cost
Segment and competitor mapping, US price bands, distributor and rep landscape, plus landed cost built with your customs broker so quotes are profitable from the first order.
US positioning and copy
We turn specifications and certifications into outcome-first American English, with every claim traced back to your technical documentation so the tone changes but the accuracy stays.
Website, search and lead flow
A US website structured for how American engineers and buyers search, with CRM, lead routing and follow-up rules so inquiries get answered in US business hours.
Trade show pipeline
Show selection, pre-show outreach, booked meetings and a documented follow-up sequence, so a US trade fair becomes pipeline rather than a stack of badge scans.
Consumer lines on Amazon and Shopify
For consumer products, a US storefront and Amazon US listings with Brand Registry, advertising and reviews, run against margin rather than revenue alone.
Distributor and rep support
Data on where demand appears, partner shortlists, sales materials and joint campaigns, coordinated with your attorney on territory and contract terms.
How US demand gets built.
US rules to plan for.
Customs and HTS classification.
US tariffs changed repeatedly in 2025 and 2026. Your customs broker confirms HTS codes, origin marking and current duties before you set US prices.
Sales tax nexus.
No federal VAT or Umsatzsteuer equivalent. States set sales tax and economic nexus can apply to foreign sellers; B2B resale certificates also matter. Your US accountant owns registration.
Product safety and certification.
CE conformity does not transfer. Electrical equipment often needs listing by a recognized testing lab, electronics need FCC authorization, and your testing lab and attorney confirm the rest.
Entity and contracts.
Whether to form a US subsidiary, which state, and how distributor contracts are written are decisions for your US attorney and accountant, which we coordinate but do not make.
Advertising claims.
FTC rules require substantiation for objective claims, and comparative advertising is common in the US. We draft claims from your data and flag anything for legal review.
A good fit
- German, Austrian and Swiss manufacturers and industrial suppliers with proven products and capacity to support US customers
- DACH consumer brands with strong home sales that are ready to hold US inventory and sell on Amazon US
- Companies willing to let US copy become more direct as long as every claim remains accurate and documented
Probably not a fit
- Companies wanting a single nationwide distributor to handle everything with no marketing or follow-up of their own
- Firms looking for US tax, legal or customs advice from their marketing partner rather than from licensed US advisors
Platforms and categories we launch into.
Reading before a US launch.
- E-commerce · Takeaway
US customs duty is calculated from three facts about each product: its Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification, its customs value and its country of origin.
E-commerce · 11 min read
US Customs Duties for E-commerce Brands: A Landed Cost Guide.
US customs duties decide whether a foreign e-commerce brand makes money in America. Here is how classification, value and origin set the duty, why sales tax is separate, and how to build it all into a US price.
Read - Agency Guide · Takeaway
A US trade show pays off only when the brand books buyer meetings before the show and follows up within days, because the floor itself rarely closes a deal.
Agency Guide · 10 min read
Trade Show USA: A Playbook for International Brands.
How an international brand chooses a US trade show, budgets it by structure instead of guesswork, decides between a booth and walking the floor, and turns badge scans into buyers through a CRM and a real follow-up plan.
Read - Agency Guide · Takeaway
A foreign founder can own a US LLC or corporation without living in the US, but the right structure depends on home-country tax rules and should be chosen with an attorney and an accountant in both countries.
Agency Guide · 11 min read
US LLC for Non-Residents: A Foreign Founder's Setup Checklist.
A commercial checklist for foreign founders setting up a US company: why brands form one, the common structures at a high level, and the order of EIN, bank, sales tax and insurance that keeps a US launch on schedule.
Read
Questions from founders abroad.
- Markteintritt USA for German companies
- A US market entry usually runs in phases: a market read with landed cost, US positioning and website, search and paid media, then trade shows and distributor or rep conversations based on real demand. Consumer lines add Shopify and Amazon US. Entity, sales tax and customs work runs alongside with your US attorney, accountant and customs broker. Theory Road runs the commercial launch.
- How to set up a GmbH subsidiary in the USA
- Many DACH companies form a US corporation or LLC owned by the GmbH or AG, often in Delaware or the state where they operate. The right structure depends on tax treaties, liability, banking and hiring plans, so your US attorney and accountant should decide it. We do not form entities, but we plan the marketing launch around their timeline.
- What does Zoll USA mean for our pricing?
- US customs duties depend on the HTS classification and origin of each product, and rates changed repeatedly in 2025 and 2026. Duty-free de minimis treatment for small parcels was suspended for all countries in August 2025. Your customs broker confirms current duties, and we build US prices from that landed cost.
- Do we need a US distributor?
- For many industrial products, yes, at least in some regions, because US buyers expect local stock, service and a rep who visits. The mistake is granting nationwide exclusivity too early. We help you find where demand is before territory decisions, and your attorney handles the contract terms.
- How do we market German engineering in America?
- Keep the engineering and change the order. Lead with the outcome the buyer cares about, such as uptime, cost per part or lifespan, then show the specifications and certifications that prove it. American buyers trust German engineering, but they want the benefit stated plainly and a fast, local answer when they ask.
- Which US trade shows should we attend?
- It depends on your category and buyers. Large national shows give reach, while smaller regional or vertical events often produce better conversations. We shortlist shows from where your US demand and competitors actually appear, book meetings before the show, and run the follow-up so the investment turns into pipeline.
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.