US market entry for European brands.
A European brand that works at home already has the hard part: a product people rebuy, a supply chain, a story.
What it usually lacks is a feel for how differently the US buys. Prices are shown before tax, and the tax depends on the state. Returns are expected to be easy and free. Reviews carry more weight than awards. CE marking does not open the door, and GDPR habits do not map neatly onto a patchwork of state privacy laws. Theory Road runs the commercial launch for European companies entering the US: market read, pricing and positioning, a US storefront, Amazon US, paid media and search, retail and distribution, and reporting. We coordinate the legal entity, tax, customs and logistics work with your attorneys, accountants, customs broker and 3PL.
Questions this page answers
- How do European companies expand into the US
- Selling in the US from Europe
- Sell on Amazon US from Europe
- Differences between EU and US consumer rules
- How to position a European brand for American buyers
- What US certifications replace CE marking
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 European brand to translate far more than language. Shoppers expect a pre-tax price, then see sales tax at checkout that changes by state and sometimes by city. They expect free or cheap returns well beyond what the EU withdrawal right requires, fast delivery from a domestic warehouse, and dozens of reviews before they trust a new name. A premium price only holds if the reason for it is spelled out in American terms: what it does, what it replaces, why it lasts.
What typically goes wrong is a launch that copies the home playbook. A VAT-inclusive price list gets converted at the exchange rate and quietly loses margin once duties, freight, US fulfillment and marketplace fees land. Product pages lead with heritage when buyers are scanning for use and proof. Orders ship from a European warehouse, and since the US suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for all countries in August 2025, customers meet duties and delays. Teams in Berlin or Milan also find that a nine-hour gap to California slows every decision.
We run it as one plan with a US owner. First a market read: category, competitors, US price bands and landed cost, built with your customs broker and accountant. Then positioning that turns European strengths like design, provenance and craft into claims Americans can check and US-compliant marketing can support. We build the Shopify storefront and Amazon US presence, wire tracking and reporting, and start paid search and social in a few test states before going national. Retail and distributor conversations begin once reviews, sell-through and margin show the product holds up.
- Weeks 1 to 4US market read and landed costCategory, competitors, US price bands and full landed cost built with your customs broker and accountant before any spend.
- Weeks 3 to 8Positioning and US storefrontUS copy, claims review, a Shopify store priced pre-tax, returns policy, tracking and analytics set up.
- Weeks 6 to 12Amazon US and fulfillmentBrand Registry, listings, A+ content and inventory placed in a US warehouse or Amazon fulfillment network.
- Months 3 to 6Paid media in test statesSearch, shopping and social campaigns in a few states, review generation, and weekly reporting against margin.
- Months 6 to 12Scale and retail conversationsExpand nationally where the numbers hold, then open retail, distributor and wholesale conversations with sell-through data.
Where US launches stall.
VAT habits in a sales tax country
European teams price VAT-inclusive and file one return per country. US sales tax is set by states and localities, economic nexus can reach foreign sellers, and marketplaces collect on their own sales. Your accountant maps where you must register and file.
CE marking is not a US pass
The US has no CE equivalent. Electronics generally need FCC equipment authorization, many retailers ask for UL or similar listing from a recognized lab, and children's products need third-party testing. Budget time and lab fees before launch.
GDPR habits meet state privacy law
GDPR discipline helps, but the US has no single privacy law. California and a growing list of states have their own consumer privacy statutes, with different notice and opt-out rules. Your attorney confirms which ones apply to your volume.
Heritage without proof
European provenance and design matter to American buyers, but only alongside reviews, clear use cases and easy returns. Pages that lead with founding dates and awards while hiding shipping and return terms tend to convert poorly in the US.
What we run for you.
US market read
Category sizing from public data, competitor and price-band mapping, and a landed-cost model with your broker and accountant so every price starts from real US margin.
Positioning for Americans
We translate European strengths such as design, origin and craftsmanship into claims US buyers can verify, with copy written for American search terms, spelling and expectations.
Storefront and Amazon US
A Shopify store with US pricing, shipping and returns, plus Amazon US listings, Brand Registry, A+ content and a storefront, managed from one catalog.
Paid media and search
Google search and shopping, Meta and Amazon Ads launched in test states first, measured against contribution margin rather than clicks or revenue alone.
Retail and distribution
When direct sales prove demand, we prepare line sheets and sell-through data and help you approach US retailers, distributors and marketplaces beyond Amazon.
One US reporting view
A single dashboard tying spend, orders, returns and margin by channel, reviewed weekly with your team at a time that suits European working hours.
How US demand gets built.
US rules to plan for.
Sales tax and nexus.
No federal VAT. States set sales tax, economic nexus can apply to foreign sellers, and marketplace facilitator laws shift collection to Amazon on its sales. Your accountant owns registration and filing.
Product certification.
FCC authorization for most electronics, CPSC rules and children's product certificates, and California Prop 65 warnings where required. Your testing lab and attorney confirm what applies at the time of writing.
Customs and de minimis.
Duty-free de minimis treatment was suspended for all countries in August 2025, so parcels from Europe now face duties and entry. Your customs broker confirms HTS classification and current rates.
Advertising and review rules.
FTC rules cover product claims, endorsements, fake or incentivized reviews and Made in USA claims. We build marketing to these rules and flag anything that needs your attorney.
Trademark and Brand Registry.
Foreign applicants at the USPTO must use a US-licensed attorney. Amazon Brand Registry needs a registered or pending mark from an eligible office, so file early.
A good fit
- European consumer or B2B brands with proven home-market sales and a product that already ships, sells and gets reordered
- Companies ready to hold US inventory and give a US launch at least twelve months of budget and attention
- Brands whose design, origin or quality is a real advantage that American buyers can check through specs, reviews and returns
Probably not a fit
- Companies still testing product and market fit at home, before any repeat buyers or reliable supply exist
- Teams expecting US agencies to also form the entity, file taxes or clear customs instead of working alongside advisors
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
- Product brands
- Home and kitchen brands
- Beauty and skincare brands
- Apparel and fashion brands
- Food and beverage brands
- Manufacturers
Reading before a US launch.
- 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 - Agency Guide · Takeaway
American shoppers reward copy that states the benefit, the price and the risk-free path in the first screen, not a softer build-up to the point.
Agency Guide · 10 min read
US Consumer Behavior: How to Market to American Consumers.
What actually changes when a European or Latin American brand starts speaking to American shoppers, what stays exactly the same, and the specific copy, proof, service and pricing details we rework before a US launch.
Read - 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
Questions from founders abroad.
- How do European companies expand into the US
- Most start with a market read and landed-cost model, then sell direct through a US storefront and Amazon US from domestic inventory, test paid media in a few states, and approach retailers once reviews and sell-through exist. Entity, tax and customs run in parallel with your attorney, accountant and customs broker. Theory Road runs the commercial side and keeps one plan across all of it.
- Can I sell on Amazon US from Europe without a US company?
- Amazon accepts sellers from many European countries in its US marketplace, and some brands start without a US entity. Whether you should form one depends on tax, liability, banking and customs questions your attorney and accountant should answer. We help you set up the account, Brand Registry, listings and advertising once that decision is made.
- Do US prices include tax like European prices do?
- No. US prices are normally shown before sales tax, which is added at checkout and varies by state and locality. Converting a VAT-inclusive price list at the exchange rate usually misprices products. We build US prices from landed cost, fees and competitor price bands, and your accountant handles where you must collect and file sales tax.
- Does CE marking work in the US?
- No. The US does not recognize CE marking. Electronics usually need FCC equipment authorization, many retailers expect UL or similar listing from a recognized testing lab, and children's products need third-party testing and a certificate. Your testing lab and attorney confirm requirements for your product at the time of writing.
- How do Americans see European brands?
- Many American buyers associate European products with design, quality and craft, which can support a higher price. That advantage only converts when it is backed by specifics: materials, testing, reviews, clear shipping and generous returns. We test which European story matters for your category rather than assuming heritage sells on its own.
- Where should a European brand base itself in the US?
- Many companies begin with a US warehouse or 3PL and remote US management, then add people once sales justify it. Central time zone locations such as Texas reach both coasts reasonably and overlap a few hours with European mornings. Theory Road is based near Austin and can meet your team in person there.
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.