Launch a US e-commerce store that sells like a local one.
American shoppers expect prices in US dollars, no surprise duties at the door, delivery in days, free or easy returns to a US address, and reviews from people like them.
A store shipping from abroad struggles on every one of those, and since the US suspended duty free de minimis treatment for all countries in 2025, parcels from abroad now face duties and customs entry. We plan and launch your US storefront, whether that means Shopify Markets or a separate US store, with USD pricing, duties handled at checkout or removed by US stock, a US 3PL, payments and tracking that work, and demand from Google Shopping, Meta and email. Your accountant and customs broker handle tax and import. We coordinate with them.
Questions this page answers
- Should we use Shopify Markets or a separate US store?
- How do we sell to US customers from abroad now that de minimis has ended?
- Do we need a US 3PL?
- How do we handle US sales tax as a foreign online store?
- How do we charge duties at checkout?
- Which ad channels work best for a new US store?
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.
US shoppers compare every store with the fastest domestic option. They expect a landed price in dollars, delivery in a few days, a US returns address, familiar payment methods and plenty of reviews. A foreign store can meet that bar, but it has to decide early where US orders ship from, who pays duties, how the storefront handles currency and content, and how orders, taxes and returns flow through the back office. Those choices shape conversion rate more than design does, so they belong at the start of the plan.
The common mistake is treating the US as another shipping zone. A store adds USD prices, ships parcels from its home warehouse and waits. Then duties land on the customer at delivery, refused parcels come back at the seller's cost, and returns across an ocean kill margin. Since de minimis was suspended for all countries effective August 29, 2025, low value parcels no longer enter duty free, which removes the shortcut many cross border stores relied on. Add ad tracking that loses conversions across domains, and the launch looks worse than the demand really is.
We start with the fulfillment and duty decision, made with your customs broker and logistics provider: ship from abroad with duties collected at checkout, or import in bulk to a US 3PL. Then we set up the storefront in Shopify Markets or a separate US store, USD pricing, payments, a US returns flow and server side tracking. Your accountant sets up sales tax. We launch Google Shopping, Meta and Klaviyo, gather US reviews early, and report contribution margin per order weekly.
- Weeks 1 to 3Fulfillment, duty and store structure decisionsShip from abroad or US 3PL, duties at checkout, Shopify Markets or separate store, agreed with your broker and accountant.
- Weeks 3 to 8Build the US storefrontUSD pricing, US English content, payments, shipping rules, returns flow, reviews app and server side tracking.
- Weeks 6 to 10Stock, 3PL and sales tax setupBulk import through your broker, 3PL integration, and sales tax configuration set up with your accountant.
- Launch to day 60Google Shopping, Meta and emailProduct feed, Shopping and Performance Max, Meta prospecting and retargeting, Klaviyo welcome and cart flows.
- Days 60 to 180Optimize margin and scaleContribution margin per order, repeat purchase flows, review volume and budget shifts toward proven campaigns.
Where US launches stall.
Duties after de minimis
With de minimis suspended for all countries since August 29, 2025, parcels from abroad face duties and customs entry. Stores must either collect duties at checkout or import in bulk, decided with a customs broker.
Fulfillment speed and cost
US shoppers expect delivery in days. Shipping each order internationally is slow and costly. A US 3PL needs bulk import, inventory planning and integration, but usually gives faster delivery and simpler returns.
Returns across an ocean
Returns shipped back abroad cost more than many products are worth. A US returns address, clear policy and a decision on resell, refurbish or dispose protect both the margin and the customer experience.
Tracking across markets
Multiple domains, currencies and checkouts break pixel tracking. Without server side tracking and clean conversion data, Google and Meta optimize on partial signals and a new US store looks less profitable than it is.
What we run for you.
US storefront build
Shopify Markets or a separate US store, chosen for your catalog and operations, with USD pricing, US English content, American sizing and units, and checkout tested on real US devices.
Fulfillment and returns design
Ship from abroad versus US 3PL modeled on landed cost and delivery time with your logistics provider, then 3PL integration, shipping rules and a US returns address and policy.
Google Shopping and Performance Max
A clean product feed in Merchant Center, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns structured by margin, and search campaigns on the US terms your buyers actually use.
Meta and creative
Prospecting and retargeting on Meta with US focused creative, proof and reviews, measured through the Conversions API so the platform optimizes on real purchases.
Klaviyo email and SMS
Welcome, browse, cart, post purchase and review request flows for US customers, with consent handled correctly and send times set for US time zones.
Tracking and reporting
Server side tracking, GA4 and a weekly report on orders, contribution margin, cost per acquisition and repeat rate, so each budget decision rests on complete data.
How US demand gets built.
US rules to plan for.
Duties and customs entry.
De minimis was suspended for all countries effective August 29, 2025. Your customs broker confirms classification, current duty rates and the right entry method, at the time of writing.
State sales tax.
There is no federal VAT. Economic nexus can apply to foreign online sellers, and storing stock at a US 3PL can create nexus too. Your accountant owns registration and filing.
Consumer product rules.
CPSC, FCC, FDA or Prop 65 requirements may apply to your product, and CBP requires country of origin marking. Your compliance advisor confirms what applies.
Email, SMS and claims.
US email and SMS marketing need proper consent and opt out handling, and FTC rules cover claims and reviews. We build to those rules and flag questions for your attorney.
A good fit
- Direct to consumer brands with a working home market store that now want a US storefront built for American shoppers
- Brands ready to import in bulk to a US 3PL or collect duties at checkout, with a customs broker lined up
- Companies on Shopify or willing to move to it, with product margins that support paid acquisition in the US
- Teams that want Google Shopping, Meta and Klaviyo run as one system with margin based reporting
Probably not a fit
- Stores planning to ship low value parcels from abroad duty free, since de minimis no longer works that way
- Brands that want us to register for sales tax or act as importer, which belongs with their accountant and broker
Platforms and categories we launch into.
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
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 - E-commerce · Takeaway
US shoppers expect a reply within one business day on email and within minutes on chat, and Amazon measures how many buyer messages a seller answers within 24 hours, weekends included.
E-commerce · 10 min read
US Customer Service Outsourcing and Returns for International Brands.
International brands usually plan the US launch around listings, ads and freight, then discover that American shoppers judge them on how fast they answer, how easy returns are and how disputes get handled. Here is how to set that up properly.
Read
Questions from founders abroad.
- Should we use Shopify Markets or a separate US store?
- Shopify Markets suits brands with one catalog and one team that want local currency, pricing and domains from a single store. A separate US store suits brands with a different US catalog, a US 3PL, separate apps or a distinct US entity and payments. We compare both against your operations, tax setup and reporting needs before building.
- How do we sell to US customers from abroad now that de minimis has ended?
- Low value parcels no longer enter duty free, so either collect duties and fees at checkout so buyers are not surprised at delivery, or import in bulk and fulfill from a US 3PL. Bulk import usually gives faster delivery and simpler returns. Your customs broker confirms entry methods and current duty rules, and we model the landed cost with you.
- Do we need a US 3PL?
- Not always, but most brands with steady US volume benefit. A US 3PL cuts delivery time, gives you a US returns address and moves duties to one bulk entry. It also means inventory planning and may create state sales tax nexus, which your accountant should review. We help choose, integrate and monitor the 3PL with your logistics provider.
- How do we handle US sales tax as a foreign online store?
- There is no federal VAT. Each state sets its own sales tax, and economic nexus rules can apply to remote and foreign sellers once sales pass state thresholds. Your US accountant decides where to register and handles filing. We configure the store and tax app to match their setup and keep product tax codes accurate.
- Which ad channels work best for a new US store?
- For most product brands, Google Shopping and Performance Max come first because they reach shoppers already searching. Meta follows once creative and early reviews are ready, and Klaviyo flows go live before launch so no first order is wasted. We judge channels on contribution margin per order, not clicks or reach.
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.