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Theory Road.
US market entry

A US go-to-market plan built on real American demand.

Most brands that stumble in the US did not fail on product.

They picked the wrong first channel, priced against the wrong competitors, or spread a launch budget across too many states and platforms at once. A US go-to-market plan fixes that before money is spent. We read demand from US search and marketplace data, map the competitors and prices your buyers will compare you against, shape positioning for American buyers, choose the entry channels that fit your margins, and phase the budget into a 90 and 180 day plan with KPIs you can hold us to. Your attorney, accountant and customs broker handle the entity, tax and import side. We coordinate with them and run the commercial launch.

Questions this page answers

  • How do I build a US market entry strategy?
  • How big is the US market for my product?
  • Which channel should we launch with in the US?
  • How much budget do we need to launch in the US?
  • What should a 90 day US launch plan include?
  • When should we hire a US team?

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US go-to-market plan

What the US market asks of you.

The US rewards focus. It is one country on paper, but buyers behave like many markets: different price expectations, different retailers, different search habits and a marketplace where most product searches start. A brand that works at home has proof of product. What it lacks is proof of demand in the US, a price that holds up next to American competitors, and a message written for buyers who have never heard of it. A go-to-market plan answers those three questions with data before committing budget, inventory or headcount.

What typically goes wrong is sequencing. Teams open a US entity, ship a container and hire a country manager, then discover the category is crowded at their price point or that their best keyword is owned by three established brands. Others translate the home market website, run broad ads nationally and read the low conversion rate as a verdict on the product. Tariff and import rules have also shifted repeatedly since 2025, so landed cost assumptions from an old spreadsheet can quietly erase the margin the whole plan depends on.

We start with a market read: US search volume and trends for your category, marketplace best seller and review data, competitor pricing and claims. From that we build positioning, a price ladder that works after landed cost, and a channel choice ranked by margin and speed to learning. The plan runs in two phases, a 90 day test with fixed budget and clear kill or scale rules, then a 180 day build around what worked. We report weekly in plain numbers and coordinate with your US advisors on everything outside marketing.

The launch, phase by phase
  1. Weeks 1 to 3Market read and competitor mapUS search and marketplace data, competitor pricing and claims, category size estimate and the buyer questions we must answer.
  2. Weeks 3 to 5Positioning, pricing and channel choicePrice ladder after landed cost from your broker, US messaging, first entry channel and a fixed test budget.
  3. Weeks 5 to 8Build the launch assetsListings or storefront, tracking, creative, review plan and reporting set up before any paid traffic runs.
  4. Days 60 to 90Controlled launch and testPaid search and marketplace ads on tight budgets, weekly reads on conversion, cost per sale and reviews.
  5. Days 90 to 180Scale what works, cut the restBudget moves to proven channels, second channel added, and a clear view of when US hires make sense.
US go-to-market plan

Where US launches stall.

  • Reading real US demand

    Home market sales do not predict US demand. Search volume, marketplace review counts and competitor sales ranks show how big the category is and how buyers describe it, before you commit inventory.

  • Pricing after landed cost

    Duties, freight, customs brokerage, marketplace fees and returns change the math. Tariff rules have changed repeatedly, so landed cost must be confirmed with your customs broker before the price ladder is set.

  • Positioning for strangers

    American buyers do not know your brand or your home market reputation. Claims, proof, packaging copy and reviews must do the work that brand awareness does at home, and must be written in US English.

  • Too many channels at once

    Launching on Amazon, a US store, retail and paid social together splits budget and hides what works. Picking one or two entry channels makes the first 90 days readable and the next spend decision obvious.

Theory Road

What we run for you.

Talk to us about your US launch
  • US market read

    Search demand, marketplace sales signals, review themes and competitor pricing pulled into one view of category size, buyer language and where the realistic openings are for your product.

  • Positioning and pricing

    A US value proposition, claims your advisors have cleared, and a price ladder built from landed cost so each channel carries a margin you can actually live with.

  • Channel selection and launch

    We rank Amazon US, a US storefront, retail, distributors and B2B outreach by margin, speed and risk, then launch the first one and run it day to day.

  • Budget phasing

    A fixed 90 day test budget with written scale and stop rules, then a 180 day budget that follows results instead of guesses, reviewed with you every month.

  • KPIs and reporting

    A short scorecard of cost per sale, conversion rate, contribution margin, review velocity and repeat purchase, reported weekly in plain numbers you can share with your board.

  • Advisor coordination

    We work alongside your US attorney, accountant, customs broker and logistics provider so entity, tax, import and fulfillment decisions line up with the launch calendar.

United States

How US demand gets built.

Amazon USCaptures product searches with purchase intent and gives fast demand and price feedbackOften first for consumer products
Google Search and ShoppingReaches buyers researching the category and feeds a US storefront or Amazon listingFrom launch, tight budget
US storefrontOwns margin, customer data and brand story once demand is provenLaunch or month 3
Meta and short videoBuilds awareness and remarkets to visitors with proof and reviewsAfter first reviews land
Retail and distributorsAdds reach and credibility once sell-through data existsMonth 6 onward
B2B outreachOpens wholesale, trade and enterprise accounts with a clear US offerParallel for B2B products
Compliance

US rules to plan for.

  • Tariffs and classification.

    Duty rates changed repeatedly in 2025 and 2026. Your customs broker should confirm the Harmonized Tariff Schedule classification and current rules before pricing is final.

  • State sales tax.

    There is no federal VAT. States set sales tax and economic nexus can reach foreign sellers. Your US accountant owns registration and filing decisions.

  • Product regulators.

    Depending on the product, FDA, FCC, CPSC or Prop 65 rules may apply. Your attorney or compliance consultant confirms which ones before launch.

  • Advertising claims.

    FTC rules cover claims, endorsements, reviews and Made in USA language. We write to those rules and route anything borderline to your attorney.

A good fit

  • Brands with a product that already sells well at home and a budget set aside for a disciplined US test
  • Founders and export managers who want a written plan with KPIs before committing to inventory or US hires
  • Companies that already have, or will engage, a US attorney, accountant and customs broker for the non marketing work
  • Consumer and B2B brands willing to start with one or two channels and scale on evidence

Probably not a fit

  • Companies looking for someone to form their US entity, file taxes or clear customs, which is work for licensed advisors
  • Brands that need guaranteed US sales figures before spending, since a test is how the market answers
Perspectives

Reading before a US launch.

FAQ

Questions from founders abroad.

Q01
How do I build a US market entry strategy?
Start with evidence, not assumptions. Measure US demand from search and marketplace data, map the competitors buyers will compare you with, set a price that survives landed cost, and pick one or two entry channels. Then run a 90 day test with a fixed budget and written scale or stop rules. We build and run that plan while your US advisors handle entity, tax and import work.
Q02
How big is the US market for my product?
We estimate it from monthly US search volume for the category, marketplace sales ranks and review counts of the leading products, and the price points that sell. That gives a working view of demand and competition, not a guarantee. The real answer comes from the first 90 days of sales data, which is why the plan is built as a measured test.
Q03
Which channel should we launch with in the US?
For most consumer products, Amazon US or Google Shopping gives the fastest read on demand and price. Brands with strong margins and content often add a US storefront early. B2B and industrial products usually start with search and direct outreach. We rank the options by margin, speed to learning and risk for your specific product.
Q04
How much budget do we need to launch in the US?
It depends on category competition, price point and channel, so we do not quote a number before the market read. What we do is set a fixed test budget for the first 90 days, sized to produce enough clicks and sales to judge the result, plus inventory and advisor costs you plan with your accountant.
Q05
When should we hire a US team?
Usually after the 180 day phase, once a channel is profitable and the work is steady enough to need a full time owner. Hiring before demand is proven adds fixed cost to an unproven plan. Until then we run the launch, and your employment attorney advises on how to hire in the US when the time comes.
Q06
Do you handle US company formation, tax or customs?
No. We are a growth firm, not a law firm, accounting firm or customs broker. We coordinate with your attorney, accountant, customs broker and logistics provider so their work lines up with the launch calendar, and we run the commercial side: market read, pricing, positioning, channels, ads and reporting.
Work with us

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.

t@theoryroad.com