U.S. entry is an entity and compliance project first
Before listings go live, confirm which legal entity will sell, collect sales tax, and sign marketplace agreements. International brands often underestimate state tax nexus, product compliance labels, and customs valuation consistency.
Build a simple market entry memo: entity, bank account, insurance, responsible party for product safety, and who signs vendor agreements with Amazon, Shopify, 3PL, and ad platforms.
Product compliance and labeling
Requirements vary by category: cosmetics, food, electronics, children's products, and dietary supplements each carry different FDA, CPSC, and labeling rules. Marketplace policy adds another layer on top of federal and state law.
- Confirm FDA or CPSC applicability by SKU category
- English labeling: ingredients, warnings, country of origin, contact
- Barcode validity (UPC/GTIN) and ownership documentation
- Certificate of analysis or test reports where category requires
- Customs HTS codes consistent with product description
Customs, duties, and landed cost
Landeds cost drives pricing and ad strategy. Model duties, freight, insurance, and customs broker fees before you set U.S. retail price. Surprises here show up as margin collapse six months in.
- Use a licensed customs broker for first shipments
- Align commercial invoice values with transfer pricing policy
- Factor demurrage and port delays into safety stock planning
- Compare LCL vs FCL at realistic MOQ for hero SKUs
- Track duty changes that affect core categories quarterly
Fulfillment architecture
Most international brands choose among FBA, U.S. 3PL, or hybrid. FBA simplifies Prime eligibility but requires inbound planning and U.S. labeling compliance. A 3PL may be better for wholesale and Shopify until Amazon velocity is proven.
- FBA: fast consumer delivery, Amazon handles last mile
- 3PL: flexible B2B, kitting, and DTC from one pool
- Bonded warehouse options if staggered channel launch
- Returns processing location and destruction rules defined
- SLA targets documented for each channel
Marketplace and channel sequencing
Amazon is often the default first channel for search-driven products, but it is not universal. Some brands launch DTC and Amazon simultaneously with strict inventory allocation rules to avoid stockouts on either side.
Wholesale and retail partnerships may require EDI, chargeback tolerance, and different packaging. Sequence channels you can operationally support, not every opportunity at once.
- Phase 1: Prove demand on one primary channel
- Phase 2: Add secondary channel with allocated inventory
- Phase 3: Expand retail or marketplace breadth
- Keep one U.S. pricing policy across channels to reduce conflict
- Register trademarks in the U.S. before gray market issues start
Tax, banking, and payments
Register for sales tax collection where you have nexus. Marketplace facilitators collect in many states, but your direct channels may not. Reconcile monthly with a U.S. accountant familiar with ecommerce.
- U.S. business bank account for USD settlements
- Sales tax registration and filing calendar
- Transfer pricing documentation if selling intercompany
- 1099-K and marketplace payout reconciliation process
- FX policy if home currency reporting is required
Go-to-market assets
U.S. shoppers expect localized copy, measurements, and support hours. Translate marketing claims carefully; regulatory language differs from EU or APAC norms.
- U.S. English PDP copy reviewed for compliance claims
- Photography with U.S. packaging and required label callouts
- Support email and phone coverage in U.S. time zones
- Returns policy aligned with channel requirements
- Review generation approach compliant with platform rules
90-day launch checklist
Treat the first 90 days as operational proof, not scale. Fix defect rates, stock continuity, and case response time before heavy ad spend.
- Entity, bank, and tax foundations complete
- First inventory landed and counted in WMS or Amazon
- Listings live with compliant copy and images
- Baseline KPIs tracked weekly: sessions, conversion, defects
- Account health and chargeback monitoring active
- Post-launch retrospective scheduled on day 90