Entering the United States marketplace is not a growth hack. It is a market entry. The difference matters because market entry requires infrastructure, compliance, capital, and operational discipline that a simple cross-listing strategy does not account for.
International brands that succeed in the US share a common trait: they treat the first 90 days as a structured buildout, not an experiment. They get the compliance foundations right, place inventory strategically, launch listings that meet US buyer expectations, and establish the operational cadence that supports scaling. Brands that treat the US launch as "let us put some products on Amazon and see what happens" almost always underperform, burn through their initial inventory budget, and conclude that the US market is too competitive. The market is competitive. But the brands that fail usually lost to operational gaps, not to competitors.
This post outlines what the first 90 days look like when done correctly.
Days 1-30: Foundation
Entity and Tax Considerations
Selling in the United States requires consideration of your business entity structure. While the specifics depend on your situation and should involve qualified legal and tax advisors, here are the operational considerations that affect marketplace setup:
EIN (Employer Identification Number): Amazon and Walmart require a US tax identification number. Foreign entities can obtain an EIN from the IRS. This process can take two to four weeks by mail or can be done by phone if you have a US-based representative. Do not start marketplace account setup until you have an EIN.
US bank account: Marketplace payouts go to a US bank account or through a payment service provider like Payoneer or World First that provides a virtual US account. Direct US bank accounts simplify operations and may reduce foreign exchange fees. The choice depends on your transaction volume and currency management preferences.
Sales tax considerations: The United States has no national sales tax. Instead, each state sets its own sales tax rates and rules. Marketplace facilitator laws now require Amazon, Walmart, and other major marketplaces to collect and remit sales tax on behalf of sellers in most states. This significantly simplifies compliance for marketplace sellers, but you may still have filing obligations in states where you have physical presence (nexus), including states where your inventory is stored in fulfillment centers. Consult a US tax advisor who specializes in e-commerce.
Product liability insurance: Amazon requires product liability insurance for professional seller accounts once you exceed $10,000 in sales in any month during the prior 12 months. Many brands obtain this before launch rather than scrambling to secure it mid-operation. A standard commercial general liability policy with product liability coverage is typical.
Compliance and Regulatory Requirements
The United States has regulatory requirements that differ from those in other markets. Common areas where international brands encounter issues:
Labeling requirements. Product labels for the US market must comply with federal and state regulations. For food products, the FDA requires Nutrition Facts panels in a specific format, ingredient lists in descending order by weight, allergen declarations, and net weight in both metric and US customary units. For cosmetics, the FDA requires ingredient lists using INCI nomenclature. For consumer electronics, FCC compliance marks may be required.
Product safety standards. Children's products must comply with CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) requirements, including third-party testing and a Children's Product Certificate. Products with small parts need choking hazard warnings. Products containing certain chemicals must comply with California Proposition 65 labeling requirements, which effectively means labeling for the entire US market since California is the largest state by population and Amazon does not ship to individual states selectively from FBA.
Import and customs. Products entering the US are subject to customs duties, which vary by product classification (HTS code). An experienced customs broker is essential for international brands. Misclassification of products can result in penalties, delays, and retroactive duty assessments. Your customs broker should also advise on any applicable anti-dumping duties or trade agreement benefits.
For brands navigating US entry with a marketplace distribution partner, the partner should be able to guide the compliance process, identify potential issues before they cause delays, and connect the brand with appropriate legal and regulatory advisors.
Account Setup
Amazon Seller Central: Account creation requires your business information, EIN, bank account details, and a valid credit card. Brand Registry, which provides access to A+ Content, Sponsored Brands advertising, and listing protection, requires a registered trademark in the US or an application through the Amazon IP Accelerator program. Brand Registry approval can take several weeks, so begin this process immediately.
Walmart Marketplace: Walmart's application process is more selective than Amazon's. Approval is not guaranteed, and the application review can take two to four weeks. Walmart evaluates your product catalog, pricing, fulfillment capabilities, and business credentials. Having a US entity, an established Amazon presence, and a professional website improves approval chances.
Apply for both platforms simultaneously. There is no benefit to waiting.
Days 15-45: Inventory and Listing Preparation
This phase overlaps with the foundation phase because some activities can run in parallel.
Initial Inventory Placement
The first inventory shipment to the United States sets the operational tone for the launch. Decisions to make:
Quantity. For a US launch, the initial shipment should cover 60 to 90 days of projected sales. Projecting sales for a product with no US history requires research: analyze competing products' sales estimates using marketplace analytics tools, account for your advertising budget and planned launch promotions, and be conservative. Overshipping creates storage cost problems. Undershipping means running out before you have enough data to make informed reorder decisions.
Fulfillment center selection. For Amazon FBA, you do not choose the specific fulfillment center. Amazon assigns receiving locations when you create a shipment. For Walmart WFS, the process is similar. What you do choose is whether your initial inventory ships directly from your international manufacturing facility to the US fulfillment centers or through a domestic warehouse.
Shipping through a domestic warehouse, even for the first shipment, has significant advantages. The warehouse serves as your compliance inspection point, your labeling and prep facility, and your buffer stock location. It also gives you the ability to fulfill direct-to-consumer orders or wholesale orders from the same inventory position.
Prep requirements. FBA and WFS have specific prep requirements: FNSKU labels (Amazon), product barcodes, poly bagging for certain product types, suffocation warnings on poly bags, and packaging standards for fragile items. International brands often need US-market-specific labeling applied at the prep facility, including English-language labels, UPC barcodes, and any required compliance labels.
Working with an operator who manages fulfillment and marketplace operations streamlines this process. The operator receives inventory, performs inspection, applies necessary labeling, preps to marketplace standards, and ships to fulfillment centers on a schedule that aligns with listing go-live dates.
Listing Creation
Listing creation for US marketplaces should not be a translation exercise. A listing that works in Germany, Japan, or Australia will not work in the United States without substantial adaptation.
Titles. Amazon US titles should be 150 to 200 characters, leading with the brand name, followed by the product name, key attributes (size, count, variant), and primary benefit. Walmart titles should be shorter, typically 50 to 75 characters. Both platforms penalize keyword stuffing.
Bullet points. US marketplace buyers scan bullet points more than they read descriptions. Each bullet should lead with a benefit and follow with a supporting fact. Avoid metric-only measurements; include US customary units (ounces, inches, pounds). Avoid British English spellings ("colour," "favourite") on US marketplace listings.
Images. US marketplace standards require pure white background main images. Secondary images should reflect US consumer contexts: American kitchens, American body types and skin tones in lifestyle images, American-style product usage scenarios. Images from other markets often look subtly wrong to US buyers, not because the product is different but because the context is unfamiliar.
A+ Content. Build A+ Content before launch, not after. The conversion rate difference between listings with and without A+ Content is significant, and every sale during the launch period matters for establishing organic ranking.
Backend Keyword Strategy
For international brands, the backend keyword strategy should include:
- American English spellings and terminology (not British English)
- Common American terms for the product category that may differ from other English-speaking markets
- Spanish-language terms for the product (the US Amazon marketplace serves a significant Spanish-speaking population)
- Common misspellings of the brand name and product category
Days 30-60: Launch Execution
First Purchase Order Cycle
If you are working through a domestic warehouse, your first PO cycle establishes the replenishment rhythm that sustains your US operation. The first PO is typically placed before the initial inventory runs out, usually around day 30 to 45 depending on your international manufacturing and shipping lead times.
Key decisions for the first replenishment PO:
- Quantity adjustment based on actual first-month sales versus projection
- SKU selection if some products are selling and others are not, shift allocation toward performers
- Shipping method — ocean freight versus air freight trade-off based on urgency and margin
The goal is to avoid a gap between your initial inventory depletion and your first replenishment arrival. Calculate backward from your projected stockout date, subtract your full lead time (manufacturing plus international transit plus customs plus domestic transit plus prep plus FBA receiving), and that gives you the date you need to place the PO. Add a two-week buffer for the first cycle because every step takes longer the first time.
Advertising Launch
Advertising on US marketplaces is not optional for new listings. Without advertising, a new listing has zero organic visibility. The advertising strategy for the first 30 days should focus on:
- Sponsored Products auto campaigns to discover which search terms convert for your product in the US market
- Sponsored Products manual campaigns targeting 15 to 20 high-relevance keywords identified through research
- Daily budget management to maintain consistent spend without exhausting budget early in the day
The advertising budget for the first 60 days should be treated as a launch investment, not a sustainable cost structure. Expect high ACoS (Advertising Cost of Sale) during this period. The goal is to generate sales velocity, accumulate reviews, and establish organic ranking, not to be profitable on advertising in month one.
Review Acquisition
The US marketplace is review-driven. Products with fewer than 15 reviews are at a significant disadvantage in conversion rate. Amazon's Vine program allows brand-registered sellers to enroll new ASINs and provide units to Vine reviewers. The cost is a per-unit fee plus the cost of the products provided. For a US launch, enrolling key SKUs in Vine on day one of the listing going live accelerates review acquisition.
Walmart does not have an equivalent program, so review accumulation on Walmart is slower and depends on organic purchases and post-purchase review request emails.
Days 60-90: Optimization and Baseline Establishment
Baseline Metrics
By day 60, you should have enough data to establish baseline metrics for your US operation:
- Daily unit sales by SKU
- Conversion rate by listing (sessions to orders)
- Advertising ACoS and TACoS (Total Advertising Cost of Sale)
- Return rate by SKU with return reason breakdown
- Organic ranking for priority keywords
- Review count and average rating
- Inventory days of supply (current inventory divided by daily sales rate)
These baselines inform every decision going forward: which SKUs to invest in, which listings need improvement, what advertising budget is sustainable, and when to expand the catalog.
First Optimization Cycle
Using 60 days of data, run the first optimization cycle:
- Listing optimization: Update titles, bullet points, and images based on search term data from advertising reports and customer feedback from reviews and returns
- Advertising optimization: Negate non-converting search terms, increase bids on high-converting terms, launch Sponsored Brands campaigns if Brand Registry is approved
- Pricing adjustment: Evaluate pricing against actual competitive landscape and adjust based on margin targets and sales velocity goals
- Inventory rebalancing: Adjust safety stock levels based on actual velocity, update reorder points, plan for any seasonal adjustments in the next quarter
Scaling Decisions
At day 90, the brand has enough data to make informed scaling decisions:
- Expand the catalog — launch additional SKUs based on initial performance and competitive analysis
- Add Walmart if the initial launch was Amazon-only, or vice versa
- Explore wholesale distribution alongside marketplace sales
- Increase advertising investment on proven performers
- Evaluate fulfillment options — FBA only, or FBA plus merchant fulfilled for backup
For international brands that want structured support through this entire process, from pre-launch compliance through day-90 optimization, request a Snapshot assessment to evaluate your readiness. If you have inventory ready to move and need an operational partner to manage the US launch, apply here or contact us directly to discuss your timeline and catalog.
The first 90 days are a buildout. Every shortcut taken during this period creates a problem that compounds over the following months. Brands that invest in getting the foundation right have a materially higher success rate in the US market than those that rush to list and figure it out later.
FAQ
Do I need a US business entity to sell on Amazon in the United States?
No. Amazon allows foreign entities to create seller accounts on the US marketplace. You will need an EIN from the IRS, a valid bank account (which can be a virtual US account through services like Payoneer), and a credit card. However, some brands choose to establish a US entity for liability protection, banking convenience, and tax efficiency. Consult with a qualified advisor about your specific situation before making this decision.
How long does it take to get a product from an international factory to Amazon FBA?
The total lead time from placing a production order to having inventory available for sale on Amazon FBA typically ranges from 8 to 16 weeks. This includes manufacturing time (varies by product), international shipping (2 to 5 weeks by ocean, 1 to 2 weeks by air), customs clearance (1 to 5 business days with a good customs broker), domestic transit to a prep facility (3 to 7 days), prep and labeling (1 to 3 business days), transit to Amazon fulfillment center (3 to 7 days), and Amazon receiving (3 to 21 days depending on season and facility). Air freight cuts the total by 2 to 4 weeks but increases shipping costs significantly.
What advertising budget should an international brand plan for a US marketplace launch?
A reasonable starting point for a US launch is $1,500 to $5,000 per month per product line for the first 60 to 90 days, depending on category competitiveness and average selling price. In highly competitive categories like supplements or beauty, budgets at the higher end or above are common. The key metric is not the total spend but the relationship between advertising spend and sales velocity needed to establish organic ranking. Plan for a high ACoS (40% to 80%) in the first 30 days that should decrease to 25% to 40% by day 60 as campaigns optimize and organic sales increase.
What is the most common reason international brands fail in the US marketplace?
Undercapitalization and impatience. Brands that allocate budget for one shipment and 30 days of advertising, then expect profitability, almost always fail. A realistic US launch requires capital for 6 months of inventory (including two replenishment cycles), 90 days of advertising at launch-level budgets, compliance and setup costs, and ongoing operational costs. The brands that succeed plan for a 6 to 12 month runway before the US operation becomes self-sustaining. The ones that treat it as a 90-day test with minimal investment typically do not generate enough data or momentum to make informed decisions about the market.