The Preparation: Point of departure
Daniel’s journey with SPACEGOATS began in May 2021, initially expanding his presence across all pan-European marketplaces. Having successfully exploited the local market and established a strong European foothold, Daniel sought to elevate his ambitions even further by venturing into the lucrative USA market. As an early adopter and ‘alpha customer’ of SPACEGOATS, he readily embraced the pilot project for US expansion.
Given his long-standing relationship with SPACEGOATS and his deep understanding of our internal processes and the GALAXY platform, the initial step was seamless: a simple additional agreement paved his way into the American market.
While many aspects of US expansion were initially uncharted territory for both Daniel and SPACEGOATS, particularly regarding import logistics, these early challenges were instrumental in refining our processes. Daniel recalls: “It was tricky with the import, but that was because I was the ‘alpha customer’ and had to test the waters first, so there was a lot of back and forth about who was going to do the import – it was a bit confusing.” These initial teething problems, though challenging at the time, led to significant improvements in our operational framework, transforming what was once a complex manual process into the streamlined, automated system we offer today.
What emerged from these early explorations was a surprisingly simple and cost-effective import solution. For Daniel’s first shipment of 25 packages, all he needed to do was provide his agent in China with the US shipping address and pay approximately 400€, a testament to the efficiency we developed. Today, SPACEGOATS’ end-to-end service handles all logistics, compliance, and operations, making such manual coordination a thing of the past.
The take-off: Needs and aspirations
Daniel’s primary goal was to penetrate the US market without the complexities of direct tax registration across multiple states, opening a US bank account, or navigating the intricate regulatory requirements for selling in the USA. SPACEGOATS provided the ideal solution, acting as a comprehensive enabler.
The American Amazon market is approximately six times larger than the German market, presenting immense potential. However, this vast market also comes with significantly higher competition, directly influencing PPC costs.
Daniel’s strategic approach for his product focused on the Pareto principle: „clearly 80/20, just put the most important keywords into a sponsored products campaign and avoid sponsored brands, video, etc., for the launch. Those are all things you can tackle later, since there is such a large volume being converted in the U.S. that all of that isn’t even necessary for the beginning.“
Despite the higher CPC (cost per click) in the US, Daniel achieved profitability with his niche product within the first month. Following the Lunar New Year in 2023, he successfully scaled further with his other listings, leveraging SPACEGOATS’ enhanced capabilities.
The space (goat) travel: Development at SPACEGOATS
Daniel’s success since November marked a pivotal moment, and since then, numerous sellers have followed suit. While Daniel’s journey began with a pilot in 2021, SPACEGOATS has since evolved its US operations into a core, mature part of its business, offering a far more streamlined and sophisticated service. No longer just a pilot, the US market is now one of 12+ countries SPACEGOATS serves seamlessly, with a comprehensive global infrastructure.
Recognizing that not every product is suitable for every market, SPACEGOATS now provides a thorough potential and margin analysis for every seller considering the USA, or any of our other global markets. Our aim is to ensure maximum success for our partners.
Through SPACEGOATS and its robust network of partners, launching into international markets has become a standardized, efficient process. Leveraging tools like BidX across our pan-EU and US programs, and initial market analysis through Helium10, brands gain critical insights into keywords, market dynamics, and competitors. Our partnerships with local logistics providers in the USA, who manage Pre-FBA, coupled with SPACEGOATS operationally managing the Amazon account, ensure a smooth transition. This means that after successful product selection and a comprehensive compliance check, selling in the USA and beyond is readily achievable.
So, for all those aspiring to global reach, what are the key takeaways from our refined processes?
Here are Daniel’s valuable tips, recontextualized with SPACEGOATS‘ current offerings:
No.1 Reviews and ratings from your home market listing are now seamlessly transferred and displayed as global ratings. This feature significantly aids initial launches by providing instant credibility and eliminating the need to start from scratch in a new marketplace.
No.2 Says Daniel: „Don’t worry so much about the import. For many Chinese manufacturers, this is daily business, and with SPACEGOATS, it will be even easier. If I had known it was so easy, so fast, and so cheap, I would have sent more directly to the USA.“ Today, our fully automated, software-driven operations, coupled with Ground Control, our operational hub, simplify the entire logistics chain, making international shipping faster and more predictable than ever before.
No.3 Compliance remains a critical aspect in the US and all international markets. Products must meet specific regional requirements, potentially needing different labels, certificates, or lab tests. While monitoring may not always be as strict as in Europe, ensuring product insurance is in place is crucial. Our Compliance & Consulting services now proactively handle these nuances, analyzing every product destined for sale in the States or any other global market to ensure full regulatory adherence and risk mitigation, often managing preparations at a global level.
No.4 If you don’t require your own amazon.com account (which is unnecessary with SPACEGOATS), optimize your listing by using American-specific images as your main visuals. This involves adjusting your German listings‘ images to prevent them from appearing on the American marketplace, ensuring cultural relevance and market-specific optimization.
No.5 While internal improvements are continuous, SPACEGOATS has significantly evolved beyond its beta phase. Our GALAXY cockpit now provides real-time sales, inventory, and fee data, managed from an intuitive all-in-one dashboard. For enhanced communication and project management, every seller working with SPACEGOATS internationally benefits from dedicated communication channels, including specific teams and direct contacts, ensuring that feedback is swiftly implemented and operations run smoothly.
The Experience: Satisfaction with SPACEGOATS
„Because I was able to go through the process once as an Alpha customer, it naturally bumped a bit at the beginning, but the communication of everyone involved was great and every feedback was also always implemented directly. The logistics were surprisingly fast, cheap, and uncomplicated, and the guys in America are fast and super uncomplicated; it’s just fun to work with them and SPACEGOATS.“ Daniel’s early experiences have directly contributed to the robust, scalable, and transparent services SPACEGOATS offers today. With our global reach, sophisticated tech stack, and commitment to providing real-time data and full control to brands, we now support over 100 brands in conquering 12+ countries, enabling them to go live within 30 days and manage all their marketplace and Shopify channels from one powerful cockpit, GALAXY. This evolution ensures that current and future SPACEGOATS partners benefit from a highly optimized, risk-reduced, and fully scalable international expansion journey.
