Nine small details that tell American buyers you're not from here
The product is rarely the problem. It's the euro sign, the decimal comma and the +372 phone number. Nine quick fixes that make a European company read as a local supplier.
American buyers decide in seconds whether a supplier is "here" or "over there." When I reviewed 23 Estonian exporters for the US-Readiness Index, the product was almost never the problem. The details were. None of them is expensive to fix, and together they change how a company reads.
1. Prices only in euros, or no prices at all
A euro price makes an American do two calculations: the exchange rate, and the import duties they suspect are hiding behind it. Show dollars, or at least a dollar range, and say whether duties and shipping are included.
2. Metric-only specifications
Show both. "120 cm (47 in)" costs nothing and tells a US buyer the product was made with them in mind. For heaters, ovens and anything with a temperature, add Fahrenheit.
3. European date formats
Americans read 03.04.2027 as March 4, not April 3. On US-facing pages, write dates out: April 3, 2027.
4. Decimal commas
"5,4 m²" reads as fifty-four to an American eye. Use a period for decimals and a comma for thousands: 5.4, and 12,000.
5. British spelling and translated phrasing
"Colour," "optimise" and "get acquainted with our offer" all quietly say "not American." US copy is plainer and more direct: "color," "optimize," "see pricing." The best test is to have an American read it aloud.
6. A +372 phone number and hours in Tallinn time
A virtual US number that forwards to your team costs a few dollars a month. List your hours in Eastern Time, even if that's "9 a.m. to noon ET." More on this in selling across time zones.
7. No US address, dealer or "where to buy"
American buyers want to know who stands behind the product locally. A distributor, a warehouse, a registered US company or even a named US representative is enough. If you have one, put it on the contact page and in the footer.
8. Shipping, duties and returns left unsaid
"Do you ship to the US?" should never be a question a buyer has to ask. Say where you ship from, how long it takes, who pays duties and how returns work.
9. Proof that only works at home
Testimonials from Tallinn and awards from Estonian competitions mean little to a buyer in Ohio. One American customer quote, one US project photo or one US certification does more than a page of European praise.
Where to start
Most companies can fix all nine in a week. If you only do three, do prices, units and a US contact. They answer the questions every American buyer has before they will even request a quote.
Selling to American buyers? I help Estonian, Nordic and Baltic companies adapt their websites, messaging and launch materials for the US market.
Request a free US-readiness scorecard
