MARKET ENTRY GERMANY · FROM NORTH AMERICA
Your path into the German market begins in Berlin.
You sell from the US or Canada into Germany?
The practical starter guide for US and Canadian brands: how to sell into Germany and the EU — with or without your own German company. We show you which route fits your business, with a fulfillment partner in Berlin who has done this before, and German attorneys at your side from day one.
No obligation · 15 minutes · no preparation needed
THE GERMAN MARKET
The largest market in the EU — and the catch almost every brand misses.
Germany is the largest e-commerce market in the EU — over 80 million consumers who love quality products from North America. The catch: as soon as your goods physically enter the EU, a set of German and EU requirements kicks in that surprises almost every US and Canadian brand we work with.
We know these requirements — and we have taken North American brands through them before.
80m+
consumers in the
EU's largest e-commerce market
450 m+
reachable consumers
across the EU
The four hurdles every North American brand faces
01
Do I need a German company?
No — but without one you cannot act as importer of your own goods and depend on an indirect customs representative.
02
When do I need a German VAT number?
Before your first sale— as soon as goods are stored in Berlin — followed by ongoing VAT returns.
03
Is my US bank account enough?
No — the German tax office settles via SEPA, and a German business account takes time for non-EU companies.
04
Whose address appears on my product?
Someone established in the EU — depending on your category, a named responsible person.
Four hurdles,
one structure.
What we see in practice: for brands that are serious about the EU, a lean German GmbH is the shorter route — faster and cheaper than most North American founders expect. Eggert & Partner handles the incorporation, Media Impuls runs the operation. The direct setup remains a valid option at low volumes.
no indirect customs representative
in your own name
no third-party service on your packaging
under the EU product liability rules
The four hurdles every North American brand faces
01
Do I need a German company?
No — but without one you cannot act as importer of your own goods and depend on an indirect customs representative.
02
When do I need a German VAT number?
Before your first sale— as soon as goods are stored in Berlin — followed by ongoing VAT returns.
03
Is my US bank account enough?
No — the German tax office settles via SEPA, and a German business account takes time for non-EU companies.
04
Whose address appears on my product?
Someone established in the EU — depending on your category, a named responsible person.
Four hurdles,
one structure.
What we see in practice: for brands that are serious about the EU, a lean German GmbH is the shorter route — faster and cheaper than most North American founders expect. Eggert & Partner handles the incorporation, Media Impuls runs the operation. The direct setup remains a valid option at low volumes.
no indirect customs representative
in your own name
no third-party service on your packaging
under the EU product liability rules
Sectors
What your product category actually requires
From our Berlin warehouse we ship consumer goods of every kind — and every category enters the German market through its own gate. Here are the six we handle most often, each with the requirement that decides your launch date.
Beauty & Cosmetics
Cosmetics need an EU responsible person and a product notification in the EU portal (CPNP)before a single unit may be sold.
Food Supplements
Food supplements must be notified to the BVL before sale and labelled in German — with tight limits on health claims.
Phone Accessories & Electronics
Electronics require WEEEregistration through an authorised representative, and anything containing a battery an additional registration under the German Battery Act.
Pet Brands
Pet food and pet supplies need German labelling and — like every consumer product — an EU-established economic operator named on the packaging.
Home & Lifestyle
onsumer goods need an EU-established economic operator named on the product under the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) .
Coffee & Tea
Food products need German-language labelling under EU food law (FIC) and complete import documentation for every shipment.
One rule applies to every category: registration in the German packaging register LUCID and participation in a recycling scheme is mandatory — and as your fulfillment provider, we are legally required to verify it before we ship a single parcel.
Sectors
What your product category actually requires
From our Berlin warehouse we ship consumer goods of every kind — and every category enters the German market through its own gate. Here are the six we handle most often, each with the requirement that decides your launch date.
Beauty & Cosmetics
Cosmetics need an EU responsible person and a product notification in the EU portal (CPNP)before a single unit may be sold.
Food Supplements
Food supplements must be notified to the BVL before sale and labelled in German — with tight limits on health claims.
Phone Accessories & Electronics
Electronics require WEEEregistration through an authorised representative, and anything containing a battery an additional registration under the German Battery Act.
Pet Brands
Pet food and pet supplies need German labelling and — like every consumer product — an EU-established economic operator named on the packaging.
Home & Lifestyle
onsumer goods need an EU-established economic operator named on the product under the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) .
Coffee & Tea
Food products need German-language labelling under EU food law (FIC) and complete import documentation for every shipment.
One rule applies to every category: registration in the German packaging register LUCID and participation in a recycling scheme is mandatory — and as your fulfillment provider, we are legally required to verify it before we ship a single parcel.
You don't just need a warehouse. You need a team on the ground.
Market entry takes more than storage space. With us you get an operational partner, a law firm and tax expertise — coordinated with each other, so you have one point of contact instead of five.
Media Impuls
Your operational partner
Warehousing and fulfillment from Berlin, EU-wide shipping, returns, a local address, and the coordination of your entire market entry.
Eggert & Partner Rechtsanwälte
Your legal partner
A Berlin law firm with many years of experience in e-commerce, cross-border trade, EU product compliance and data protection — hand in hand with Media Impuls.
Tax advisors from our network
Tax expertise
English-speaking and experienced with non-EU sellers: VAT registration, ongoing filings, and questions around customs and import.
Secure your legally sound market entry from a single source.
From first call to first parcel
Free first call
We review your product category, sales channels and volumes, and show you which registrations you actually need.
Structure & compliance
Together with Eggert & Partner Rechtsanwälte we determine your structure — GmbH or direct setup — and set VAT registration, EORI, LUCID and, where required, the EU responsible person in motion.
First shipment to Berlin
Your goods clear EU customs and arrive at our warehouse in Berlin — receiving, quality check and storage are handled by us.
Go-live
We connect your shop system — Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce and more — and ship across Germany and the EU, returns included.
4–8 weeks
from first call to first order shipped
From first call to first parcel
01
Free first call
We review your product category, sales channels and volumes, and show you which registrations you actually need.
02
Structure & compliance
Together with Eggert & Partner Rechtsanwälte we determine your structure — GmbH or direct setup — and set VAT registration, EORI, LUCID and, where required, the EU responsible person in motion.
03
First shipment to Berlin
Your goods clear EU customs and arrive at our warehouse in Berlin — receiving, quality check and storage are handled by us.
04
Go-live
We connect your shop system — Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce and more — and ship across Germany and the EU, returns included.
4–8 weeks
from first call to first order shipped
Media Impuls in comparison
Brands selling from North America usually choose between long delivery times and anonymous large-scale providers. Here is how the options compare.
|
Media Impuls |
Direct shipping from the US or Canada |
Classic 3PL in the EU |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Delivery time to the end customer |
1-2 days |
1-3 weeks |
1-2 days |
|
Warehousing & shipping in Germany |
|||
|
Returns processing in Germany |
Partly |
||
|
German address & return address |
Via vetted partners |
Partly |
|
|
Support with VAT, EORI & LUCID setup |
|||
|
Legal partner for market entry |
|||
|
Experience with US & Canadian brands |
|||
|
Dedicated contact |
|||
|
Everything from a single source |
Media Impuls in comparison
Brands selling from North America usually choose between long delivery times and anonymous large-scale providers. Here is how the options compare.
|
Media Impuls |
Direct shipping from the US or Canada |
Classic 3PL in the EU |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Delivery time to the end customer |
1-2 days |
1-3 weeks |
1-2 days |
|
Warehousing & shipping in Germany |
|||
|
Retouren- abwicklung in Deutschland |
Partly |
||
|
German address & return address |
Via vetted partners |
Partly |
|
|
Support with VAT, EORI & LUCID setup |
|||
|
Legal partner for market entry |
|||
|
Experience with US & Canadian brands |
|||
|
Dedicated contact |
|||
|
Everything from a single source |
Your warehouse. Your systems.
One app.
Your warehouse at a glance.
Our customer portal syncs your shop with our warehouse in real time. Orders, inventory, shipping status – all in one overview, available anytime. From the office, from home or on the go, you manage your entire fulfillment in a single app.
Connected to your setup.
We connect to your systems – so orders flow to us automatically.
Whether Shopify, Shopware, Amazon or ERP systems like Xentral and JTL – your existing tools connect seamlessly to our warehouse. Orders, inventory and shipping status flow automatically between systems, so you can focus on your business instead of transferring data by hand.
Testimonials
What our clients say about us
"Since we started working with Media Impuls, I can focus on what I do well. In March I had 40% more new orders than the year before – and I'm certainly very glad I no longer have to handle any boxes myself."
"I cannot begin to express the deep appreciation we have for our partnership with Media Impuls. The Media Impuls team is professional, efficient, and cost effective for a multi-national company like ours which does business in the EU and the United States with many brands. Specifically, David Kaiser, Manger of Customer Sales & Success, has done everything possible to ensure the success of our EU distribution strategy. We are unbelievably appreciative to have such competent partners in the process and look forward to continued success together."
"Partnering with Media Impuls has been essential in scaling my business. Beyond their seamless logistics and reliable delivery, the team acts as a true extension of my own staff, providing the personal attention and flexibility I need to navigate the complexities of e-commerce. I especially appreciate their proactive support and the way they step in to catch my occasional oversights—they truly have my back."
"Working with Media Impuls is a real asset to our inspection processes. As a platform for digital vehicle trading, we depend on the smooth supply of our vehicle appraisers across the entire field – and this is exactly where the Media Impuls team excels. From goods receipt and storage to on-time shipping, every step of the process fits together seamlessly. We particularly value that Media Impuls goes far beyond pure fulfillment – from individual onboarding packages for our vehicle appraisers to flexible custom solutions in day-to-day operations. We are extremely grateful to have such a competent and proactive partner at our side."
Brands and organizations that trust us.
"We've been doing fulfillment for over 20 years – owner-led, in Berlin, with the same values as on day one. Our clients stay because they know who they're talking to. We grow with their businesses, not against them. That's our understanding of 3PL – as a partner, not a platform."
Tony Haack
CEO
Next Step
We're here for you, personally
Whether you need a concrete quote or simply want to know how we work – with us, you won't end up in a ticketing system. You speak directly with a person who knows your industry, understands your questions and takes the time. The way it should be.
Initial consultation – free & no obligation
FAQs
Frequent questions about selling from North America into Germany
You sell from the US or Canada and want to open up the German market? The same questions come up early — company, VAT, customs and responsible person. Here are the most important answers. For your specific case, we'll work through the rest in a personal first call.
Do I have to found a German GmbH?
Have to: no. Should you: in most cases, yes. A US Inc. or Canadian corporation can register directly for VAT and sell — a valid route for testing the market at low volumes. The downside: you cannot act as importer of your own goods and depend on an indirect customs representative, opening a bank account is harder, and for many product categories you additionally have to contract a third party as your EU responsible person. A lean German GmbH removes all four at once, signals commitment to German B2B partners, marketplaces and payment providers, and is less effort than most founders expect. Eggert & Partner Rechtsanwälte handles the incorporation; in the free first call we help you decide which route fits your volumes and your product category.
Which registrations do I need before I can sell?
Five things have to be in place before your first sale, and they build on one another. First, the structure: your own German GmbH or the direct setup. Second, VAT registration with the responsible tax office. Third, the EORI number, without which no import into the EU is possible. Fourth, registration in the packaging register LUCID together with a recycling scheme. And fifth, where your product category requires it, the EU responsible person. We coordinate the entire process so you have one point of contact instead of five — the legal work sits with Eggert & Partner Rechtsanwälte, the tax work with tax advisors from our network.
Who is the importer of my goods?
With your own German GmbH the answer is simple: your GmbH imports the goods and reclaims the import VAT — clean and future-proof. Without your own company, as a non-EU business you work with an indirect customs representative for import clearance, who becomes jointly liable for customs duties. In both cases you need an EORI number; without it, no import into the EU is possible. We help you set this up with our customs partners.
How does German VAT registration work?
As soon as you store goods in a German warehouse, you need a German VAT registration before your first sale. Non-EU companies do not register locally but with a centrally responsible tax office — for US companies and Canadian companies, specific tax offices are responsible; which one applies depends on your company's country of incorporation. From then on you file ongoing VAT returns. A local tax advisor typically handles this for manageable monthly fees; we connect you with English-speaking tax advisors from our network.
Do I need a German bank account?
The German tax office pays refunds and collects payments preferably via a SEPA account. Opening a traditional German business account is slow for non-EU companies — modern EU business accounts and payment providers, by contrast, solve this in days rather than months. With your own German GmbH, the regular route is open to you. We tell you what has worked in practice for our clients, so you don't lose weeks on applications that were never going to be approved.
Do I need an EU responsible person?
That depends on your product category. Since the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), every consumer product sold online into the EU needs an EU-established economic operator named on the product or its packaging. Cosmetics additionally require a responsible person and a notification in the EU cosmetics portal (CPNP); electronics require WEEE registration through an authorised representative, and anything containing a battery a registration under the German Battery Act. With your own German GmbH you are your own EU economic operator, your local address and your return address — an external service provider is then not needed.
