Reduced fees for 2026 = bigger margins. This is how much you can saveReduced fees for 2026 = bigger margins. This is how much you can saveSuccess stories from our sellers
In conversation with BOSKA
Get insights into selling on Amazon.com
BOSKA is an experienced Amazon sales partner based in the Netherlands, offering high-quality kitchen tools. The company began selling on Amazon in the EU in 2019 and expanded to the USA in 2021 after switching from the Vendor model to the Seller model.
Entering the US market presents a huge opportunity with tremendous potential.- Ramón de RuijterMarketplace Manager
Tell us about your business and how your Amazon journey in Europe began.
At BOSKA, we make Food Tools for Life, because we believe quality means sustainability. Our goal is to develop products that last a lifetime. It all began near Gouda in Holland, where the blacksmith Willem Bos made his first cheese tools for local farmers in 1896. Since then, it has been our family tradition to develop practical and innovative tools to help you enjoy cheese, pizza, chocolate, meat and vegetables to the fullest. That’s our passion! Whether you're cutting, melting, or serving, our clever and fun tools make every dish a pleasure and every table a celebration. We started selling on Amazon in the EU five years ago. This marked a cultural shift from a pure B2B approach to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy. Marketplaces play a key role in our overall D2C strategy. Since Germany is one of Europe's largest economies and Amazon is the leading marketplace there, it was the natural starting point for our expansion.
What inspired you to expand into the USA with Amazon?
We originally started with Amazon in the USA before expanding to Europe. We had a vendor relationship with Amazon in the USA for a long time. However, three years ago, we made the strategic decision to end this vendor partnership and continue exclusively as a seller, giving us greater control over our products and brand.
Three years ago, we made the strategic decision to continue exclusively as a seller, giving us greater control over our products and brand.
At what point in your expansion did you decide to enter the US market and why? Have you already expanded to other English-speaking countries, such as the UK? If so, why did you choose those markets first?
As already mentioned, we initially established a vendor partnership in the USA before expanding into the European market, so we deliberately chose to start in an English-speaking country. We then entered the UK market two years ago. We had originally intended to take this step earlier, but the effects of Brexit delayed it and disrupted our expansion plans.
How is your company structured in the USA?
We have a US company with its own office and local team. However, all e-commerce activities are managed from our headquarters in the Netherlands. The presence of a US entity significantly simplifies our business operations and market access.
How did you deal with taxes? Did you have outside assistance?
We currently use Avalara for tax compliance and reporting. Because we have a US company and also sell through other channels in the USA, all tax matters are managed properly and in accordance with local regulations.
How did you deal with product compliance and the requirements and regulations of the US market?
Having our own company and local employees is a big advantage for us, allowing us to adapt when necessary.
What tools or software do you use to create and manage listings in the US store?
We use an integrator, ChannelEngine, to support our processes. As we offer around 100 SKUs in the USA, manual management is still quite feasible.
How do you ensure that the translations and the quality of your content are correct? Do you use specific tools for this?
At Boska, we have our own content coordinator who helps us create high-quality content. We also work with an in-house studio team responsible for image design. Most of the work is handled internally, so we are not reliant on external tools.
What does your supply chain and inbound logistics setup look like?
We operate several factories around the world, which ship their products to one of our external logistics partners (3PL). Our 3PL facilities are located in Europe, the UK and the USA. The 3PL partner that we currently use in the USA helps us replenish FBA stocks by receiving all incoming products from our factories and distributing them to our customers and all of our sales channels.
How did you handle customs and import regulations? Did your logistics partner help you with this?
We have a logistics manager who monitors and coordinates customs and import compliance in collaboration with our external partners.
How do you handle international returns?
Products can be returned directly to our 3PL partners, who handle the logistics. To keep returns via Amazon as low as possible, we participate in the Grade & Resell programme.
What is your advertising and marketing strategy? Which tools do you rely on?
We don’t use any external tools, as all advertising activities are managed in-house. We treat our Amazon Stores with the same care and attention as our own webshop and ensure that our products are presented attractively across all platforms. Advertising plays a central role in increasing our visibility and expanding brand awareness. We use Amazon's full range of advertising solutions, including Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Video and Sponsored Display, with the aim of maximising our brand presence in the categories relevant to us.
We treat our Amazon Stores with the same care and attention as our own webshop and ensure that our products are presented attractively across all platforms.
Do you see a significant difference between European and US customers?
We sell food tools, products that help you prepare, cook and serve food. We can see significant regional differences, even within Europe, which are due to different eating habits and usage patterns in the individual countries. Cheese is a good example: in the Netherlands and Germany, hard cheeses such as Gouda are the most popular. In France, people prefer softer cheeses such as Tête de Moine or Brie. In the USA, semi-hard cheeses such as mozzarella or cheddar are common, while in Italy, hard cheeses such as Parmesan are preferred. Because each type of cheese requires a specific knife, certain products perform better in some regions than in others. This is why we also tailor our content to each market, as the same tools may used for very different foods depending on the region.
How do you decide which products to sell in the USA?
We have a long-standing partnership as a vendor and have our own B2B department in the USA. This structure has contributed to stronger sales performance and given us valuable insights into successful product strategies.
How long did it take for your expansion to be profitable? Can you share any valuable insights you've gained along the way?
We were profitable right from the start, albeit not with the highest margins. Through continuous learning and optimisation, we have steadily improved our profitability. The key is to always keep track of all costs and to know the exact margin for each product. It is crucial to identify areas where money is being lost and address them in a targeted manner. If necessary, we adjust product prices based on thorough market analyses. Whether increasing or lowering prices, these adjustments can have a significant effect on performance.
The key is to always keep track of all costs and to know the exact margin of each product.
Where do you see your Amazon business in the USA in the next 12 months?
Our margins in the USA are under pressure due to external factors. To maintain healthy profitability, we need to review our pricing strategy and analyse competitors’ responses to these developments over the coming months. Our priority will be to stabilise and optimise our listings to ensure consistency and reliability. We have identified several target categories that we intend to develop strategically in order to improve our ranking and visibility. This will be a key focus and we are confident of achieving stronger positions in these segments.
What are your closing remarks and key advice for selling partners who are setting out to expand into the USA?
Go for it. The USA is an important market with enormous potential. It's understandable that regulations and taxes can seem daunting at first, but with the right advice from a qualified expert, you'll be well equipped to successfully navigate them.
On this website, we use cookies and similar tools (collectively, "cookies") to provide and improve services and to show you advertisements. To learn more about how Amazon uses cookies, please read our Amazon Cookies Notice.
