Expanding From Amazon UK to Amazon US: A PPC Launch Plan

Amazon.com is the largest Amazon store, and for many UK brands it is the obvious next market. The ad side looks familiar, but a US launch starts from zero: no sales history in that store, no rank, and different words in every search.

This plan covers the account steps Amazon lists for selling in the US from the UK, what does and does not carry over, and a 90-day pay-per-click (PPC) plan to build rank without burning budget.

Step 1: the account and the listings

Amazon's Global Selling programme is the route from the UK to the US. Amazon lists these steps and requirements:

• A unified North America account: one account reaches the US, Canada and Mexico. Linked UK and US accounts pay the equivalent of USD 39.99 a month, or the sum of the regional fees if that is lower.
• Documents: a government ID, phone number, email, a credit card that can be charged internationally, a bank account, a business licence, and proof of address in Europe or the US from the last 180 days. Amazon may also ask for photo or video identity checks.
• Tax: a self-service tax interview in Seller Central.
• A US company: Amazon says a European business may not need to form one.
• Product compliance: US rules can differ from UK rules. Amazon points to its Compliance Reference tool.
• Shipping: Amazon's SEND programme and Amazon Global Logistics move stock from the UK to US fulfilment centres.
• Getting paid: Amazon's Currency Converter can pay out US sales in pounds.

Amazon's Build International Listings tool can copy your UK listings to the US. Reviews carry over to the product page, but not to search results or best-seller rank. In US search, you start from zero.

Step 2: Brand Registry and trademarks

You need Brand Registry for Sponsored Brands, Sponsored Display and Stores. Amazon accepts a trademark issued by the government office of any country that has an Amazon store, so a UK trademark can enrol your brand. You choose one office at enrolment and can add others later.

Amazon also recommends a trademark for each country store you sell in. Many brands file a US trademark before a big US launch. Ask a trademark lawyer what protection your UK mark gives you in the US.

Why your UK numbers will not carry over

• Different words: US shoppers search "diaper", "color", "sneakers" and "flashlight", not "nappy", "colour", "trainers" and "torch".
• Different competition: the US has more searches and more sellers on most terms, so clicks often cost more.
• No rank yet: organic rank in the US comes from US sales. Ads have to carry more of the early sales.
• A different calendar: in 2026 the US Big Spring Sale ran 25 to 31 March, while UK Spring Deal Days ran 10 to 16 March.

So set US targets from US numbers. Your UK ACoS is a reference point, not a forecast.

Step 3: US keyword research

Start with what you know, then let US shoppers correct it.

1. Translate your best UK keywords into US words and spelling.
2. Add the terms US competitors use in their titles and Sponsored Brands headlines.
3. Run an automatic campaign and a broad-match campaign to collect real US search terms.
4. Once you have US sales, open Search Query Performance in Brand Analytics to see your share of each search.

Step 4: a 90-day PPC launch plan

Set a launch ACoS ceiling above break-even on purpose, with an end date. Without an end date, a launch budget becomes a permanent loss.

Step 5: a launch budget you can defend

Work out a daily budget from the clicks you need, not from a round number. An example with assumed figures:

Replace the assumed figures with your own after the first two weeks. Suggested bids in the Amazon Ads console are a better starting point than any average.

Step 6: reporting across two marketplaces

Run UK and US campaigns separately and report them together. Amazon notes that advertising in several countries may mean several currencies, and its currency view only changes what you see. Pick one reporting currency, convert at a fixed rate each month, and compare ACoS, TACoS and total sales side by side. Our international PPC service works this way.

US sale events to plan for

Plan your first US event six to eight weeks ahead. A new listing with no rank gains less from an event than an established one, so many brands use their first event to build reviews and rank rather than to chase profit.

Common mistakes

• Launching with UK keywords: US shoppers use different words.
• Expecting reviews to bring rank: reviews show on the page but do not move US search rank.
• No end date on the launch ACoS: set the date before you start.
• One budget for both markets: run and judge each market on its own numbers.
• Skipping US compliance checks: a listing taken down mid-launch wastes the budget behind it.

Selling on Amazon.co.uk today? See how we run Amazon PPC for UK brands, or start with our UK PPC guide.