Formal at first
Use “Dear Mr Schneider” or “Dear Ms Weber”, a clear subject line and a proper signature with your name, role and company. First names come later, when the buyer offers them.
FROM THE BUYING SIDE · CHINA TO GERMANY
From China to Germany: what Chinese consumer-tech brands often get wrong.
In my experience, the product is rarely the problem. When Chinese brands struggle in Germany, it is usually the range, the price, missing local trust or the way they contact buyers. As a buyer, I saw offers from all over the world: Asia, the US and Europe, and many of them from China. Many of those products were good. A lot of them still never reached a German shelf.
I have worked with Asian brands such as MOMAX and PITAKA, and with Chinese suppliers over many years. I know how fast teams in Guangdong can develop a product, sample it and produce it in volume. That speed is a real strength.
In Germany, buyers also want patience and reliability over years. This page is for brand owners and overseas sales managers who want to build long-term business here.
THE COMMON GAPS
Six things I would fix before the first meeting.
Thinking only in e-commerce
Many brands plan Germany as an Amazon project. That can be a start. But retail buyers want to see that a brand is serious about retail before they list it.
Too many products
A German buyer does not want your full range. They want the three products that are better than what is on their shelf today. Start with those.
A price built for export
An FOB price says little to a German buyer. They calculate back from the shelf price: VAT, their margin, promotions, logistics. If you have not done this math, they will, and the answer is usually no.
No German-speaking sales person
English is fine for first emails. For regular business, a person who speaks German, knows the market and can visit the buyer helps a lot.
A trade show without a plan
A stand at IFA with no meetings booked and no follow-up is expensive. The real work happens in the weeks after the show.
Giving the whole market to one partner
An exclusive deal with the first distributor who says yes can block you for years. Know what you need from a partner before you sign.
TRUST
What makes a German buyer feel safe with a new brand.
Each point answers a question the buyer will ask anyway. If you answer it early, you save weeks.
- A contact in the EU. A named person or company in Europe who answers questions. For consumer products sold in the EU, product safety rules also expect a responsible person in the EU.
- Stock in Europe. Retailers reorder small amounts and expect delivery within days. Stock in an EU warehouse, yours or a partner’s, is often the first question.
- German content. Packaging, manual, product pages and images in real German. Machine translation is easy to spot.
- Service and returns. A clear answer to “what happens when a customer brings it back?”
- Proof from other markets. Sales in other countries, existing retail partners, honest return rates. Facts a buyer can check.
THE FIRST EMAIL
How German buyers like to be contacted.
Every buyer is different. But some habits are common in German business, and they are easy to follow.
Direct and short
Say what you want in the first lines. If the buyer answers very directly, that is not rude. A clear “no” saves time and often comes with a useful reason.
On time
Be on time for calls and meetings, send what you promised by the date you promised and confirm meetings in writing.
Patient follow-up
One polite follow-up after one to two weeks is normal. Daily messages, or the same message on email, LinkedIn and phone, push buyers away.
What buyers get every day
“Dear Sir, we are a leading manufacturer with 500 models and best price. Please check our catalogue. Waiting for your reply.”
What gets read
“Dear Ms Weber, we make a 65 W travel charger that is smaller than the models in your range at a similar price. Stock is in Germany, German packaging is ready. May I send you two samples next week?”
When I was buying, a short, clear email with three products and a price got read. A 40-page catalogue usually did not.
TRADE SHOWS AND PARTNERS
IFA is a start. The partner decision comes after.
IFA in Berlin is the big consumer and home electronics fair in Germany. In 2026 it ran from 4 to 8 September. It is a good place to meet buyers if you prepare: book meetings weeks before, bring a small range and follow up within a week.
Then you decide who sells for you. A classic distributor buys, stocks and sells, and often wants exclusivity. A partner or agent brings you to buyers while you keep more control. Read more in finding a distributor in Germany and distributor, importer or marketplace.
A simple test: if you cannot explain in two sentences why your product is better than what a German retailer already sells, a trade show will not help. Work on that first.
A PERSONAL NOTE
Good products deserve a good start in Germany.
The brands I enjoyed working with most answered quickly and did what they said. German buyers notice that. If you are a Chinese brand thinking about Germany and want an honest view from someone who has sat on the buying side, I am happy to talk, also when my answer is “not yet”.
Marco PenningFounder, LUMVEO · Hamburg
Take the 2-minute check ↓GERMANY MARKET ENTRY CHECK
Where do you stand? Eight questions, two minutes.
Tell me where you are today and what is in the way. I read every check myself and reply personally.
QUESTIONS I HEAR OFTEN
Short answers.
Do Chinese brands need a German company to sell in Germany?
Not always. Many start with a partner, importer or distributor in Germany or the EU. But buyers want a reliable contact in Europe and stock close by, so plan how you will cover both.
Is IFA worth it for a Chinese consumer-tech brand?
It can be, if you book meetings in advance, bring a small range and follow up properly. Walking the halls without a plan rarely leads to listings.
How quickly should I follow up after sending an offer to a German buyer?
Wait about one to two weeks, then send one short, polite follow-up. Daily messages, or messages on many channels at once, usually push buyers away.
Should I hire a German sales person or work with a partner?
At the start, a partner or agent who already knows the buyers is often faster and cheaper. Once you have regular business, your own person in the market can make sense.
SOURCES
- visitBerlin: IFA 2026, 4 to 8 September, Berlin Exhibition Grounds
- International Trade Administration: EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)
My experience and view, not legal advice. Please check product rules for your own products with a specialist.