For 30 years, we have worked hard with our suppliers to give our customers the very best prices, while investing staggering amounts in inventory, allowing us to fulfill our “Orders in by 3:00 pm Eastern ship today!” This approach has served us well.
This month I have received requests to accept orders from Australia, Egypt, Germany, Mexico, Great Britain, and New Caledonia.
However, we choose to sell only in the United States. There are numerous reasons this is our business model, but here are the top six.
1) Logistics Complexity & Cost Volatility
While shipping internationally is easier than it used to be, shipping outside the United States introduces increased risk with multiple opportunities to disappoint potential customers.
Staying within the confines of our own country gives us a better chance of meeting our clients’ expectations. Here we have:
- Predictable UPS/USPS cost models
- Faster delivery → better customer satisfaction
- Cleaner margin control
Key issues:
- Dimensional weight on hoses, pipe, and fittings increases freight costs
- Multi-leg shipping (truck → port → ocean/air → customs → final mile)
- Damage/loss risk increases with handling stages
- Returns are often economically infeasible
2) Tariffs, Duties & Trade Policy Risk
In today’s economic environment, cross-border sales expose us (or our customers) to constantly shifting import costs. It is nearly impossible to keep up with all the changes worldwide to tariffs, duties, and trade policy.
Key issues:
- Duties vary by HS code and country
- Sudden tariff changes (as you’ve already seen domestically) can kill deals overnight
- Disputes over who pays (you vs. the customer) create friction
Pros of staying domestic:
- Pricing transparency—what we quote is what the customer pays
- No post-sale disputes over landed cost
3) Regulatory & Compliance Burden
Different countries impose different rules on agricultural and fluid-handling equipment.
Key issues:
- Product certifications (e.g., CE marking in the EU)
- Material compliance
- Documentation requirements (commercial invoices, export declarations, certificates of origin)
- Liability exposure if the equipment fails under different standards
Pros of staying domestic:
- We operate under a single regulatory framework (U.S.)
- Reduced legal exposure and documentation overhead
4) Customer Support & Post-Sale Friction
Our current competitive advantage—fast, knowledgeable service—gets diluted internationally. We pride ourselves on answering every phone call, but we prefer not to work 24/7 – 365 days per year.
Key issues:
- Time zone gaps slow down troubleshooting
- Language barriers increase error rates
- Replacement parts take days/weeks instead of next-day delivery
- Warranty claims become expensive and contentious
Pros of staying domestic:
- We maintain our “expert + fast shipping” brand promise. Orders in by 3:00 pm Eastern ship the same day
- Lower support cost per order (which means lower costs for our customers)
5) Payments, Fraud & Currency Risk
International transactions introduce financial uncertainty and operational headaches. Even with credit card processing partners, “dishonest entrepreneurs’ are constantly working to stay ahead of our attempts to weed them out.
Key issues:
- Higher fraud risk (card testing, mismatched billing/shipping regions)
- Chargebacks are harder to fight internationally
Pros of staying domestic:
- Cleaner payment processing (cards, ACH)
- Lower fraud exposure and operational noise
6) Everyone Wants “Your Very Best Price.”
Rarely (never) does an international order agree to pay whatever the current price is, which allows us to stay profitable. This decrease in margin means we can not afford to make a single mistake. In the United States, we have a better idea of what we need to charge to remain profitable, while still giving our clients the very best pricing possible.
Bottom Line
International expansion isn’t just “more demand”—it’s a different business model. Unless you’re prepared to build infrastructure (logistics, compliance, support), staying U.S.-focused is a disciplined, profit-protecting decision rather than a missed opportunity.
And, candidly, we rarely sell anything that cannot be bought in other countries at an overall lower price. The few exceptions would be niche products that are manufactured here, and these items are few and far between.
Questions? Comments? Email us at info@triplekirrigation.com.
