From the ‘Vietnam dream’ to global ambition

Sunhouse has grown into one of Vietnam’s largest appliance corporations, boasting a robust ecosystem across six main categories: home appliances, kitchen equipment, consumer electronics, civil electronics, and industrial devices. With 10 factories, a production capacity of 80 million products per year, and over 60,000 retail points, Sunhouse is widely recognized as Vietnam’s leading home appliance manufacturer.

While many Vietnamese exporters target nearby, less technically demanding markets like Laos, Cambodia, or Indonesia, Sunhouse set its sights on the United States.

“If we meet US standards, that’s our passport to go global,” said Le Tung, Chief Strategy Officer at Sunhouse. “Only by tackling the toughest market can we unlock others like Japan, the EU, or South America.”

The logic is clear: US standards serve as a global benchmark across many consumer product sectors. Meeting these standards in safety, packaging, sustainability, and testing opens doors to broader markets with fewer regulatory surprises.

“You can’t simply export what works at home and expect it to succeed globally. You have to adopt the mindset and methods of the world’s most demanding markets,” Tung emphasized.

Building global competence through US compliance

The US market’s web of requirements  -  electrical safety, food-grade materials, chemical and lab testing, environmental and social certification  -  presents daunting challenges. “If we tried to do everything alone, it would take years and cost millions,” Tung said. Instead, Sunhouse partnered with established, standards-compliant companies to learn, adapt, and build systems for quality and compliance.

This collaborative strategy allowed Sunhouse to join the supply chains of major US retailers, elevate standards across its factories, and then “export” those same processes to new markets like Japan and Argentina.

Targeting the US isn’t just a revenue goal  -  it’s a crucible to reshape product strategy, manufacturing, logistics, and marketing toward global best practices.

To remain sustainable in developed markets, Sunhouse also adopted ESG (environmental, social, and governance) frameworks  -  not merely as a formality, but as a strategic advantage. ESG metrics are now a key factor for global retailers choosing suppliers.

First missteps, costly lessons

Sunhouse began selling on Amazon in 2022. But being “present” on Amazon is not the same as succeeding. Initially, the company made typical mistakes  -  choosing products based on domestic thinking and assigning local sales teams unfamiliar with e-commerce to run the international channel.

The results were underwhelming, with annual revenue between USD 400,000 and 700,000  -  far below the company’s scale.

“We picked the wrong products and the wrong approach. Our team didn’t understand American consumer behavior,” admitted Nguyen Xuan Minh, Head of Sunhouse’s E-commerce division.

Popular cookware in Vietnam didn’t automatically perform on Amazon, where buyers rely on reviews, videos, product specs, and shipping costs before purchasing.

Turning failure into strategy

This wake-up call prompted a complete overhaul. Sunhouse established a dedicated “Amazon task force”  -  a young, specialized team experienced in cross-border e-commerce, SEO, advertising, conversion optimization, and US compliance standards.

The company also digitized internal systems to align with Amazon’s global marketplace, discarding outdated domestic sales habits.

Sunhouse shifted its mindset from “selling what we have” to “building what the market wants.” Using Amazon data tools, the team identified product gaps, demand trends, and less saturated niches  -  choosing segments where competition was moderate, and Sunhouse’s supply chain advantage could shine.

“One niche alone on Amazon can generate USD 50–70 million annually,” Minh said. “By targeting the right one, we avoided head-on clashes with global giants and built brand equity.”

As a result, Sunhouse tripled its Amazon sales in a year. One SKU entered the top three Best Seller Rankings, with a core frying pan model generating over 3,000 orders  -  accounting for 70–80% of sales and reducing advertising costs through organic visibility.

Rethinking packaging, logistics, and design

Amazon sellers know logistics and warehousing fees can erode margins. To win, Sunhouse redesigned even the smallest packaging details  -  from box size and materials to how lids closed or handles detached.

A simple design change  -  making a frying pan handle detachable  -  cut shipping volume and dropped fulfillment costs from USD 12 to USD 8 per unit. At scale, this USD 4 per unit savings became a serious competitive edge.

At the same time, Sunhouse reinforced packaging to prevent damage and minimize returns  -  all factors that affect ratings and customer satisfaction.

“Logistics isn’t just transportation. It’s how you design for smart movement,” a company rep explained. They even retooled factory molds and conveyor lines to optimize packing.

Amazon also offered valuable user feedback via reviews, Q&A, return logs, and support chats. Sunhouse used this data for rapid iteration. When customers complained about a pot handle heating up, the R&D team introduced a redesigned, insulated version by the next production run.

Every negative review became a product improvement task. Every customer question helped refine images and A+ content.

This storytelling  -  “Made in Vietnam, built to international standards”  -  now resonates across Sunhouse’s product pages, backed by material specs, process visuals, and third-party tests.

Target: USD 100 million on Amazon by 2030

Though it began modestly, Sunhouse’s Amazon revenue has tripled in just one year, with best-selling SKUs and rapidly growing traction. Today, the company exports 13 million units annually to the US, Mexico, South Korea, and more.

Looking ahead, Sunhouse aims to reach USD 100 million in Amazon sales by 2030  -  nearly 100x its early performance. That goal requires moving beyond basic cookware into high-standard product lines: smart kettles, sockets, air fryers, induction cookers, blenders, and juicers.

These categories demand advanced testing, automated manufacturing, and US/EU-certified partner networks  -  but Sunhouse sees them as key to global growth.

“We’re not in the US just to sell a few products. We’re here to learn how to think and operate globally,” said Le Tung. “Passing the US market proves Vietnamese brands can compete on the world stage  -  if we’re willing to change.”

From a local manufacturer, Sunhouse is evolving into a globally recognized industrial-tech brand  -  one designed for long-term global success.

Thai Khang