Beyond the Hype: The Realities of Building a Pool Robot Brand for Global Markets

Created on 10.22

For the past two years, "going global" has been the mantra in our industry. The customs data doesn't lie—the momentum is undeniable. But let's cut through the noise: is it really that easy? And more importantly, for a pool robot company, what's the fundamental choice: building your own brand or being a pure-play trader?

The path you choose comes down to your goal.

If you want to build a company with long-term, substantial value, then developing your own brand is the way to go. This is the dominant trend right now. However, this path demands patience and significant upfront investment. Creating a differentiated pool robot—one that stands out in terms of smart features, energy efficiency, or unique cleaning technology—can mean 1-2 years of pure burn rate with zero positive cash flow. You're betting on the future.

On the other hand, if your goal is to run a profitable business using your existing channels, being a trader or reseller is a solid, lower-risk option. The value proposition might be less glamorous, but the barriers to entry and costs of failure are much lower. Many massive cross-border e-commerce sellers are perfect examples of this model's success.

Now, let's talk DTC (Direct-to-Consumer). For pool robots, this conversation inevitably leads to crowdfunding (Kickstarter/Indiegogo), marketplace sales (like Amazon), and independent brand sites.

Here's my blunt take on crowdfunding in 2024: unless you're an established brand like Anker with a massive built-in community, aiming for profiton KS or Indiegogo is a fantasy. The cost of customer acquisition is simply too high. I've been involved in 3-4 campaigns, ranging from a modest 10k+toamassive3M+. The $3M+ project was for a well-known brand with nearly 200k Facebook followers. The "profit" came from selling to their existing fanbase; every new customer acquired throughthe campaign was a loss.

In my experience, with an average order value around 400forapremiumrobot,acquiringasinglenewemailcancostover7. With a typical email conversion rate of 2-3%, you're spending over 300justtolandonesale—beforeplatformfees,productcost,andagencycommissions.So,whydoit?Crowdfundingisexcellentforbuildingthatinitialuserbase,validatingyourproductconcept,andgeneratingcrucialearlyreviews.Forsome,asuccessfulcampaign(think1M+) can also serve as a powerful tool to secure venture capital funding. (There are some... creative maneuvers to boost numbers for this purpose, but that's a conversation for another day!).

As for independent sites vs. marketplaces, both are pay-to-play. Independent sites rely on expensive traffic from Facebook, Google, and TikTok. Marketplaces have their own ad systems and inherent traffic, but the internal operational costs and competition are fierce. Marketplaces might have a lower customer acquisition cost, but independent sites offer better brand control and customer data. It's a trade-off.

​​The bottom line for our industry?​​ There's no easy path. Whether you choose brand or trade, DTC or marketplace, be prepared for a marathon, not a sprint, and know exactly what you're paying for.