Overview

After five years of planning, Dietmar Lüer launched an Amazon‑focused trading company that now employs more than ten people and operates from a seaside office on Portugal’s Atlantic coast. The relocation, completed in 2023, demonstrates how a disciplined preparation phase, strategic site selection, and heavy automation can turn an Amazon storefront into a location‑independent profit engine—information that matters to any seller aiming to scale beyond a single market.

Key Points

• Five‑year preparation — Lüer spent half a decade conducting market research, testing products, and building a cash reserve before the official launch.
• Portugal move in 2023 — The new headquarters sit roughly 50 meters from the beach, leveraging lower living costs to keep overhead slim.
• Stable ten‑person team — The core staff remains at ten members year‑round, with seasonal hires added during peak periods to handle extra orders.
• Focused product line — Three main categories each hold over 1,000 customer reviews and generate more than €250,000 in annual sales per category.
• Automation cuts manual work — Integration of Amazon FBA and a custom inventory‑price monitoring script reduces hands‑on tasks by about 70 %.
• Quality‑of‑life boost — Proximity to the ocean and flexible hours lifted employee satisfaction by roughly 35 % and pushed turnover below 5 %.

How the Business Was Built

1. Market and product validation — Using Helium 10 analytics, Lüer pinpointed low‑competition, high‑demand niches; an ergonomic kitchen gadget sold 5,000 units within three months as a proof of concept.
2. Financial safety net — He saved the equivalent of 18 months of personal income, providing a six‑month runway for Portuguese operating costs and eliminating the need for external financing.
3. Legal entity formation — A Portuguese limited liability company (Lda.) was created, granting tax efficiencies and seamless EU‑wide shipping without customs hurdles.