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How to Open an Online Furniture Store

When done correctly, furniture can beÌýone ofÌýtheÌýmost lucrative markets forÌýretailers. The global furniture market isÌývalued atÌýover andÌýstill growing. Furniture isÌýsomething that everybody needs, andÌýchanging trends keep theÌýmarket strong andÌýhealthy.

But starting aÌýfurniture business may not seem easy from theÌýoutside looking in. Most furniture items are bulky andÌýheavy, making them difficult toÌýstore andÌýship toÌýcustomers. While these challenges are real, itÌýisÌýstill possible toÌýrun aÌýsuccessful furniture business online inÌý2023. Here isÌýaÌýsimple guide onÌýhow toÌýstart aÌýfurniture store online.

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Tips from e-commerce experts forÌýsmall business owners andÌýaspiring entrepreneurs.
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How ToÌýStart AnÌýOnline Furniture Store: Initial Considerations

Expenses

Managing aÌýbudget isÌýcrucial forÌýanyÌýbusiness. However, this isÌýanÌýespecially crucial thing toÌýconsider when starting aÌýfurniture business. IfÌýyou have limited funding early on, itÌýcan beÌýdifficult toÌýfind quality furniture items toÌýsell. You may find that your options are fairly limited. Starting with aÌýsmaller inventory andÌýgradually building upÌýasÌýyour business grows isÌýbetter than attempting everything atÌýonce.

Many furniture businesses also have toÌýfactor inÌýtheÌýcost ofÌýstorage andÌýshipping. Both ofÌýthese things can get pricey when dealing with bulky items. But there are ways toÌýminimize this problem, such asÌýdropshipping. Regardless ofÌýwhat methods you use, itÌýisÌývery important toÌýfactor inÌýthese costs when setting your budget.

Supply Chain andÌýStorage

Storage isÌýnot just aÌýbudgeting concern. It’s also aÌýpractical issue that needs toÌýbeÌýsolved. IfÌýyou are running aÌýfurniture business, you need toÌýhave someplace toÌýkeep your inventory stored where itÌýwill beÌýsafe andÌýsecure. For instance, ifÌýyou are selling books orÌýclothes online, you can get away with storing your inventory inÌýyour home. But this isÌýnot easy toÌýdoÌýwhen selling furniture. Figuring out where, orÌýhow, toÌýstore your products isÌývery important.

Choosing theÌýright furniture manufacturer can help inÌýthis regard toÌýsome degree. Some manufacturers can take care ofÌýyour storage andÌýfulfillment concerns forÌýyou. AtÌýtheÌývery least, choosing theÌýright manufacturer can make inventory management much less stressful asÌýyou manage your business.

Best Furniture toÌýSell Online

Your next concern may beÌýabout which furniture items toÌýsell online. The trick toÌýknowing what toÌýsell isÌýabout finding items that are inÌýhigh demand, andÌýnot impractical forÌýhigh-volume shipping. Generally speaking, smaller furniture items will beÌýbetter toÌýsell online. But that does not mean you can’t sell beds orÌýcouches online. With that said, here are some ofÌýtheÌýbest furniture items toÌýsell online.

Bookshelves

Bookshelves are often lightweight andÌýare usually not assembled before purchase. Because ofÌýthis, they are one ofÌýtheÌýeasiest furniture items toÌýship forÌýonline retailers. They are also anÌýessential piece ofÌýdecor inÌýmost homes, meaning there isÌýaÌývery good market forÌýbookshelves.

Coffee Tables

Coffee tables are anÌýextremely popular andÌýfashionable item. They are aÌýtop choice toÌýsell online because they are lightweight, popular, andÌýcome inÌýaÌývariety ofÌýdifferent styles. There isÌýplenty ofÌýroom toÌýdiscover aÌýniche when selling coffee tables online. Plus, it’s also very cost-efficient. Many coffee tables can beÌýshipped before assembly, making them even easier forÌýonline retail.

Chairs andÌýStools

Unfortunately, selling sectional couches online isÌýnot always practical. But online retailers can still sell comfort toÌýtheir customers inÌýtheÌýform ofÌýchairs andÌýstools. These are much more compact andÌýlightweight alternatives toÌýcouches andÌýsofas.

Chairs also offer tremendous variety andÌýstyle, meaning online retailers have plenty ofÌýoptions toÌýchoose from. NoÌýmatter what your niche is, chairs are aÌýgreat option toÌýadd toÌýyour inventory. Office chairs, dining room chairs, armchairs, andÌýrocking chairs are just aÌýfew examples. Chairs are both highly practical andÌýhighly cost-effective forÌýonline furniture retailers.

Desks

Desks are another item that can easily beÌýassembled after purchase. This makes them relatively easy toÌýstore andÌýship. Desks have also become anÌýincreasingly in-demand item inÌýrecent years. With theÌýincrease inÌýremote work since 2020, more people are working out ofÌýhome offices than ever before. This means desks are becoming aÌýregular part ofÌýtheÌýdecor inÌýhomes across theÌýcountry. Therefore, retailers can easily capitalize onÌýthis new demand byÌýselling desks (and other office furniture) online.

End Tables/Nightstands

Another common furniture item that isÌýlightweight andÌýeasy toÌýship are end tables andÌýnightstands. Most homes have multiple sets ofÌýthese items, making them extremely viable forÌýretailers toÌýsell. These items also come inÌýanÌýextreme variety ofÌýstyles, which helps toÌýkeep their market fresh. There will always beÌýconsumer interest inÌýnightstands andÌýend tables. OnÌýtop ofÌýthat, they are aÌýcost-efficient item forÌýretailers toÌýsell.

Starting anÌýOnline Furniture Store: Getting Set Up

Once you figure out what toÌýsell, you still have theÌýcrucial step ofÌýsetting upÌýyour online furniture store. This may seem daunting atÌýfirst, especially toÌýthose with noÌýweb design experience. But creating anÌýonline store isÌýeasier today than itÌýever has been. The simplest way toÌýcreate anÌýonline furniture store isÌýtoÌýuse anÌýecommerce platform like .

ºÚÁÏÃÅ allows business owners toÌýeasily set upÌýandÌýmanage nearly every aspect ofÌýtheir business easily online. From handling payments toÌýshipping toÌýcreating high-quality product listings, ºÚÁÏÃÅ takes care ofÌýeverything you need.

Another option forÌýonline retailers, rather than creating aÌýnew website, isÌýtoÌýsell onÌýexisting marketplaces like . ºÚÁÏÃÅ can help with this asÌýwell, with tools that help you easily integrate sales channels across multiple platforms.

ºÚÁÏÃÅ’s ecommerce platform has already helped dozens ofÌýonline furniture retailers manage their businesses successfully. Want toÌýlearn more about how you can succeed inÌýecommerce? Read our tips onÌýtheÌýlatest ecommerce trends ´Ú´Ç°ùÌý2023.

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About The Author
Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at ºÚÁÏÃÅ. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs’ daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

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