Compared to selling small items like books or electronics, selling furniture online can be a whole different animal. But if you can solve puzzles like the logistics of storing and shipping big, bulky pieces of inventory, the payoff can be worth it: the ecommerce furniture market was valued at an estimated $27.7 billion in 2023 and is predicted to top $40 billion by 2030.
It’s not too late to get in the game, whether you want to add an ecommerce channel to complement a brick-and-mortar store, or are looking to put your skills to work by crafting and selling custom furniture. This post will walk through how to validate your business idea, set up logistics for order fulfillment, develop a pricing strategy, and drive traffic to furniture listings.
It’s not too late to get in the game, whether you want to add an ecommerce channel to complement a brick-and-mortar store, or are looking to put your skills to work by crafting and selling custom furniture. This post will walk through how to validate your business idea, set up logistics for order fulfillment, develop a pricing strategy, and drive traffic to furniture listings.
How to start an online furniture business
1. Decide what furniture you want to sell
Even if you already know what type of furniture you want to zero in on, product research might reveal some lucrative opportunities worth pursuing. One approach is to explore what types of furniture are in demand in Amazon search. Explore the categories that are relevant to your goals and drill down into products similar to the ones you want to sell. You can also tap the Best Sellers list and the Movers & Shakers list to track top furniture trends of the moment.
Another approach is to consider your sourcing methods. Will you craft handmade furniture, work with a manufacturer to produce designs at scale, or procure furniture another way? Learn more about your options in this guide to selling online.
You can also think about your audience. For example, an apartment dweller in Manhattan might have different expectations compared to an entrepreneur who’s transforming a remote cabin into a work-from-home office. Audience research can help you develop sketches of customer needs, budgets, and even aesthetic preferences.
Another approach is to consider your sourcing methods. Will you craft handmade furniture, work with a manufacturer to produce designs at scale, or procure furniture another way? Learn more about your options in this guide to selling online.
You can also think about your audience. For example, an apartment dweller in Manhattan might have different expectations compared to an entrepreneur who’s transforming a remote cabin into a work-from-home office. Audience research can help you develop sketches of customer needs, budgets, and even aesthetic preferences.
Pro tip
Develop a trademark
Cut through red tape and protect your intellectual property with IP Accelerator. This resource helps entrepreneurs connect with a network of trusted IP firms and can speed up the process of making your brand official.
Depending on your business model, you might want to register a trademark and enroll in Amazon Brand Registry. It takes resources and dedication to establish your own brand, but the boost to customer loyalty can pay ongoing dividends. Brand Registry also gives you access to tools and features for brand management and protecting your intellectual property.
2. Figure out your fulfillment strategy
Dimensions, weight, durability—factors like these matter when you’re storing and shipping furniture. End-to-end fulfillment solutions are essential, from obtaining the furniture, to managing inventory, delivering it to the buyer, and processing returns (if you offer returns as an option for customers).
Furniture can be large, heavy, and prone to damage. Small nicks in varnish, or warping if climate control isn’t available in storage, are examples of problems that can reduce the value of a piece of furniture. So be sure to have proper measures in place to avoid stock issues, such as packaging protocols to reduce the risk of damage during transit.
A spare room or garage might be sufficient to cover your storage needs when you first start out, but as you scale, you might want to coordinate with a solution like Fulfillment by Amazon for warehousing, customer service, and other tasks.
Furniture can be large, heavy, and prone to damage. Small nicks in varnish, or warping if climate control isn’t available in storage, are examples of problems that can reduce the value of a piece of furniture. So be sure to have proper measures in place to avoid stock issues, such as packaging protocols to reduce the risk of damage during transit.
A spare room or garage might be sufficient to cover your storage needs when you first start out, but as you scale, you might want to coordinate with a solution like Fulfillment by Amazon for warehousing, customer service, and other tasks.
Pro tip
Offer fast, free shipping through FBA
Fulfillment by Amazon is a service that allows Amazon sellers to outsource product fulfillment and display the Prime badge on products eligible for free, two-day shipping. Shipping with FBA costs an average of 72% less per unit than two-day options offered by major U.S. carriers.
3. Calculate your margins and set competitive prices
With furniture, storage and shipping fees (especially for bulky items) can be a starting point for calculating your bottom line. The goal is to make sure you can turn a profit, so factor in the costs of procuring furniture and other operating expenses like business insurance.
To set price points that will convert, do some competitor research to see what comparable items are selling for. With ecommerce, you also have the opportunity to use an automated pricing tool for adjusting price points across your catalog in response to changes in demand.
To set price points that will convert, do some competitor research to see what comparable items are selling for. With ecommerce, you also have the opportunity to use an automated pricing tool for adjusting price points across your catalog in response to changes in demand.
4. Create an online presence and list furniture for sale
How will you let the world know about the products you offer? Ecommerce gives you a range of options for connecting with prospective customers. For instance, you can establish yourself on one or more social media hotspots, develop a direct-to-consumer online store, or do both.
You can also create a storefront on a selling website like Amazon either as a primary selling channel or to complement your other efforts. To plug into an existing audience of hundreds of millions of shoppers who frequent Amazon stores, create a branded storefront.
When you’re ready to list products, you can also make use of a tool called A+ Content which allows you to add dimension charts, your brand story, and other materials to make product listings more enticing and helpful for shoppers. As you craft product descriptions, keep these points in mind:
You can also create a storefront on a selling website like Amazon either as a primary selling channel or to complement your other efforts. To plug into an existing audience of hundreds of millions of shoppers who frequent Amazon stores, create a branded storefront.
When you’re ready to list products, you can also make use of a tool called A+ Content which allows you to add dimension charts, your brand story, and other materials to make product listings more enticing and helpful for shoppers. As you craft product descriptions, keep these points in mind:
- Include a variety of high-quality product photos to give shoppers a 360 degree view of the furniture and key details.
- Use bullet points to highlight product features and benefits, such as material type, color options, and dimensions.
- Add strategic search terms to the product title and other parts of the product description to help the listing rank in search results.
5. Drive sales to your online storefront
Connecting with online audiences is one thing, but how do you reach the shoppers who are looking for items like the ones you’re selling? You have an array of digital advertising options.
- Run pay-per-click ads like Sponsored Products and Sponsored Brands targeting specific keywords.
- Up-sell and cross-sell to provide recommendations and guide shoppers to related products.
- Start a points-based customer loyalty program and build an email list of return customers who’ll appreciate regular updates on product availability.
These are just a few examples—there are many other tactics you can leverage to move inventory more quickly. For instance, you can also try offering special deals like coupons and promotions, or holding seasonal sales. Explore the details in this ecommerce marketing guide.
Start selling furniture today
Delivering furniture to online customers presents some unique challenges, but you can set yourself up for success by getting to know your audience, streamlining your fulfillment processes, and optimizing product listings to reach buyers.
When you’re ready to start listing furniture, take a look at Amazon product categories to determine which might be the best fit, based on the type of furniture you’re selling. Note that some categories are open to all sellers, while others have restrictions or require a Professional selling plan. You might also qualify to sell handmade furniture through the Amazon Handmade program.
Sign up for an Amazon seller account and enroll in Brand Registry to create an Amazon storefront and start listing furniture.
When you’re ready to start listing furniture, take a look at Amazon product categories to determine which might be the best fit, based on the type of furniture you’re selling. Note that some categories are open to all sellers, while others have restrictions or require a Professional selling plan. You might also qualify to sell handmade furniture through the Amazon Handmade program.
Sign up for an Amazon seller account and enroll in Brand Registry to create an Amazon storefront and start listing furniture.
Drive online sales for your products
Learn how to get started selling with Amazon.
FAQs
How do you sell furniture online?
Start with audience research and decide what type of furniture you want to sell. Then, choose a storage and fulfillment model, and develop a pricing strategy. You can store furniture and ship it yourself, or work with a solution like Fulfillment by Amazon to manage inventory. Maintain an online presence for your brand by building an online storefront, listing furniture for sale, and using ecommerce marketing tactics.
Where can I sell furniture online? What is the best way to sell furniture online?
You can use one or more online selling channels as your primary sales method, or as a way to complement a brick-and-mortar location. The best approach for you will depend on considerations like your business model and sales goals. You might want to be active on social media, build a direct-to-consumer website, or create an ecommerce storefront on an established selling site like Amazon. You can also use a combination of sales channels like these. For example, you might create your own website and simultaneously sell furniture through an Amazon storefront, using social media to advertise both options and reach shoppers.
How do I sell furniture on Amazon?
To sell furniture on Amazon:
- Sign up for an Amazon seller account
- List furniture for sale in the most relevant and accurate product category based on the type of furniture you have available
- Use IP Accelerator to register a trademark if you don’t have one already
- Enroll in Brand Registry to use the Amazon Stores builder and other brand building tools to support your growth in ecommerce
How do I start an online furniture business?
To tap into the $27.7 billion online furniture industry, conduct product and audience research to make sure your business idea is viable. Set up logistics for procuring furniture, storing it, shipping orders to customers, and managing returns and customer service. You might want to handle inventory and fulfillment in-house, or work with a service like Fulfillment by Amazon—or do both. Access benefits and tools for growth by enrolling in Brand Registry, or use Amazon’s IP Accelerator to speed up the process of registering a trademark.
