The world of window shopping has transformed into a world of “Add to wishlist”. From eatables, clothing, electronics, and medicines, anything and everything can be sold through the power of e-commerce.
Within the e-commerce industry, the online furniture businesses are quickly picking up the pace of growth. Several local furniture store owners now want to sell furniture online. It is where they need guidance on how to sell furniture online.
If you have plans to do the same, this guide is meant for you. Let’s start with the statistics.
Indian Online Furniture Market – Where It Stands?
India’s online furniture market witnessed a steep decline because of the pandemic. But as per stats, it is poised for a strong recovery in FY 2022 from $16.0 billion towards the mark of $40.0 billion by FY 2026, as per Redseer report.
The numbers indicate the rise of online furniture market to become one of the most lucrative e-commerce sectors in the next few years.
Before you start paving the way to sell furniture online, you need to plan for it carefully. Wondering what all you need to consider about how to sell furniture online? Continue reading.
9-Step Checklist to Consider Before You Start Selling Furniture Online
Understand the difference between selling furniture online and offline
As per Statista, the worldwide furniture market is predicted to reach US$499,216m million by 2022. Furthermore, the number of users in this market is expected to reach 1,788 million by 2025. It shows that the sector is expanding, and it’s only natural that e-commerce plays a key role in this development.
Adding on to this, setting up an online furniture store requires less budget and time than setting up an offline store. Considering the after-effect of the pandemic in terms of changed consumer behavior, it is likely that more people will prefer buying furniture online from the comfort of their homes.
For an offline furniture store, you’ll need significant space to showcase products to your customers. On the other hand, you can put way more products on your website or app without worrying about the space issue.
If you already have an offline furniture store, you can adopt the hybrid business model to sell furniture online and offline. Having an online presence will also help in increasing the footfall on your local store.
However, if you are just starting from scratch, it is advisable to start selling furniture online and offer better pricing, convenience, and quality products to your customers.
Select the right business model – manufacture or resell
The next step in line to sell furniture online is to consider the type of business model you want to mold your business into – manufacturing or reselling furniture. Both of these options have their distinct merits and demerits that can be best understood when you dig deeper.
You can hire in-house craftsmen to design furniture for your business or sell a variety of products from existing manufacturers near you. You can also ask them to build exclusive products for your business.
In the former case, you’ll have more insights and control over the entire manufacturing chain and type of products you want for your business. On the other hand, you’ll be dependent on manufacturers to create products for you in the latter option.
Lastly, the selection of the right business model depends on your knowledge about this industry, skill level, budget, storage capacity, and many other factors.
Finalizing on the types of furniture for your online store
A stunning and solid piece of furniture can add definition, life, and the “oomph” factor to an empty room. While the statistics and data above say it’s the right time to sell furniture online, have you decided what to sell on your online furniture store?
Here are some categories you can choose from to sell furniture online:
- Chairs and recliners
- Beds and divans
- Dressers and wardrobes
- Sofa sets, couches, and futons
- Dining table sets
You can also offer the choice of furniture rentals that are trending among urban millennials. Similarly, the demand for used furniture is quite high, which is why you can also sell old furniture online.
Research your competitors
Before you sell furniture online through a website or app, it’s always a good idea to take a step back, think, and research about the competition. You might want to ask:
- What are the current competitors selling furniture online in the Indian market?
- What is their targeted consumer base?
- What is their current market share?
The answers to these questions will give a fair idea of the competition and help in selecting the right niche/sub-niche to start selling furniture online. They will also help you in developing the USP of your products/brands from mass-market competitors.
Find trustworthy manufacturers to source furniture
In case you choose to get started with reselling furniture instead of manufacturing your own line of products, it’s important to find an experienced manufacturer who can do it for you. You need to ensure that the chosen manufacturer who:
- Knows about the industry and various niches of products inside out
- Can keep you closer to the manufacturing and supply chain cycle
- Can deliver products on time
- Can design furniture for your online store at a price that is economical for you
For this, you need to conduct market research and locate vendors and manufacturers who can provide you with high-quality furniture.
Find the right delivery partner
Furniture, be it small or large, needs to be delivered with utmost precaution and care. To be more specific, certain types of furniture can take up a lot of space on a truck, which will increase the logistics cost involved.
Also, customers may want their products to reach them in less time than expected and in perfect shape, which can add more complexity and difficulty to the last-mile delivery hurdles.
Hence, you need to select your shipping partners/companies carefully. They must have the resources to move heavy items over great distances, along with the commitment to avoid wear and tear on the go with the help of adequate packaging.
Look at ways to manage your inventory
Whether you choose to build or resell furniture (new or old), you need to keep the space requirements in mind. You also need to consider the state of the area while determining how and where to store your items.
For example, extreme temperatures, pests, and humidity variations can damage materials, particularly wood and natural fabrics. If you’re starting small, you can dedicate a room inside your home for furniture storage. If you plan to sell a lot of products, then renting a climate-controlled storage space is an option.
Set up an online store to sell furniture
Amidst the growth of the e-commerce industry in India, starting your online furniture store might seem like the best way to enter into this sector.
Since there are so many ways in which you can start selling furniture online, the question of “how to sell furniture online” can seem daunting.
To start small, online marketplaces are an option. You can even build a store on social media channels to showcase your furniture item and accept orders.
Otherwise, you can invest in an e-commerce website or app to sell furniture online. Keep in mind that managing the operations via an online store is equivalent to selling furniture offline. You will need to hire employees to manage your online store, its inventory, or accept/reject orders.
Start with getting a website built by professionals. It should have distinct product categories, appealing product pictures, accurate product descriptions, sharp and crisp CTAs, and customer reviews (if any) about your furniture collection.
Selecting a payment gateway
The next big thing after building an online furniture store is to select the right payment gateway. Like any other online store, the success of your furniture store depends on the payment experience delivered to your customers. You want to ensure that the integrated payment gateway provides a safe, secure, and quick way for payment processing.
Furthermore, the selection of a suitable payment gateway should be based on a careful assessment of payment gateway features and your business needs.
Also Read: A Quick Guide to Compare Payment Gateways for Your Business
If you want to choose nothing but the best payment solution, we recommend Paytm Payment Gateway – the best payment gateway in India that supports some of the biggest brands.
Recognized as India’s choice for payment solutions for businesses, Paytm Payment Gateway is packed with features that ensure a hassle-free customer experience and secure transactions.
Know More: What Makes Paytm the Best Payment Gateway in India?
Tips to market your online furniture store
Not every business is of the same type. Hence, applying any one-size-fits-all marketing strategy may not work when you want to sell furniture online.
What your business needs is an appropriate message for the right audience through the right channels. Here are some tips you can follow to market your business of selling furniture online:
- Make social media your business’s best friend and share posts about your products on different channels
- Experiment with paid advertising on Facebook, Instagram, and even search engines
- Use email and content marketing to engage with the customers and inform them about the latest products in your collection and exciting offers
- Share customer reviews on social media and your website to earn credibility
Conclusion
The fuel behind the increasing online demand for furniture is increased digitization, urbanization and, work-from-home setup due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By launching your online furniture store, you can grab your share of this market and build a scalable business.
While starting an online furniture store requires layers of effort, both online and offline, with the right strategies, products, and marketing, your business can snowball in a matter of months.
FAQs
Is it good to sell furniture online?
As the growth trajectory for e-commerce seems promising in the coming years, it is a good choice to start an online business to sell furniture online.
How do I advertise my furniture online?
Ads on search engines like Google and social media channels like Facebook and Instagram can be used to advertise your products.
How do I sell furniture online safely?
By choosing the right platform for your business website, uploading clear product pictures/descriptions, and integrating a reliable payment gateway, you can ensure a safe and secure experience for your customers.
Which is the safest payment gateway to sell furniture online?
You can integrate Paytm Payment Gateway which is trusted by small and large businesses for payments transactions in India.
