How to Sell Furniture Online: Complete Guide (2026)

Picture this: It’s 1960. A couple walks into their local furniture store and buys a complete living room set, right off the showroom floor. Twenty-five years later, their children inherit that same set for their first home. For many years, these were the only two options: shop at a physical store or get a hand-me-down.

In the past two decades, technology has helped brands replicate the in-person shopping experience online, paving the way for even more furniture businesses—and more consumer choice. And there’s still room in the market for those looking to launch a furniture business that sells directly to consumers without the showroom.

Ahead, hear from experts in the home goods industry to learn how to sell furniture online—everything from sourcing products to managing inventory to marketing your brand. Whether you’re making it yourself or reselling, transform your furniture business idea into reality with this step-by-step guide to building your own online furniture store.

How to sell furniture online in 14 steps

1. Choose your business model
2. Finance your furniture business
3. Make your business legal
4. Open a business bank account
5. Build your furniture brand
6. Source furniture (for designers and resellers)
7. Set up shop (for furniture makers)
8. Manage furniture inventory and storage
9. Learn to photograph furniture and home décor products
10. Set up your online furniture store
11. Expand your selling channels
12. Market your furniture business
13. Set up shipping, returns, and customer service
14. Get business insurance

There’s plenty of competition in the furniture market, especially if you factor in the giant share of affordable global chains. That’s why it’s important to differentiate your products, find your unique selling proposition, and build a memorable brand.

Let’s walk through the first steps to launching your furniture brand and starting a business online.

1. Choose your business model

There are multiple ways to launch a furniture business and sell home goods online and in-person. The avenue you choose will depend on a number of factors, including your skill level, startup budget, and storage availability. Options range from hands-on furniture making to dropshipping arrangements that require minimal upfront investment. Before you develop your business plan, let’s review the different business models available to you as a furniture seller.

Furniture maker

This type of business involves designing and building furniture by hand in your own workshop. You may choose to build and sell a limited number of styles by keeping inventory on hand or adopting a made-to-order model. Or you may offer a custom service that allows your audience to request specific dimensions and features from the crafts you make and sell. A furniture maker business requires that you have technical skills, specialized tools, and a dedicated workshop space.

Furniture designer (working with a manufacturer)

Rather than actually building the furniture on your own, you can choose to design it and work with a builder or manufacturer to create the products for you. You may require some specialized drafting skills and an understanding of materials and construction so you can communicate effectively with factories.

Curator and reseller

In this model, you would sell a number of items from different brands or makers, curating collections that are unique to your brand. While you aren’t designing and making the items on your own, there is a need for creativity in building a cohesive brand and for using storytelling, photography, and customer experience to sell products. In this case, you would purchase items wholesale from other brands and ship them directly to customers. An understanding of trends in the furniture industry would be essential for success.

Dropshipper

This method is essentially the same as the one above, but it provides a hands-off option if you aren’t able to stock or ship the items yourself. With dropshipping, you can start selling furniture without managing inventory or handling shipping logistics.

Several dropshipping platforms make it easy to source furniture and home décor products from verified suppliers. Shopify Collective connects you with other Shopify brands selling furniture and home goods, while apps like Syncee provide access to global suppliers with furniture categories. These platforms handle inventory synchronization and order routing, so you can focus on marketing and customer service.

When choosing furniture suppliers, prioritize those with warehouses in your target markets to reduce shipping times. Many furniture items are large and heavy, so working with domestic dropshipping suppliers can significantly improve the customer experience and reduce furniture shipping costs.

Vintage reseller

This is another curator/reseller model that focuses on one-of-a-kind vintage or antique pieces. We’ve listed this as a separate category because the sourcing methods are quite different. You’ll need a knowledge of the vintage market to identify what pieces have resale value and what’s in demand. It’s also helpful to have skills in furniture repair and refinishing to be able to restore vintage finds. Generally, vintage and antique furniture dealers will require a significant amount of space for inventory, unless you opt for a consignment model.

💡Tip: Many vintage resellers get their start by finding and reselling used furniture through marketplaces or even local buy-and-sell sites. This is a great way to try your hand at selling furniture as a lucrative side hustle before you expand to a full-time furniture business.

2. Finance your furniture business

How much does it cost to start a business selling furniture online? Your answer depends on what business structure you choose.

⬇️ On the low end: It’s possible to get started with a few hundred dollars if you plan to dropship, as there is no need to hold inventory. A custom or made-to-order furniture business can also have lower startup costs—that’s if you already have a hobby workshop. This model will allow you to buy materials as you go, so there’s no need to invest much upfront.

⬆️ On the higher end: If you don’t already own the necessary tools and equipment to start a maker business, expect to spend tens of thousands of dollars to set up a workshop. Also consider the cost of space rental (if applicable), utilities, and safety equipment (like proper ventilation). Resale businesses can also be costly to start, as you will be required to buy and hold inventory.

It’s possible to start a furniture business from home if you have a suitable storage space, like a basement or climate-controlled garage. To scale to a dedicated space or work with a warehouse partner, forecast out what the costs might be for your situation.

Financing options for furniture sellers

As with any small business, there are several funding options. If you don’t plan to bootstrap (i.e., reinvest profits into the business), you may need to find outside funding. Crowdfunding is a popular option that allows you to pre-launch your furniture business and seek funding from potential customers. Bank loans, small business grants, and venture capital firms may also be sources of funding for your business. A solid business plan will help you secure funding from investors.

3. Make your business legal

The next step is covering all your legal requirements to avoid potential fines and issues down the road.

1. Choose a corporate structure. Decide on the type of entity you’ll create for your own furniture store. Corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and sole proprietorships are the most common business types. An LLC will protect you from personal liability. The costs to form an LLC vary depending on your state.
2. Get your employer identification number (EIN). Issued by the IRS, this number is used to identify your business for tax purposes.
3. Obtain the necessary permits and licenses. Get a business license from your city or county. Also inquire about getting other required documents like a seller’s permit, zoning permits, and environmental permits.

Navigating the legal landscape can be complex. Consult with a business lawyer to ensure all legal aspects are properly addressed.

4. Open a business bank account

Once you’ve established your business structure, the next step is to open a business bank account. Having a business bank account helps establish credit for your business and shows professionalism to your clients and suppliers.

5. Build your furniture brand

It’s important that you define your brand at this early stage. Answering a few questions will help you tell your brand story, carve out your visual aesthetic, capture your mission statement, and more clearly envision your ideal customer.

Now that you’ve decided whether you will make or resell furniture, pick a niche for your furniture business. Will you only sell sofas and go deep on one product? Are you interested in jumping on a hot trend? Do you plan to focus on well-built minimalist pieces for small spaces? What about tapping into the growing number of people working at home by selling unique office furniture?

Consider the following examples when defining your furniture brand:

• Category/use: office furniture, outdoor living, home accents
• Product: sofa beds, dining tables, nursery items
• Style: midcentury modern, minimal, rustic
• Customer: students, apartment dwellers, cottage owners
• Niche: “smart” furniture, modular pieces, furniture made from recycled materials
• Cause: fair trade, handmade locally, sustainable
• Price: low retail/high volume, high end/bespoke

When Chris Hughes launched his brand Timberware, the possibilities in woodworking were infinite. “We hadn’t found our niche yet, so we just built a bit of everything,” he says. Chris found that trade shows really helped him hone his offering. Trucking heavy furniture back and forth from these shows wasn’t easy, but the exercise helped him understand the market and find his focus.

Your branding exercise would start with market research that examines the following:

• Your target customer profile. Where do potential customers already shop? What social channels do they frequent?
• The local market. If you plan to sell locally or open a brick-and-mortar store, understand the furniture landscape in your area.
• Competitors. What features does your brand offer that your competition does not? You can attract customers with a unique selling proposition.
• Trends. Examine furniture design trends, home trends, ecommerce website design, and any other trends that may impact branding design decisions.

Once you’ve conducted market research and honed in on a niche, put it to paper. Make a clear statement about what you have to offer, then layer on your mission, brand values, and brand promise. Now that you have clear brand guidelines, you’ll be able to reference them as you design your site and curate your collection.

For home and furniture company Goodee, establishing brand values was something that evolved out of founders Byron and Dexter Peart’s previous business, fashion brand WANT Les Essentiels. “It was really about this balance between things that mattered and what people really wanted,” says Byron.

Through experience, the brothers found that people felt torn between two choices: luxury or sustainability. “We wanted to build Goodee as a response to that,” says Byron. The brand takes a clear stance: The two choices are not mutually exclusive. Dexter and Byron leveraged their business and design experience to curate a collection that delivers on their solid brand values.

6. Source furniture (for designers and resellers)

How you source suppliers or manufacturers depends on the type of furniture business you plan to start.

Designers

For furniture designers who do not plan to make the furniture themselves, look for a trusted manufacturer. “The closer you are to your production and your supply chain, especially in the beginning,” says Dexter, “the easier it will be to build and forge partnerships with whoever’s making your products.”

When you’re getting started and you don’t have familiarity with manufacturing, it’s recommended that you find a manufacturer that will allow you a lot of oversight. Make sure your manufacturer will work with you as a partner in your business.

Resellers

If you’re looking to resell products by others, you can hit the pavement and approach makers and brands to ask about wholesale pricing and terms. There are also wholesale marketplaces that allow resellers to browse vendors who are actively looking for retail partners.

Building strong relationships with furniture wholesalers can provide you with high-quality inventory and competitive prices. Keep tabs on your wholesalers regularly to make sure they’re in tune with your business needs. Good communication might give you the inside track on upcoming trends, new product lines, or stock that’s running low.

Wholesale pros include cost savings, having a single point of contact, and ensuring a steady flow of inventory. Keep in mind that purchasing inventory wholesale usually requires minimum order quantities (MOQ), but ordering more can bolster your negotiating power when it comes to pricing and can ensure better margins.

Vintage sellers

Vintage sellers source furniture in a number of ways. Due to the nature of the business, you’ll need to be consistently on the hunt to ensure you have inventory. 

Here are a number of sources to get you started with sourcing vintage furniture:

• Auctions. Sign up to receive notifications for auctions in your area. Some of these take place in person, but there are several online auction sites like eBay and MaxSold that allow you to browse and bid on your own time from home.
• Estate sales. These can be a goldmine for a lot of vintage items in one place. Stay on top of upcoming sales by getting on the email list of local estate sale management companies.
• Online marketplaces and classifieds. Sites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace might turn up some treasures, as well as listings for yard sales, moving sales, or estate sales.
• Flea or outdoor markets. Showing up early means first dibs, but you’ll get the best deals at the end of the day and the end of flea market season, when dealers are looking to unload stock.
• Collectors. Private collectors may be interested in working with you to unload some of their stock. These are people you may meet as you start building contacts in the vintage community.

Dropshippers

Furniture dropshippers have several sourcing options beyond traditional dropshipping suppliers. Shopify Collective offers access to furniture from established Shopify brands, while Syncee connects you with more than 12,000 global brands including home and furniture categories.

For international sourcing, platforms like AliExpress offer extensive furniture catalogs, although their shipping times may be longer. You can also approach furniture brands directly to establish dropshipping partnerships—many manufacturers offer dedicated dropshipping programs for retailers.

7. Set up shop (for furniture makers)

For furniture makers, starting a furniture business can be costly if you don’t already own tools or have a dedicated workshop. Like Chris at Timberware, you can start with the basics and expand your toolbox as your business grows.

Here’s Chris’s advice for setting up your own furniture workshop:

1. Keep your workshop tidy. “A clean and organized shop is a safe and productive shop.”
2. Consider ways to streamline workflow. “What tools do you need to have in order to accomplish what you want to do? What order will they be used in? This will help you figure out the layout for each main piece of machinery. From there, you just find the best place for the smaller stuff.”
3. The table saw is the heart of your workshop. “Make sure you have enough space around it to make the cuts you need.”
4. Manage dust. “Where should your ducts be run for maximum efficiency?”
5. Light it up. “For lighting, go bigger than you think you need. You can never have too much light in the shop! I recommend going with LEDs everywhere.”

Don’t forget that your workshop will likely be a work in progress. “Start with what you can afford and slowly grow your tool arsenal,” says Chris. He started his business with savings and bootstrapped, upgrading as he grew by reinvesting profits back into his workshop. “Be patient and don’t overextend yourself.”

8. Manage furniture inventory and storage

If you’ve decided to make or resell furniture and are not dropshipping or making to order, be sure to consider your space needs. As we mentioned in the financing section, this could account for a considerable chunk of your startup costs.

“In the earliest stages, warehousing is in your garage. It’s in your bedroom,” says Byron. “That’s the natural way for a business to start.” He says it’s important for new business owners to be close to the full supply chain in the beginning.

Only after managing this aspect yourself can you understand what you’re looking for in a warehouse partner. One who, as Byron says, “will share your values with the same rigor and discipline as you would yourself.”

When deciding how and where to warehouse or store your products, consider the condition of the space. Many materials like wood and natural fabrics are susceptible to extreme temperatures, pests, and fluctuations in humidity. If you live in a cold climate like Canada, for example, your home’s unheated garage might not be the best long-term solution for inventory storage.

Warehousing and storage solutions for furniture:

• Dedicating a room inside your home to store furniture 
• Renting a climate-controlled storage space (best for overflow inventory that you don’t need to access regularly)
• Working with a warehouse partner who also handles shipping and order fulfillment
• Renting/buying your own dedicated office and warehouse space

When inventory doesn’t sell: Price drops, bundles, donate/liquidate

Inevitably, you’ll have inventory that doesn’t sell or that takes longer to sell than others. In order to get it to sell faster, use tactics like price drops, time sensitive discounts, adding “or best offer” to encourage price negotiation, and take new listing photos.

If you choose to list furniture on an online marketplace, consider relisting the item, and price used furniture more competitively to attract interest from shoppers looking at lower price points. 

If that doesn’t work, consider how much you paid for the item or the time spent making it. You might be able to liquidate it to a consignment shop, or donate to a local thrift store as a last resort. 

9. Learn to photograph furniture and home décor products

As with clothing, furniture is very personal. Without a fitting room or showroom, it’s up to online businesses to replicate as much of the in-person buying process as possible. Scale and size, texture, and detail are all important aspects to capture when photographing furniture and home accents.

Product photography is key for a curated brand like GoodeeOODEE. “There’s something very democratic about us curating and finding these beautiful objects,” says Dexter. “and then showcasing them in the same way.” Photography, owned by Goodee, creates consistency across the brand’s website.

When you’re starting out, you can shoot your own product photos using a DSLR (or even a smartphone) and simple lighting kit, or work with a professional photographer.

Here are some product photography tips for your furniture store:

• Scale is important. Aside from providing detailed measurements in the description, be sure to capture the piece within a space, next to other familiar and commonly sized décor items.
• Zoom in. Detailed closeups will help your customers “feel” the product without touching it. Try to capture texture in fabric and the detail of wood grain.
• Light it up. Lighting is critical to capturing detail and color accurately. A simple lighting set-up can be achieved with diffused natural light or a lighting kit.
• Tell a story. Beyond the product description, your visuals should also tell a story: Who is this for? How should it be styled? What are some other products that complement it? Do this by including lifestyle photos along with those against a plain background. Stage it in a room and provide style ideas that inspire customers to envision it in their own space.

In the following photos of a dining chair by Goodee, the first image is staged in a living space to offer suggestions for how it might be styled. In the second, the close crop allows customers to see the chair’s detail.

💡 Tip: For vintage furniture resellers, shooting product photos is an ongoing task. Refer to our guide for selling vintage clothing for tips on how to set up a photography workflow.

Step-by-step photo checklist for furniture (angles, scale, details, lighting)

Below, find a step-by-step guide for taking product photos: 

• Gather materials. You’ll need a DSLR camera or smartphone, a tripod, white background, and natural light. 
• Create a shot list. Your shot list details which specific photos you plan to take. This should include different angles, close ups, and lifestyle scenes. 
• Set the scene. Gather the furniture pieces you plan to photograph. To save time, batch photography sessions and photograph as many pieces of furniture at the same time as possible. 
• Follow the light. Whether you’re shooting outdoors or indoors, look for soft, diffused natural light. Outside, this might be a shady spot; inside, near a window. Take several test shots to determine the spot with the best lighting. 
• Take the photographs. Experiment with different angles, scale to show the accurate size of each piece, and ensure you capture any special details or, if selling vintage furniture, blemishes. 
• Edit the photographs. You’ll likely need to put in some post-production time to tweak the images to perfection. While filters might look cool, remember that shoppers are trying to get an idea of the actual color of the furniture. Opt to make the images bright and accurate.

10. Set up your online furniture store

Before you actually launch your furniture business to the world, take time to play around with your online store builder. Launching a simple landing page at this stage, along with your social accounts, can help you build an email list so you can make a big splash at your official grand opening.

Website design and themes for online furniture stores

As with any store you launch on Shopify, you can do it with little to no design skill. Shopify themes have multiple layout options that let you plug in your images, text, and customizations to create your own branded site.

If you have the budget but not the visual skills, consider hiring a designer or agency to help you put together a branding package. Shopify Partners are vetted professionals who have experience working with brands of all sizes.

Product pages for furniture stores

Goodee’s product page design is a winning example to aspire to as you set up your store. We’ve dissected one of its pages to explain why it works and how to implement some of its brilliance in your own product pages.

Here are 10 points of inspiration from this Goodee product page: 

1. The primary image is a clear product photo with a solid background, showing the entire chair, uncropped and without distractions.

2. Additional views of the chair including alternate angles and the product placed within the context of a scene.

3. There’s a prominent Add to Bag CTA button with an option to Add to Favorites. This is a helpful feature that allows customers to think and come back later or compare multiple products side by side. Read on for suggestions on how to achieve this with an app.

4. A single paragraph sums up everything you need to know about this chair: where it’s made, how it’s made, notes about its durability, suggestions for where and how it can be used, and how to style it. Storytelling language can transport your customer into the feeling you’d like them to have about a piece of furniture.

5. Secondary photos include lifestyle images that show the chair in a setting with other furniture and accents. These lifestyle images provide inspiration and show scale. Ideally, the additional items in these photos can also be purchased in your store.

6. Detailed specs of the chair help customers understand if it will fit in their space. In this section, it’s helpful to include details like: weight, dimensions, care notes, material composition, origin, and assembly requirements.

7. If, like Goodee, your brand is built around a cause such as sustainability or fair trade practices, your product pages provide another opportunity to be transparent about your commitment.

8. Goodee’s founders believe in the strength of story, and that’s woven into the brand’s site in multiple places. On each product page, the maker of the product is featured in a dedicated section with a short description and link to view other products. This can also help with cross-selling (e.g., featuring pieces within the same collection).

9. At the bottom of the page, customers are invited to review the product. Completed reviews appear in this section, offering future customers additional peace of mind from the social proof of real customer testimonials.

10. A related products section can help your customers compare similar options in the same product class or view complementary products. Goodee makes this section feel more personal with the heading “You’re Gonna Love.” 

As you build your product pages, think about what you want each one to achieve. “If you can’t explain to your customer why that product needs to exist in the first place and why they should bring that into their home or give it as a gift,” says Byron, “then I think you failed that customer experience.”

About, Contact, and FAQ pages for furniture brands

Byron and Dexter made the choice to put their faces—as well as the faces and stories of their artisan partners—at the front of their brand. The investment in Goodee’s story that finds balance between design and positive impact resonated with customers as buyer trends shifted.

Your story can set you apart from massive competitors. In this arena, small and human-backed businesses always win. Your About page can tell your origin story, highlight your brand values, share some of the faces of those on your team, and find common ground with your customers.

For furniture designers and builders, this is also the place where you can invite your customers behind the scenes to take a peek at your process and inspiration.

Your contact information and FAQ are also important pages. FAQ pages are useful for furniture businesses, especially for shipping and returns information. Due to the large size and weight of many furniture pieces, shipping may be more complicated and returns may not be possible.

Clearly communicate your shipping and return policies here. And allow customers to easily contact you with follow-up questions. Bigger purchases often require additional support.

💡 Tip: When building all pages and navigations on your site, consider search engine optimization (SEO) which helps search engines like Google rank your site. Ranking near the top of search results could earn you valuable organic traffic.

Ecommerce apps for your furniture store

To meet the specific needs of your business, here are a few select apps from the Shopify App Store to help you sell furniture online:

• Delivery Date
• Honeycomb Upsell & Cross Sell
• Wishlist Plus
• SC Product Options

11. Expand your selling channels

Other than your online furniture store, consider additional sales channels to get your products in front of customers in a crowded market. If you’re a maker or designer, can you reach other geographical markets by wholesaling your products? If you’re an online-only furniture brand, this may be an easy way to dabble in retail.

Pop-up retail is a great option for vintage furniture resellers, designers, or makers. Think local outdoor markets or trade shows. Often, larger furniture retailers will open in-store pop-up spaces for emerging brands that complement their offerings.

Also consider if any social sales channels or online marketplaces are right for your audience. As a furniture maker or vintage reseller, you can integrate your Etsy or Facebook Marketplace sales with Shopify to get the best of both worlds: your own dedicated site and access to potential buyers on marketplaces. What other sites—think home goods resellers—can you explore?

Best places to sell used furniture online (for vintage and resale)

Here’s a quick roundup for how to sell online on different marketplace platforms, including when-to-use guidance:

• Shopify. Shopify is the best place to sell furniture online for entrepreneurs looking to build an online store and establish a brand. Shopify plans start at $29 per month with card processing rates starting at 2.9% plus 30¢ online. 
• eBay. Sell used furniture online on eBay if you’re interested in auctioning it off to a large audience. eBay charges fees, including: a per-order fee of 40¢ for orders $10 and up and 30¢ for orders less than $10. The platform also charges a final value fee based on item categories, with most items at 13.6% of the total order value up to $7,500. 
• Etsy. Etsy works well for those looking to start an online boutique with a built-in audience. Etsy charges a one-time setup fee, a 20¢ listing fee, a 6.5% transaction fee, and payment processing fees. 
• Chairish. Chairish is the best place to sell furniture online for consignment. For members on the free plan selling one to nine items, the platform takes a 40% flat commission fee. For members on the free plan selling 10 or more items, Chairish takes a 30% flat commission fee. 
• Facebook Marketplace. Marketplace works well for those looking to sell furniture in their local area and provide local pickup options. Some locations have a more active Facebook Marketplace community than others. Marketplace does not take a commission for those selling in person, but does charge a fee for people who purchase online. 
• Craigslist. Similar to Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist can work well for those who want to sell furniture locally. Craigslist does not charge fees for listing furniture online to sell, unless you are selling furniture by dealer in Vancouver, BC.
• AptDeco. AptDeco visually enhances photos for you, handles payments within its platform, and works with white glove pickup services. Sell anywhere in the US except for Alaska and Hawaii. You’ll keep up to 70% of the sale price. 
• 1st Dibs. You have to apply to sell on 1st Dibs, which vets and selects professional galleries, sellers, and designers. Monthly fees include both a subscription fee and per-sale commission rate. Choose between either a higher monthly subscription fee or higher per-sale commission rate. 

12. Market your furniture business

As part of your business plan, a marketing plan lays out your marketing approach and core channels.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to marketing for furniture businesses. A good rule of thumb is having the right message in the right place at the right time. Those factors will depend on who your customer is and where they hang out. Is it more worth your time and money to invest in email marketing or in Facebook ads? Should you try content marketing or Google Ads? Testing is your friend at this stage.

When you launch a furniture business, consider that your product will be subject to taste and may require guidance for those less design savvy. Content can be very powerful for this reason. Build an audience on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok by offering home design advice and tips. These can be tools to drive traffic to your online store and establish yourself and your brand as a credible expert in this space, as well as position your brand in the market. 

Goodee uses Instagram to humanize the brand and take users behind the scenes:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GOODEE (@goodeeworld)

In the end, your marketing content will come across most authentically when you work within mediums and platforms that come natural to you. “We’re a little old school, in that we still get most of our clients by word of mouth," says Chris. "With that being said, Instagram is a great tool for us.”

Tell the product story to boost perceived value

If you’re selling antique, vintage, or old furniture, sharing details about where it came from can help the buyer connect with its unique story. Leverage storytelling for each piece to strengthen product positioning, overall brand positioning, and conversion.

For example, if you know the era when the piece was made, its maker, and the type of materials it’s made out of, share all of that with your shoppers. Usually, antique pieces are stamped with a maker’s mark and a date so that these details can be easily recovered later on. 

13. Set up shipping, returns, and customer service

“Shipping is a massive challenge,” says Chris, who admits he hasn’t quite perfected it. “We have shipped 800-pound dining tables across the country. It’s nerve-wracking!” For Goodee, inventory management, fulfillment, and shipping are handled by the brand’s warehouse partner.

When you’re just starting out, you may be managing order fulfillment and shipping yourself. For you, Chris has advice from his own experience:

• Work with the right partners. “Find a shipping company that has good reviews and build a relationship with them. Make sure you can get quick quotes based on weight and dimensions ahead of time so you can factor that into your price.”
• Invest in packaging. “Package or crate your product really well. This way you have the peace of mind that your beautiful dining table looks as it should when it reaches your customer.”

You could also partner with Shopify Fulfillment Network to handle your shipping. The service partners with Flexport to offer fast, affordable shipping and fulfillment services for ecommerce businesses.

Through Shopify Fulfillment Network, furniture businesses can access two- to three- day nationwide delivery, data-driven inventory placement, and simplified order management directly through their Shopify admin.

Returns can also be very tricky when you’re dealing with oversized furniture items. Be sure that your return policy is very clear. If you do not accept returns, this information should be clearly presented to the customer at the checkout stage and even on the product page. If you’re willing to accept returns, establish the terms with your shipping partner upfront and let the customer know who will be responsible for the return shipping charges—which may be substantial.

Goodee’s founders share that the brand’s return rate is less than 5%. They achieve this through detailed product pages and stellar customer support, but also by making the decision to (almost) never run sales. “By having a site that’s not on sale,” says Byron, “you’re not really trying to use all of these other techniques to get someone just to buy.”

💡Tip: Determine your shipping strategy as early as the business plan stage, as this may impact your costs and financial planning.

Shipping cost strategies for furniture ecommerce (flat, free, calculated)

Shipping furniture is an expensive endeavor. That being said, there are ways to get strategic about lowering shipping costs. For example, offer free shipping to customers by including shipping costs in your overall upfront price. Do this by requesting a quote from your shipping partner (e.g., white glove, ground, freight) before you list each piece online. 

If you sell the same type of furniture consistently, consider offering a flat rate delivery fee, which is simple for you and transparent up front for customers. Or, include a calculator on each product page where shoppers can input their destination to see how much shipping will cost. 

💡TIP: A few on-demand delivery and transport options include uShip, GoShare, and Dolly.

Packaging and damage-prevention checklist for bulky items

• Use double-walled boxes or crates. Heavy, bulky, or large furniture needs reinforced packaging to prevent damage in transit. 
• Disassemble when possible. Remove legs, shelves, and hardware to reduce packaging size.
• Wrap each piece individually. Use moving blankets, bubble wrap, and foam padding to protect surfaces.
• Secure corners and edges. Add extra padding to corners and edges and any glass.
• Add internal cushioning. Fill gaps with corrugated inserts, air pillows, or crumpled recycled paper to keep items from shifting.
• Seal with heavy-duty packing tape. Reinforce all seams and openings, making sure there are no holes.
• Label clearly. Instructions like “Fragile” and “This Side Up” help carriers handle items with care.
• Use moisture-resistant materials. Protect wood and upholstery from water exposure during transport.
• Inspect before handoff. Double-check all wrapping, tape, and labeling to ensure the package can withstand movement and stacking.
• Take condition photos. In the chance that the furniture gets damaged in transit, you’ll need clear before photos when submitting claims to prove that the item was in better condition before you sent it. 

Local pickup and delivery safety tips

If you offer local pickup and delivery, stay safe by meeting in a public place during the day. Also, take someone with you if that makes you more comfortable. 

For heavier pieces and larger items, designate in the description that it’s the buyer’s responsibility to be able to move the furniture on their own, especially if you do not have the equipment to do it for them yourself.

14. Get business insurance

Before you start selling online, check in with legal and insurance professionals to see if your business requires any additional protection due to the size and price of the items you’re delivering.

You’ll want to protect yourself from loss, such as items damaged in transit. But you should also consider protecting your customers. Will you sell extended warranties? Do you need commercial insurance? There are several types of business insurance, so it’s important to do your homework to ensure you’ve put the right protections in place before you start selling.

Tips for selling used furniture online safely and profitably

Below, find additional tips for selling used furniture online: 

Common mistakes to avoid

❌Don’t cut corners with your listings. Too few or low-quality photos, missing measurements, or hidden imperfections can hurt buyer trust. Clear visuals and honest descriptions sell furniture faster.

❌Don’t obtain inventory before testing the market. Before investing in new pieces, start with no money by selling items you already own. It’s a low-risk way to see which styles, price points, and materials resonate with local buyers.

❌Don’t underestimate brand positioning. Highlight what makes your brand unique with a clear differentiation strategy or value proposition. Think: sustainable materials, custom options, or white-glove delivery.

❌Don’t forget about shipping costs. Many new sellers underestimate shipping costs or overlook the complexity of moving bulky items. Build these expenses into your pricing or offer shipping quotes upfront.

❌Don’t reject lowball offers. Expect to get at least a few lowball offers if you sell via resale marketplaces. Handle these strategically by thanking the buyer and restating your price. Professional, polite negotiation helps protect your reputation as a seller.

Additional in-person safety reminders for meetups

When selling furniture locally:

• Adopt a cash only approach. If you primarily sell via marketplaces like Facebook or Craigslist, accepting cash only is usually the best route. This avoids any technological mishaps, bounced checks, or scams. 
• Ensure that your buyer is a real person. There are tons of bots these days that pose as real people. Check that your buyer is a real person by looking at their online account and for context clues like whether they’re using only pre-written responses to engage with you. 
• Schedule meetups during the day in public places. Choose a public place that is convenient for both you and your buyer. 
• Decide ahead of time who will do the heavy lifting. If you do not have the ability to lift or transport heavy pieces of furniture, designate in your product description that the buyer will have to take on the responsibility. 

The future of selling furniture online

The gradual shift to online shopping was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging technology is making it easier for furniture stores to offer the showroom experience online.

Using 3D and video file types, you can give your customers a 360-degree view of your product or show the product in motion or in context. For example, a video of a person sitting down on a sofa would demonstrate the level of cushion firmness—something that can’t be captured in a photo.

Also consider how AI tools can help you run your furniture business more efficiently and improve customer experience. AI chatbots can reduce customer service load by handling common customer questions on your website, such as furniture care instructions or shipping information. Shopify Magic can make easy work of detailed product pages by writing AI descriptions based on keywords.

Data-backed trends and adoption stats (2024–2025)

The furniture ecommerce market is currently valued at $256 billion with a growth forecast ranging from 5% to 10% for 2024–2025. Despite the predicted uptick, the sentiment from large retailers like Wayfair is one of uncertainty.

“The forward outlook, especially in the core of our business, big and bulky furniture, is as unpredictable as any point in the past four years, with uncertainty over the state of inflation, global trade policy and interest rates, among other factors,” says Niraj Shah, co-founder and CEO of Wayfair. 

The impact of tariffs also lingers, suggesting that adopting a resale model for furniture could prove the best path for the foreseeable future. 

Successful online furniture business examples

Meet the founders behind the two successful furniture businesses featured in this article.

Goodee

When fashion industry veterans and brothers Byron and Dexter Peart were considering their next venture, they reflected on their upbringing in a house filled with pieces from their parents’ home country. What they remember is that each item told a story. Their brand, Goodee, is a furniture and home décor business aiming to elevate the stories of the makers behind each product they sell.

Timberware

"I’ve worked with my hands for as long as I can remember," says founder Chris Hughes. Chris worked as a welder’s apprentice and a general contractor before launching Timberware, his second business. Building homes developed in him a love for woodworking. His own business allows him to focus on that craft, making custom wood furniture and home décor pieces for his clients.

Get a seat at the table

Whether you’re planning to build or curate furniture to sell online, it can be a rewarding and creative business.

Dexter and Byron made the move from fashion to furniture because they found beauty in the way that home unites people. “There’s no gender, there are no sizes,” says Byron. “We all have a connection to these emotional moments that we share together in the comfort of home.”

For Chris, the reward comes from working with his hands, doing projects that excite him. He says that identifying those are the key to a successful business. “If you are passionate about what you’re building,” he says, “that will come through in your work.”

What are you passionate about? What gap exists in the furniture market? At the intersection of these answers is a business opportunity in the furniture industry waiting for your unique idea.