Furniture Retailing Online: Thriving Today?

I keep an eye on some industries and niches within them that surviving today’s recession.

I concluded that some business, such as scooter, fuel saving, and online business in general is surviving the economy crisis.

As you might notice in Noobpreneur.com, although the blog is mainly on small business, I always favour online business simply due to the fact that its growth is phenomenal and it is self-sustaining and thriving today.

One of the online business I highlight is online furniture retailing. Why?

Furniture online retailing solves the main problem: logistic

No matter how bleak the furniture industry is today - downsizing in several home furnishing big names, such as bedding giant Simmons, and reportedly loss making year in other big names - online furniture retailing is arguably one of the survivor in today’s recession.

Mainly, they offer what their off line counterparts can’t - order processing online and to-your-doorstep delivery services, which most online retailers charge at no cost.

Your benefits? Less hassle, less mileage in shopping for goods, and generally lower product price tags.

Living room furniture can be purchased within a few point and clicks, and you’re done.

Online business: closing the gap between the big names and the unknowns

Big online retailers, such as Overstock.com, offer home furnishing at rock-bottom prices. They have the economy of scale advantages over their smaller counterparts.

However, online shoppers would be interested in small(er) online furniture retailers if they offer personalised service.

In online business world, the gap between the big names and the small(er) names could be eliminated, or at least, narrowed, by offering outstanding, personal, customer services.

What makes a good online furniture retailing and an ecommerce site in general

I have a case study to offer - I stumble upon an online furniture retailer, ModernLineFurniture.com.

Living room furniture, dining and bar furniture, bedroom sets, and other home furnishing items - an ordinary online furniture retailer will offer you, but actually shout the ‘real deal’ in ecommerce.

Here’s what makes shopping in small(er) names is, at least to me, more desirable than shopping in big name online retailers:

More ‘reachable’ customer service
Like in a good ecommerce site, furniture e-tailers like ModernLineFurniture.com, offer a prominently displayed toll-free phone number to contact. Big names like Overstock.com can’t offer you this.
Prices are competitive, although not always cheaper than the big names.
I browse around, and found out that a living room sofa set in ModernLineFurniture.com costs you about $1,200, whereas the similar designed living room sofa in Overstock.com costs you about $2,500! I don’t know how about you, but with the similar design, specs, and quality, I prefer shopping at the former than the latter :)
Usually faster in delivery
Being small means more nimble. With less customer to take care of, your purchased furniture can be delivered faster the bigger counterparts. To compare, ModernLineFurniture.com offers 3-4 business day delivery services, while Overstock.com offers 1-10 business day delivery services.

The prospects of online furniture retailing

In my opinion, online business is thriving today, and will keep thriving years to come, as it offers a solution nobody can’t complain about - hassle-free furniture shopping and cheaper prices.

With the always-rising gas prices, online retailing offers you a way to save your hard earned cash, while enjoying the same furniture quality as other off line shopper would.

Fancy start an online furniture retailing?

Ivan Widjaya
Online furniture retailing
Image by ModernLineFurniture.com.

About the Author

Ivan Widjaya is the Owner/Editor of Noobpreneur.com. He is a web property investor, blogger and web property maker, and currently managing and running websites and blogs on various topics under the brand name of My Web Estate.