Guide to Seating

Seating can be a lucrative, though highly competitive business

By Chris Perrin, Principal, Common Dialogue Enterprises, Inc.

1. Seating is basically recession proof. While sales of high end chairs may fluctuate, everyone will eventually want something to sit on.
2. Seating businesses can sell both house seating and workplace seating.
3. The seating industry has many different types of specialties not limited to: dining chairs, folding chairs, office chairs and sofas.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Research seating and develop a solid business plan before trying to compete

It is important to first know what types of seating you want to sell and how you plan to do it. Although, it may be difficult to compete with the big chain stores on price or selection, you can still find a competitive edge with a well thought out strategy to sell seating, office style or simply for the home.

I recommend: Begin your research with ergonomic seats, described at Spine-Health, and then look into specialty types such as folding chairs at the Folding Chair Warehouse, dining room chairs, or environmentally friendly chairs, such as Steelcase's Think chairs. Your primary goal should be to make sure that you are selling something there is a market for and keep it inline with your personal interests and values.

Know the different types of features available in seating

Seating furniture provides a number of different ways for a person to sit, and can encompass everything from thrones to saddles, and even oddly shaped ergonomic chairs. But, chairs and sofas often have unique features which can affect their overall quality and functionality. So, before you decide to start selling any type of seating make sure you have a good understanding of the product and its market.

I recommend: Use freely available resources on the Internet such as this article at Staples.com which focuses mainly on desk chairs, but also applies to home seating. The Home Institute provides a list of tips for purchasing a sofa or couch. Don’t assume you know this information and skip these articles, or you might risk being less informed than your customers. Be certain that you are capable of addressing the issues raised in these articles before you go into the seating business.

Find seating distributors and manufacturers online

Many global manufacturers of seating are now available via the Internet. Start with these resources to begin building your inventory in preparation to launching your own seating business. While most of these seating manufacturers will have factories in Asia or Mexico, they should also have representation or customer service available in the United States.

I recommend: Find seating manufacturers around the world using the Internet, especially sites such as Trade Key and Made-In-China. Always research the companies listed carefully before doing business with them and try to find out if any local companies have previously worked with them. Having a good recommendation should make you feel more confident dealing directly with the manufacturer while attempting to cut costs and get the best prices on your seating purchase.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you are in business to sell seating furniture, you will need to have an online presence in order to remain competitive.
• •  Offer a variety of low-end and high-end seating options to meet the demands of a wide range of customers.
• •  Consider seating rentals as a lucrative business alternative, especially if you have quick access to an area where people frequently get married or hold special functions.