Making the Most of Home Furniture

Find ways to cut costs and merchandise skillfully to increase your home furniture sales

By Denise Ryan
When making the most of home furniture, stock versatile styles and create enticing displays to market them effectively. Learn to work with home furniture suppliers, other home furniture store retailers and interior designers to offer items that your customers can’t resist.

Ensure you’re satisfying your target market, as well as attracting new buyers who are seeking furniture for the home. While making the most of home furniture, you can increase furniture sales by trying to:

1. Buy furniture in current styles, materials and fabrics to suit your clients’ tastes through wholesale home furniture sources.

2. Join industry groups that allow you to share information with furniture manufacturers and other retailers on marketing strategies and customer requests, trends and complaints.

3. Consider hiring an interior designer to create floor displays or photo shoots to showcase your home furniture in the best light.

 

Find home furniture wholesalers to stock merchandise that appeals to both loyal and new customers

Stock the most attractive, marketable furniture for your shop by working with wholesalers that cater to your specialty and demographic. When you work with a company that specializes in a single style of home furniture like antiques or kids' furniture, they'll be more knowledgeable about the merchandise and can assist you with strategies to sell it.
Try: Home furniture supplier Steve Silver Company is a wholesaler of dining sets and occasional furniture. Complete the form to request a catalog and pricing information. Sunrise Wholesale Merchandise provides a selection of bedroom, kids and living room furniture with an antique and shabby chic flair.

Get details on best sellers, marketing and upcoming home furniture releases through industry groups

Discover ways to make the most of your inventory, displays and retail floor space through retailers, home furniture manufacturers and suppliers of home furniture that you meet through industry associations. Consider adopting their discount home furniture marketing ideas, sales tactics and purchasing strategies to boost your business.
Try: Discuss sales, marketing and advertising with other retailers through the educational conferences and meetings of the Casual Furniture Retailers group. Join the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer’s Association and use the group’s resources, as well as interaction with other members, to receive education and related services to make your business a success.

Sell more by creating imaginative home furniture displays with the help of an interior designer

If you have appealing home furniture for sale, but your sales are below expectations, consider hiring an interior designer to help you create showrooms or photo shoots to grab your customers' attention. Study portfolios to find a designer with a style to suit your merchandise and clientele and let them help you make the most of your home furniture displays to potentially increase profits.
Try: Contact the International Interior Design Association to view resumes or contact qualified designers near you. The group also has sections for students and educators you can hire for small projects for your home furniture stores. Visit an industry trade show like the Home Decor & Fine Furnishings Show, managed by Jenks Productions. Meet designers hoping to make industry contacts or even ask exhibitors with eye-catching displays if their designer is available for retail work.

 

  • If you're unsure of a new furniture display, flyer or merchandising idea, turn to the discussion groups of industry associations or website message boards of online home furniture stores for opinions. This way, you can receive free feedback from customers and other retailers before putting your plan into action.