How to start a business selling upholstered furniture. How to open a furniture showroom from scratch - a step-by-step guide

People strive for comfort and confidence. They want their work to be structured thoroughly and bring in a solid income; they want to start their day in an environment that is pleasing to the eye and meets all their needs. The words “quality”, “stability”, “respectability” are applicable to both a well-organized life and a thriving business. One of the stable and promising areas of the latter is the furniture sector.

Analysis of the Russian furniture market

WITH geographical point vision most of furniture production enterprises are located in Central Federal District, namely in the Moscow region - Moscow and the Moscow region. At the same time, large players are trying to extend the network from the capital to smaller cities.

In the 90s, the Russian market was predominantly occupied by imported products. The period of demand for domestic goods began after the crisis of 1998, when people simply could not afford expensive foreign furniture and preferred Russian manufacturers. Similar dynamics were observed in 2008.

In 2015-2017, dense development took place in Russia, while the overall share of sales in the furniture niche decreased by 5-7%. But 2018 promises an increase in demand. It's time to get involved.

The legion of furniture makers is dominated by trade organizations that sell ready-made and made-to-order products. Companies operating a full technological cycle: design, production of materials, production finished product, the provision of delivery and assembly services is much less. Own production, maintaining warehouse space is a costly business.

Furniture is conventionally divided into several categories: household, office and special. Next to the body and soft ones. The niche of the economical and mid-price segment is firmly occupied by domestic manufacturers, but in the premium class sector, competition from foreign companies is extremely high.

As of today Russian market dominates (in descending order): cabinet, office, kitchen, upholstered, children's, garden furniture, specialized (includes furnishings public buildings, transport, gardens, parks).

Business plan for a furniture salon

So, where to start a furniture selling business? First of all, you should find out what is in demand by the buyer for the current period, what is offered modern market and how to make a profit while avoiding high competition. And then calculate costs, risks and strategy.

A business plan for the production and/or sale of furniture includes the following mandatory items:

1. Type of product (cabinet, upholstered, office furniture, etc. in accordance with your assortment).
2. Technological production cycle, estimated costs, payback periods.
3. Financing an enterprise: own assets, borrowed funds, attracting partners, investors, founders. Salary distribution plan.
4. Organization of production: rental or acquisition of ownership of production and warehouse premises, purchase of related equipment, selection of personnel and specialized personnel.
5. Target audience of buyers: wholesale customers, private customers, dealers, retailers.
6. Sales of goods and services: own retail outlets, individual orders, direct deliveries to wholesale and individual customers.
7. Advertising and promotion of the company. Sum Money allocated for advertising.
8. Company registration and legal registration in the appropriate authorities.

Important: in order to avoid unforeseen expenses, each item of the plan should be carefully worked out and calculated.

Who is the potential buyer of a new interior? For the most part this is:

• young families;
• families with school-age children;
• opening firms and organizations;
• elderly people, pensioners.

Choosing premises for a furniture store

Retail space can be rented/purchased in a large mall, a separate building, a room with a separate entrance, etc. The main criterion when choosing is cross-country ability. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a center or a residential area; the key to success is the intense flow of people in a given location. It is also advantageous if the store is visible from the roadway. A bright, visible sign from the road will reduce advertising costs and attract potential buyers.

A small retail space with several exhibitions can be transformed into an apartment and samples of each room can be presented according to its intended purpose: kitchen, bedroom, living room, hallway. The vast retail spaces will be divided thematically: upholstered furniture, cabinet furniture, glass furniture, wicker furniture.

In order to freely move from object to object and not miss a single sample, the passages should be made spacious, flowing into one another. And don't be afraid bold decisions! The more extraordinary the styles and combinations, the greater the chances of being remembered and standing out from the mass of standard, hackneyed solutions.

In addition, you can hire a designer and work out the exhibition in every detail. After all, if a bedroom is displayed, there should be a bedspread and bed linen on the beds, flower arrangements on the bedside tables, an intricate painting on the wall, dishes with original patterns in the kitchen, a delightful carpet in the living room that beckons you to take off your shoes and step bare feet on the soft pile . Often, the interior comes to life and is “sold” precisely due to the decor and stylish details.

How larger area premises - the higher the ceilings should be. In any case - from 3 meters. Lighting is of particular importance: it should not dazzle or distort color, but it should be enough to see details.

Furniture store advertisement

Why invest money in advertising? So that people know that there is a company, it is engaged in the arrangement of residential premises, regularly informs clients about the arrival of new collections, the beginning of discounts and, with well-structured work, thereby attracts a new audience.

To develop a business you need a website. You also need pages on popular social networks, a customer base to whom you can send commercial offers by e-mail, printed catalogs with product samples, and branded brochures. Methods are combined with each other and the optimal one is selected.

If you have an initial budget, you can contact a marketer who will conduct a detailed market analysis, help identify the target audience and calculate options for advertising investments with a high probability of return.

For those who start without a financial cushion, there are many options to express themselves with minimal investment. A fair number of companies sell furniture “from photographs” - they create a page on Instagram or Vkontakte, post pictures beautiful interiors and offer services for calculation, design and production of identical goods. And, as statistics show, people are ordering.

If the exhibition area is located on the territory of a furniture center, this is already advertising. All it takes is an attractive sign and an original display. Further development depends on the work of consultants and the quality of products.

If the store is based in a separate building, you should organize a grand opening: print flyers, hire promoters, decorate the entrance and offer pleasant bonuses to the first customers in honor of the start of work.

Search and selection of suppliers

Working in the furniture industry involves interacting with a number of contractors. First of all, these are manufacturers. Perfect option cooperate with the factory directly, but this is only possible if the order volume is beneficial to the manufacturer. The plant will not make a couple of cabinets and a kitchen for a small apartment. This is why it is easier for small firms to communicate with dealers and distributors.

When choosing a supplier, the following points are important:

• Does the furniture meet established quality standards?
• Do the supplier's capabilities match the technical and design objectives of your projects?
• Stability and reliability of the company, fame in the market, recommendations of large companies.
• Warranty conditions.

Attention: the supplier must guarantee that the furniture meets the declared characteristics, subject to the conditions of transportation, storage, assembly and operation, and produce replacement elements of the product during the warranty period to ensure the repairability of the furniture.

Pricing: how to conduct a competitor analysis

In order to assess the market situation, experts advise conducting marketing research. This does not mean that you need to pay through the nose, wait months and rack your brains over dozens of diagrams and tables. No, this is a collection of data on what and how competitors trade, what are their advantages and disadvantages.

Newcomers, as a rule, are not ready to spend their budget on analytics. Here's what you can do in this case: attend furniture exhibitions. Manufacturers from all over the world present current and new samples, willingly get acquainted and share professional information. There are a lot of both ordinary buyers and representatives of retail chains at the exhibition, and this is an excellent opportunity to understand what is being offered, what system of discounts they use and what bonuses cooperation promises.

As a last resort, use the Internet and collect all possible information about your competitors there.

Legal registration of business

Choosing a tax system

In the retail trade sector, there are 4 main tax regimes: UTII (unified tax on imputed income), simplified taxation system (simplified taxation system), OSNO ( general system taxation), PSN (patent taxation system).

The most popular is the simplified taxation system (USN). For individual entrepreneurs there are no restrictions on the use of the simplified tax system; for LLCs there are a number of requirements for the number of full-time employees, income and branches.

Reference: The tax rate depends on the region, the type of activity of the company and the turnover of funds.

In general, the choice of system looks like this:

• small store without branches - simplified tax system
• store with high, uninterrupted profits - UTII
• seasonal trade, exhibitions - PSN
• cooperation with legal entities, including VAT – OSNO

Choosing a form of ownership

Ownership form for work furniture company 2 – LLC and individual entrepreneur. To work with orders from commercial organizations you need to register an LLC, and if you work only with individuals, just open an IP.

To register a company, you must prepare the following documents:

1. Company name
2. protocol for making a decision on opening
3. information about the director and accountant
4. charter indicating the type of activity and the amount of authorized capital
5. Bank details
6. receipt of payment of state duty

There are few special requirements for the furniture trade. It will be necessary to conclude agreements with Rospotrebnadzor, Rospozhnadzor and MUP Gorenergo.

Recruitment and registration

To launch a project, a staff of employees is required: a director, sales consultants (the number depends on the area and assortment of the store), a designer, an accountant, and a customer service manager. It is also necessary to conclude agreements with transport companies and cargo carriers.

Employees should be officially registered in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation: sign employment contract, hiring order, create a personal employee card and make an entry in the work book.

The usual markup on furniture is +/- 50%, there are models with a 100% markup or more. During promotions, discounts are set at 20%, 30% and up to 50%. The maximum discount is given in order to quickly sell out stagnant goods and purchase a new collection.

Offers that guarantee personal benefit to the client work well: interest-free installments, a loan at a small interest rate, free delivery, measurement or cashless payment.

Working in the same field, entrepreneurs closely monitor each other. One of the ways to influence the consumer market is dumping - artificially lowering prices. Many companies, in order to survive competitors and capture a niche, put price tags below the cost of goods, thereby causing people to feel “there is deception all around, but these are honest.” But sooner or later the price will have to be raised, people will react negatively and again go looking for something cheaper. How to fight dumping? Become colleagues, not competitors, and negotiate on a contractual basis a system of discounts that will be attractive to customers and provide an opportunity for sellers to earn money.

Online store: a good way to reduce costs

How to thread an elephant through the eye of a needle? Or applicable to furniture: how to imagine maximum amount collections and product samples without investing a single extra ruble in rent? Open an online store. Most buyers search and select models on the Internet before coming to the salon. Many people don’t even get to the store and make their purchase online – just photos of the product from different angles, descriptions, guarantees and advice from the manager are enough.

The larger the assortment, the more calls we receive with questions. That is why it is advisable to organize the work of a call center and hire specialists who will competently advise and guide the buyer to calculations and orders.

By tracking the behavior of customers on the site, you receive pure statistics on which models are in maximum demand, and where, on the contrary, there are obvious shortcomings in everyday use. Based on the information received, you can adjust the work of a real salon, open additional points and exhibit a guaranteed in-demand assortment.

With growing demand and turnover, it makes sense to open new showrooms and expand model series. Many large enterprises They place their bets on regions and open branches in the region and nearby cities.

No matter how changeable they are economic sphere, fashion, the behavior of competitors, the main thing in any business remains service. I would like to return to a place where the service is high quality, fast and friendly. Well-structured communication, clear work of employees within the team and following current trends will help you survive and prosper under any circumstances.

First of all, a beginner needs to take into account that the furniture market has already taken shape. And if 15-20 years ago it was possible to bring any furniture and find a buyer for it, now it is difficult to guess the client’s needs. Therefore, you need to study the market and focus on those segments of the population that you want to serve. The luminary of the market with many years of experience, the general director of the Vash Byt furniture store chain, Farid Safin, spoke to the BIBOSS portal about the intricacies of this business.

Where to start?

To begin with, experts advise conducting marketing research. See what your competitors are selling, what their advantages and disadvantages are. Entrepreneurial intuition must work. First of all, you need to understand what niche you want to occupy. There is a strong stratification of the target audience. There are those who buy expensive imported furniture. There are those who rely only on the functional features of furniture - the design and manufacturer are not important to them.

Beginning entrepreneurs, as a rule, do not have large capital and the opportunity to occupy large retail spaces for samples. Therefore, it is advisable to start working with the economy and middle class, where the bulk of buyers are concentrated.

You can consult with those who have been working in this market for a long time. They can be manufacturing partners who produce furniture and know what is in demand. In Russia, such manufacturers are established companies that maintain marketing services, constantly study demand, and go to exhibitions.

By the way, visiting furniture exhibitions is a good way to study the market. Manufacturers display current and new furniture there and monitor the reactions of visitors. There are a lot of ordinary buyers and representatives of retail chains at the exhibition; they enter into contracts with manufacturers for the supply of furniture.

Working with a supplier, you can find out what furniture is in demand in the region. Because demand varies depending on the region. Somewhere one color and model is popular, somewhere else another. For example, in Tatarstan, where there are many Muslims, green, calm tones are held in high esteem. But furniture models throughout Russia are basically the same. Only Moscow and St. Petersburg stand apart - there is a demand for advanced models there. The most cutting-edge modern trend is first mastered in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and then goes to the regions. Therefore, if you are opening a store not in these capitals, then it is better not to immediately bring unusual furniture here - it is unlikely to find a buyer.

How to beat your competitors? We need to find those models that can compete in price and quality with those already on the market.

Farid Safin

If we talk about us, we have been working in the market for a long time and cover all categories of clients - from economy class to VIP clients. In our showrooms you can view catalogs of expensive furniture; we display some examples of high quality Italian and Belarusian furniture. The client places an order and we contact the manufacturer. Orders of expensive furniture are infrequent, so keeping all the models in the store is unprofitable, since renting retail space is expensive.

Investment size

Farid Safin

General Director (founder) of the Vash Byt group of companies

As for finding funds for the launch, it is better not to count on government support. Today in Russia, producers and agribusiness are primarily supported. It is believed that trade is already sufficiently developed and organized, so this industry is not subsidized. There is only hope for banks that participate in programs to support small and medium-sized businesses. They lend to businesses at reasonable interest rates.

Farid Safin

General Director (founder) of the Vash Byt group of companies

But there are nuances. Based on personal experience, I can say that all banks require collateral - premises, apartment, car. At the same time, today the direction of furniture trade is considered a risky business. Recently we wanted to take out a loan, the bank seemed to be happy with everything, there was collateral, but later they told us that the furniture business was risky and they refused the loan. Therefore, not everything is so simple. It’s better to find an investor, partners who are ready to invest in the business and develop together.

What are the running costs of the business? You need to have a warehouse supply of furniture, rent and maintain warehouses where loaders work for the acceptance and release of furniture, and storekeepers. Nowadays accounting systems are computerized, so programmers are needed. Plus transportation costs, including delivery of furniture from the manufacturer - from factories and factories.

How to optimize costs? You can outsource something - for example, programming services, rent warehouses with a ready-made staff of movers, or even work with “wheels” - pick up furniture directly from the factory and immediately deliver it to clients. The advantage of small businesses is that they do not need to maintain a large office staff: dispatchers, commercial service, accounting, management. Many entrepreneurs at the initial stage perform all these functions themselves - he is a freight forwarder, a manager, a dispatcher, and an accountant. But even as you grow, it is better not to overstaff, this will allow you to optimize costs.

On average, the operating costs of a furniture showroom at the initial stage, with a minimum number of service personnel, amount to 100-150 thousand rubles per month. But this amount does not include rent - it depends on the area. In large Russian cities on average - from 800 to 1500 rubles per sq.m.

Step-by-step instruction

In your activities you will be required to interact with a number of contractors and suppliers. First of all, these are furniture manufacturers. You can contact them directly. But when sales volumes are small, this is difficult, because manufacturers are interested in large orders. Therefore, it is easier for small companies to work with dealers and wholesalers.

Farid Safin

General Director (founder) of the Vash Byt group of companies

Our company has a wholesale department. We bring furniture from all over Russia, as well as from China, from Belarus, from the Baltic states and release it from our central warehouse in small quantities for small entrepreneurs - they take the assortment that they need. This is convenient for beginning entrepreneurs, especially since they can take into account our trading experience, because we know in which region which furniture is in demand, and we give our recommendations.

If a person once bought furniture in one trading network and was completely satisfied with the quality and price, next time he tries to go to the same store. A connection is created between the seller and the buyer that is maintained for years. There are regular customers in our network who have been buying furniture from us for many years and bringing their children.

The main quality for a seller is the desire to work. If a person thinks that the furniture will sell itself, and he can sit on the sofa and read, waiting for the buyer to come up and place an order, then you don’t need him. Today there is a wide selection of furniture in different showrooms. And the seller himself must interest the buyer. Most often, after 2-3 months of internship, a person masters the assortment and can already cope well with sales. Developed companies have their own personnel department, which recruits and trains personnel.

Farid Safin

General Director (founder) of the Vash Byt group of companies

We try to ensure that people work in our company stably, constantly. This is what happens. Most of our employees have been working, if not since the founding of the company, then on average for 10-15 years. To do this, we constantly use a motivation system and periodically review it so that it is attractive to our employees. We have a 13th salary, there is a trade union organization that maintains contacts with many institutions - for example, sanatoriums, and you can get discounted vouchers. People can receive vacation pay and sick pay. We hold corporate events - New Year's holidays, March 8, and May 1. On New Year's Day we sum up the results of our work and announce best workers, we give gifts and certificates of honor.

In shopping centers, you will be forced to adhere to a set work schedule. In free-standing salons, focus on the mode acceptable for a particular area of ​​the city.

Documentation

There is no need to obtain special permissions. Hygienic quality certificates are needed, but usually they are supplied by the manufacturer themselves.

Today, there are two main types of taxation used by entrepreneurs engaged in retail trade- Single tax on imputed income and a simplified taxation system. UTII is calculated depending on the area. “Simplified” depends on turnover, that is, the tax is paid depending on how many goods are sold. And the choice of type of taxation depends on the traffic of the outlet. There are retail outlets with high traffic, there are high rents, but also returns per sq.m. turnover is also high. In this case, it is better to pay UTII. If the areas are large, but the traffic is low, the rent is low - a simplified system works better here.

Opening checklist

The opening of a store in a separate building must be covered as an event. If the store is designed for the scale of the area, its residents need to know about the opening. Usually, when opening a store, they create a beautiful display of furniture, hang balloons at the entrance, and attract animators who will welcome and entertain guests and children. Such events are not complete without gifts - even if they are small, so that when they come home, people will tell their family and neighbors about your store.

The furniture business is one of the most profitable in the Russian Federation. Competition in the market can be very strong, but with the right approach to business, even this is not a serious problem. It all depends on your ability to run a business, which will allow you to easily occupy your niche in this area.

Store format

The first step when opening your own furniture showroom is choosing a store format. They are mainly divided into 4 categories:

• Narrow profile. In stores of this type, furniture of any one product group is presented. It can be furniture products for offices, bedrooms, kitchens, upholstered furniture, etc.
• Showroom. In stores of this format, the assortment is presented in the form of an exhibition, and most of the products are exclusive and often quite expensive. There are usually at least 5 variations for each trading position, and all purchases are made exclusively by order.
• Furniture store. They have template furniture products that are required for furnishing a home. The product range includes at least 200 product items, and the area of ​​the premises itself is approximately 300-800 square meters. m.
• Furniture hypermarket. The store of this format sells a fairly wide range of furniture products, as well as its diversity:

– walls;

– bedside tables;

– furniture for the kitchen, bedroom, offices;

- wardrobes, etc.

There are at least 1000 variations for each product name, and the total area of ​​the premises is at least 1 sq. m. km. Also in this type of store there is the most big choice pieces of furniture from the middle price category.

The store format you choose is directly proportional to the size of the starting capital; it is also influenced by the characteristics of the market in a given region. It is worth establishing possible competition (both direct and indirect), and special attention devote to the largest chain stores.

For a long time, upholstered furniture occupied a large share of the furniture market in the Russian Federation, but nevertheless, at the moment the situation has undergone certain changes. Following information from manufacturers and sellers, in the home segment the demand for living rooms, children's rooms and bedrooms has increased significantly.

Nowadays, householders prefer upholstered furniture, which was previously considered decoration and had an aesthetic character, simplicity and practicality. But in the restaurant and hotel industry, as an example, upholstered furniture now prevails. This is due to the fact that at this hour the vast majority of people prefer to relax outside the home. For these purposes, such comfortable furniture is much more suitable, allowing you to fully enjoy free time.

The furniture business is one of the most profitable, since there will always be a demand among people for products in this area. But for successful trading, you need to take into account many other features of this process.

Business plan

After determining the format for your store, it is important to conduct some market research to establish market capacity and intended audience. It is worth remembering the fact that the furniture segment and the turnover of furniture products is comparable to the turnover in the building materials sector. As of 2013, it was estimated at almost 300 billion rubles. Having data on the capacity of the regional market, you can determine the degree of competition in the region you need.

The next step will be to determine the required amount of money to open a furniture showroom. Some of the main expenses will be: repairs, lighting, production of signs. The share of expenses for these items amounts to approximately 45% of the total budget. Exactly how much money will need to be spent depends on:

• location;
• squares;
• original state;
• building materials used;
• registration general view store, etc.

Also, a significant expense item will be inventory. In the total budget, its part will be about 40%. The amount of expenses, among other things, will depend on the total number of product groups and positions for each of them.

The rest of the allocated money is working capital. They cover rent and the monthly salary fund for employees.

To set up a small store you will need at least 3 million rubles, and this business will pay off (according to experts) in about 2 years.

A business plan with cost calculations contains the following information:

• profitability assessment;
• business registration;
• rental and renovation;
• concluding contracts with furniture manufacturers;
• marketing campaign.

It is advised to contact specialists working in this area. It is almost impossible to find this document in the public domain, and doing it this way is a bad idea in principle. It is also important to emphasize that a well-drafted business plan will allow you to avoid possible bankruptcy, provide for all sorts of risks, etc.

Required documents

If you are seriously interested in opening your own furniture showroom, it is worth knowing what exactly is required for registration of activities:

• find premises for a store;
• conclude an agreement on the supply of products;
• hire a certain number of staff.

If we consider these general points in more detail, we should highlight the following particularly important documents and nuances, without which it is impossible to do business:

• permission to start entrepreneurial activity, which is issued by Rospotrebnadzor;
• permission from production and sanitary authorities;
• permission from the sanitary and epidemiological station;
• an agreement under which household waste and other garbage will be removed to you;
• contract for conducting various kinds disinfection measures (destruction of pathogens, rodents and insects, including in vehicles and ventilation);
• various regulatory documentation;
• agreement with laundry and dry cleaning for cleaning work clothes;
• agreement under which disposal will be carried out fluorescent lamps;
• fire department permit;
• permission for installation and operation cash register;
• current bank account, etc.

Considering the different specifics of the business, as well as the region where the store is opening, some other additional documents may well be required.

Despite the constant huge demand in the furniture sales market, most novice entrepreneurs, and experienced businessmen too, do not even consider this option as possible for creating successful business, believing that the furniture market is already oversaturated with supply. The price of the “entrance ticket” to business, long payback periods and high level competition. Is this how things really are, or can the question of how to open a furniture store from scratch be looked at from a different angle?

Brief business analysis:
Costs of setting up a business: 3-7 million rubles
Relevant for cities with the population:from 10 thousand people
Industry situation:high competition
Difficulty of organizing a business: 4/5
Payback: 1.5-2 years

Furniture store formats

How to open a furniture store, where to start such a complex business, how to avoid mistakes common to beginning entrepreneurs? First of all, you need to decide on the format of the furniture store and conduct thorough marketing research.

What types of furniture stores are there?

Of course, each type of store requires its own operating rules, various investments and other factors that must be taken into account when determining the trading format.

When choosing the type of store, you need to take into account economic indicators in the region and the country as a whole, the purchasing power of the population in a particular locality, and the presence of competitors nearby.

Currently, almost any large furniture chain offers those who wish to create a business under their own brand. What does a franchise buyer get? First of all, this is comprehensive support, expressed in:

• in providing a ready-made business plan for a furniture store;
• in providing furniture samples;
• assistance in staff training;
• some advantages when it is necessary to obtain a loan to organize and/or develop a business.

What, in turn, is the franchise buyer obliged to do?

• Make payments for using the franchise within the terms specified in the contract;
• strictly comply with all conditions for granting a franchise (this may include requirements for premises, employees, business conduct, etc.).

Working under a franchise imposes certain obligations on the entrepreneur, but many people like this approach to running a business for its stability and relative safety. Relative, because in fact, some companies providing franchises often do not fulfill their obligations under the contract, and the businessman receives the promised support only in words. Therefore, the choice of a franchise must be approached with full responsibility.

Another format of a furniture store that deserves attention is an online store. Online trading has already become very popular in big cities, while in the regions online shopping is still viewed with caution.

To open an online furniture store, you will need an amount that is several times less than to create an offline retail outlet. What is required to open an online store?

• First of all, this is a website.
• Premises for storing goods are at the discretion of the business owner.
• Availability of your own delivery service or an agreement with a third-party service.
• Office space in which there will be operators who accept and process orders, answer customer calls, as well as other employees.

Dropshipping work

Dropshipping is an interesting new trading format in which the seller only accepts orders for the manufacturer, while acting as an independent entity or individual entrepreneur. In this case, the manufacturing company often bears the costs of warehousing, delivery and all other expenses.

The entrepreneur can only accept orders in his store and send them to the factory, receiving his legal commissions.

Of course, having only catalogs to present furniture products to customers, it is unlikely that you will be able to attract many customers. Therefore, one or two samples of furniture are still worth putting on display.

Supplying goods is the most difficult aspect of any business, unless, of course, you are a direct manufacturer. Particular difficulties when choosing a supplier are caused by online trading and dropshipping. If in the first case the seller still somehow contacts the supplier through rare personal meetings, then in the second situation the seller often never sees the manufacturer.

Relying on integrity, responsibility and reliability of partners in our time is a huge luxury that a sane businessman cannot afford. Therefore, first of all, you need to look for reviews about the manufacturer. And not only reviews from those who worked with this supplier, but also customer reviews about the quality of the product produced by this company.

After all, the main complaints of the end consumer most often relate specifically to issues of the quality of the purchased product. And the demand, as we know, will come from the one who accepted the order and promised the client “mountains of gold.”

So, what should you consider when choosing a business partner?

• The products produced must stand out in the general furniture market not only for their good quality, but also for their affordable prices. What is better: to make only two sales of 50 thousand rubles each in a month, or 15 sales of 20 thousand each?
• You need to look for reviews about possible suppliers on the Internet - on various sites and forums. However, you should not blindly trust what is written; it is quite possible that these reviews may turn out to be custom-made. The best option is to personally communicate with organizations that have worked with this supplier.
• Choose companies that have proven themselves and have solid experience in the furniture market. You should not contact new companies without serious recommendations, even if they offer super favorable terms of cooperation.
• It is better to try to work with companies that produce furniture from domestic raw materials and fittings. Companies that use foreign materials in their products are extremely dependent on currency fluctuations and the general political and economic situation in the world.
• It is better to deal with suppliers who agree to provide furniture for sale, are ready to work in installments and provide other preferential conditions.
• You should always request a certificate for the supplied products. Moreover, this should not be a one-time service, but a document on the proper quality of the goods should be for each purchased batch (if the products are purchased in bulk). Suppliers will understand this anyway.
• If you open a store with a narrow product range, you should try to deal with one supplier. Furniture trading is not an area where you can rush from one supplier to another. Sooner or later, due to the threat of contract failure, most reliable suppliers may refuse to cooperate. In addition, it will be much easier for any businessman, especially a beginner, to work and analyze work with one partner.

You need to understand that in low and medium price segment In the market, it is difficult to find a manufacturer working with the production of exclusive furniture in a single copy or in small quantities. Such things are handled either by factories that produce luxury furniture, or by small furniture workshops that work exclusively on order.

You should also always keep an eye on new trends. For example, transformable and built-in multifunctional furniture is currently in use. Sales of cabinet furniture remained with a slight drop of several positions only in the low price segment.

Thorough marketing research is the second stage of preliminary preparation when opening a furniture store from scratch. It’s stupid to poke your nose into a niche that’s chock-full of offers. Of course, in any business there is always room for one more applicant for a “place in the sun,” but in this case, business promotion will take much longer and cost much more.

Despite the not entirely favorable environment for small and medium-sized businesses in the country, sales in the furniture market are growing - slowly but surely. According to experts, this is partly due to the “gloomy” forecasts for the Russian economy. People are eager to update their furniture now, not being sure whether this will be possible in the foreseeable future.

In addition, the share of imported furniture on the Russian market has fallen quite significantly, providing an opportunity for the development of the domestic furniture industry. But even this fact did not increase competition in the market, all because of the same fears of going into the furniture business due to high costs, long payback and high competition.

The decrease in mortgage rates led to an increase in demand for real estate, an increase in construction, the number of home purchases on the primary market and, as a result, an increase in sales of new furniture.

What should a new entrepreneur consider when analyzing competitors?

• You need to start with the location of the outlet. Often the choice of location is decisive in sales. There are stores where the prices are higher and the conditions are not as favorable as in others, but people go to them. Because the store is conveniently located. Not often, but such precedents do occur.
• Pricing policy. Since the assortment of furniture stores is approximately the same and the suppliers of competitors located in the same locality are often the same, even a small price reduction can become a serious argument in the competition. Especially for a novice entrepreneur. Who needs to win over his client, make a “face” for himself.
• Terms of the purchase and sale agreement. You need to try to include more pleasant “bonuses” for customers in your work. Carrying out promotions, introducing discounts on certain numbers months (of course, for “stale” products), free delivery within the city, free assembly, reduced prices for climbing a floor and other “tricks” will allow you to stand out among your competitors.
• Reviews of buyers' competitors. This is also an important factor. If the buyer is loyal to the store, he will definitely recommend it to his friends, acquaintances, and relatives on occasion.

All the necessary information can be found out under the guise of a buyer at a competitor's outlet by interviewing their customers. Knowing the main aspects of your competitors’ work, you can build a competitive strategy. The “sit and do nothing” option will not work here. The furniture business is a tough industry where only those with the strongest grip remain.

Scheme for starting a business selling furniture

The general scheme of organizing a furniture selling business looks something like this:

Organization stage	Time needed	Sales cost, rub.
Conducting marketing analysis	Up to 1 month	Free (subject to independent work)
Choosing a store format	Up to 1 week	For free
Search for a supplier	Up to 1 month	For free
Search suitable premises for point of sale	Up to 1 month	For free
Conclusion of a lease agreement	1 Week	Depending on the region, from 80 to 800 thousand
Documentary registration of business (registration of individual entrepreneur or LLC, registration with tax authorities, etc.)	Up to 1 month	5-8 thousand
Personnel search	Up to 1 month	For free
Employee training	Up to 1 month	For free
Solving organizational issues (determining a work schedule, developing a system of employee motivation, a system of penalties, etc.). Development of marketing tools (promotions, discounts, etc.)	Up to 1 month	For free
Borrowing credit funds (if necessary)	1-2 weeks	For free
Concluding an agreement with a furniture supplier, ordering samples	1 Week	From 600 to 2,000 thousand
Carrying out repair work indoors and decoration of the sales area	Up to 1 month	From 50 to 400 thousand
Development of an advertising campaign and the beginning of its implementation	Up to 1 month	From 100 to 300 thousand
Creation, coordination and installation of signs, billboards and billboards	1 Week	From 20 to 80 thousand
Store opening	1 day	For free

Most stages of organizing a business are carried out simultaneously, so the total time frame within which you can “meet” when opening a furniture store from scratch is approximately 2-3 months.

How much investment will be required?

In order to open a furniture store from scratch offline, a very significant amount will be required, in contrast to the online version of a furniture store, franchising and dropshipping.

In addition to monthly payments for renting premises, you will have to spend a lump sum on the purchase of cash register equipment, which is required for accounting. Afterwards, periodically pay for the maintenance of the cash register. You also need to pay salaries to sellers, accountants, movers and furniture assemblers, and technical workers.

Based on the experience of various furniture stores operating in the regions, opening a store will require from 500 thousand rubles to 1.5 million for every 100 square meters. meters of area. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, this amount increases to 1-2.5 million rubles for the same area.

Do you need a business plan for selling furniture?

The question of whether a business plan is needed for a furniture store is a little inappropriate. Such a complex project is very difficult to implement without a step-by-step guide, in the preparation of which it is necessary to foresee most of the errors encountered in this business.

A business plan should guide an aspiring entrepreneur through all stages of organizing a business, bypassing the main obstacles encountered by his predecessors. You can try to create a business plan yourself using various guides. But, firstly, this will take quite a lot of time, and, secondly, it is not a fact that a non-specialist will be able to competently disclose all the necessary aspects of the document.

Most best option– order the development of a business plan from a specialized company. In addition to guaranteeing the quality of the compiled manual, this can serve as an advantage if it is necessary to submit a business plan to the bank if you need to take out a loan.

Location and premises for a furniture store

As already mentioned, the location of a furniture store can play a decisive role in sales volumes. What conditions should a businessman provide for when looking for the right premises for a retail outlet?

• The question of whether it will be a separate building or just part of the area in a shopping center or somewhere else is not particularly important. The main thing is that there are good access roads leading to the building, including for trucks.
• It will be better if the store is located on the ground floor in the first line of houses on the street.
• The location area is also not very important. For value for money when choosing furniture, people will be willing to travel even to the other end of the city. Moreover, subject to free delivery of purchased goods. But it will still be better if the location is chosen taking into account the categories of potential buyers.
• The choice of premises should also be based on taking into account the necessary parameters - a separate entrance (if the store is located in a residential building) and an emergency exit, a ceiling height of at least 3 meters (to allow the installation of tall furniture). Standards for lighting (artificial and natural) must also be observed.
• After concluding a lease agreement, the premises must be inspected by employees of Rospotrebnadzor and the fire inspectorate, and an appropriate conclusion will be issued.

In general, the final criteria for finding a suitable premises for a store should be determined by its format. For a furniture hypermarket you will need a separate large building with storage facilities, which is unlikely to be found in the city center. For a luxury furniture store, it is better to be located closer to the private cottage sector. A standard or narrowly focused store can increase traffic by locating high-rise buildings and new buildings in residential areas.

By the way, installation of a store sign on a building must be agreed upon with the landlord. And if the store is located in a residential building, then it will also include its residents, because the house is the common property of all persons living in it.

Business registration

Today, there are two forms of doing business that are suitable for organizing a furniture business - using two tax regimes, and what taxes a specific individual entrepreneur pays.

Costs, profits and payback periods

As already mentioned, the total amount required to organize a furniture business depends on the region of the country. On average, this figure is up to 10-15 million rubles in Moscow and St. Petersburg for a store with an area of ​​up to 1,000 square meters. meters, and 3-7 million rubles – for other cities and regions.

Profit planning is also calculated based on specific operating conditions and the format of the outlet. But, if we take into account the experience of operating furniture stores, in general, furniture stores reach the break-even point by the end of the second year of their operation. Considering the cost of organizing a business, these are very good indicators.

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The furniture market in Russia is vast; new enterprises survive if they find a free niche in a particular region. It is important to note that competition is lower in the low and medium price categories. Sales volume depends on the size of the locality. Experts believe that it is profitable to produce furniture in a settlement with 500-800 thousand inhabitants. It helps to reduce costs, keep demand at the desired level and reduce the influence of competition.

Experts' forecasts are encouraging - small and medium-sized furniture businesses will reach 75% in the coming years. The most rational ones are small workshops that produce economy and middle class furniture of one type to order.

The advantages of the workshop include:

• small initial investments (900-1,300 thousand rubles)
• no need for large areas
• production process flexibility
• ease of changing the assortment
• the opportunity to become a monopolist in a separate niche

Manufacturing to order avoids the negative impact of competition. The low cost of finished products speeds up sales, which makes it possible to quickly return the initial investment.

But when choosing, you must also take into account the disadvantages. If the furniture is made by hand, it is required creativity and large temporary ones. A small assortment can quickly saturate the market. But the workshop a good option For initial stage. How to promote a furniture business in the future depends on the circumstances. You can often change the range or expand production.

There is no need to buy premises for a workshop. The location (entrance), temperature (18°C) and humidity level (up to 70%) are important. This means that a ventilation and heating system is needed. Under unfavorable conditions, both raw materials and finished products can be damaged. The area should be enough for production, warehouses and administration premises.

Equipment for the workshop is purchased semi-automatic:

• cutting machine (manual feed) with cross and longitudinal cuts
• drilling machine for drilling open and blind holes
• Grinder
• edge banding machine

When making custom-made furniture, small tools are also needed: cutting machines, hammer drills, screwdrivers, drills, drill bits, knives, etc.

Reaches 25%, average term payback period is 2-2.5 years.

Features of retail outlets selling furniture

A furniture store can be of different sizes:

• from 300 m2, with narrow specialization (wide range of one product group)
• from 1,000 m2, hypermarket with a wide selection of goods from different groups, warehouses and parking lots
• salon in the city center with luxury goods for wealthy buyers
• warehouse store finished furniture from the manufacturer

The premises for the hypermarket are selected in a residential area or outside the city in order to reduce the cost. A hypermarket should have a wide range of goods at different prices (from economy to luxury). Operational efficiency is enhanced by additional services.

The salon is small (from 30 m2), as customers place orders from the catalogue. The room should have space for employees (tables, chairs, computer equipment) and a place for visitors, equipped with upholstered furniture.

Furniture in the warehouse is sold at affordable price and immediately. allows an additional offer to order certain types of goods according to an individual design.

The amount of initial investment directly depends on the type of store. You can make your choice only after a thorough analysis of the market in a particular region. It is important to offer customers something that is not available in sufficient quantity.

The advantages of the store include:

• stable demand for goods
• possibility of opening in almost any city
• opportunity to increase sales by launching an online store

But competition is high, since such stores already exist in any locality. Initial costs are high regardless of the type of outlet (can reach 2.5-3 million rubles), since a lot of funds are required to purchase goods. If the choice of assortment is unsuccessful, there is a possibility that the purchased product will be difficult to sell. In the best scenario and a 20-40% markup, the initial investment will pay off in 2 years.

Furniture factory: advantages and disadvantages

Under your own brand, you need from 30 million rubles. This option is expanded several times furniture workshop. When equipping production with modern equipment, it is possible to achieve a profitability of 15-25% by supplying furniture throughout the region and country.

The advantages include:

• neutralization of competition through full cycle production and wide range
• purchase of large volumes of raw materials at a reduced cost
• lower cost of finished products (compared to a workshop)
• consistency of wholesale sales with our own dealer network and well-developed marketing

Disadvantages of the factory:

• the need for large initial investments
• difficulties in choosing premises (large areas are required)
• high costs for the purchase of modern equipment
• difficulties with (required special education and high qualifications)
• high costs for brand development and advertising due to competition

A furniture factory is worth opening if you have large investments and are willing to wait a long time for returns.

Criteria for choosing between a workshop, a store or a factory

When looking for an answer to the question of what is better, production or trade, it is important to take into account financial capabilities and personal qualities. If you have skills in plumbing, it is better to start from the workshop. If you are confident that you can manage production, you skip the workshop stage if you have money. For a person who has the ability to trade, the best option would be a store.

All options have advantages and disadvantages; profitability depends on a number of factors that do not always depend on the entrepreneur. Great importance has the quality of the finished product and economic conditions in the region and country.

You can make money without having a lot of money for initial investment in a small space. The only condition is the availability of a raw material supplier offering cutting services. This allows you to avoid purchasing expensive equipment. When purchasing a semi-finished product, components and inexpensive tools for assembly are required. In such a situation, success depends only on the planning of the model and the quality hand assembled. If the product meets customer needs, production can be expanded.

Even in a large factory it is impossible to produce all types of furniture. It is important to determine who the product is intended for. These may not be households. In the city there are children's and public organizations, requiring specific products. Each institution requires a special style. In addition, furniture is made not only from wood. In warehouses, banks and medical centers, chemical and Food Industry metal furniture required. This is a good option if such products are not produced in a particular region.

When opening a store, you should not start with a large area and a wide range. It is advisable to walk around the already operating stores in the city and determine what they offer. There is always a type of product that does not exist. It becomes the basis for forming the assortment of a specialized store. The advantage of this approach is the opportunity to become a monopolist in a small niche.

Purchasing equipment when starting a furniture business from scratch

Furniture can be kitchen, built-in, cabinet, upholstered, garden, specialized, for offices or children's and medical institutions. Equipment is purchased after selecting the type of product. A factory requires bulky machines and tools; in trade, a minimum amount of furniture for staff and customers is sufficient.

If a workshop is opening and you do not plan to cut the material yourself, then buy hand tool: drills, screwdrivers, grinders, milling cutters, hair dryer, hammer drill, etc. Machines are expensive, you can buy them later (if desired), when a customer base is formed and the level of sales increases.

For a factory, equipment is selected depending on what is planned to be produced. For example, when making cabinet furniture, there is no need for upholstery tools and compressors. Please note that to work with natural wood Equipment designed for processing particle boards will not be suitable. In the first case, sawing, grinding, milling, and decorating machines are required. The slabs are cut using molding machines; equipment for drilling and edge processing is required.

In a furniture store, it is better to focus on compliance sanitary standards and room decoration. A professional designer is involved, especially if the outlet is for rich people. Expensive repairs and original exhibition are needed. It is advisable to organize a place for customers to relax with the opportunity to drink coffee, tea, and buy water. This does not require large expenses, but the level of service increases. In a warehouse store, the interior is simple, the main focus is on the distribution of products across halls and sections.

Ways to promote a furniture business

The number of users of online stores, including furniture stores, is growing. Both manufacturers and traders have websites. It is important to attract a specialist who can optimize the resource and organize promotion in a specific region. If the site is constantly developed and updated, offline and online traffic increases quickly. If a factory opens, the brand quickly becomes popular and consumers begin to recognize the company.

In third place is the organization of exhibitions with preliminary distribution of business cards or leaflets, in fourth place are groups on social networks. When writing texts, attention is focused on what interests the target audience:

• For buyers of economy class furniture, the opportunity to obtain a loan and receive discounts, bonuses, gifts, delivery and assembly costs is important
• people with average income more attention pay attention to the popularity of the manufacturer and the environmental friendliness of the product
• in advertising for expensive furniture, it is important to emphasize exclusivity: expensive wood, popular brand, custom-made fittings (do not mention strength and durability)

The production and sale of furniture are relatively profitable areas of business. The organization requires careful selection of assortment in order to reduce the negative impact of competition.

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