Importing furniture, how to??
Importing furniture, how to??
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Discussion

ProPlus

Original Poster:

3,810 posts

263 months

Monday 16th October 2006
quotequote all
If one were to decide they would like to import furniture (cheap) from an asia and bring it onto the UK/European market and sell it via website, where is the catch??

The furniture is very cheap over there and yet the same stuff over here you could add a 0 to the price or muliple it by 5. So what is the catch with importing the goods and why don't may people do it??

If it was viable I would like to look it to doing just that, so if any buisness gurus could lend a hand in how I would set it up or tell me why its a really bad idea, it would be much appreciated.

Si

rpguk

4,511 posts

307 months

Monday 16th October 2006
quotequote all
I understand this is exactly what the Land of Leather/DFS type places do, hence long waits and trips to Watchdog when things don't go exactly to plan.

It's a sound business model, though shipping costs means it's only worth it when bringing quite a few over at a time.

The problem with the website part of the idea rather then showroom is that people like try before they buy. Not to say the ideas worth discounting totally - people buy sofas from the catalogues at the moment so there is a market.

ProPlus

Original Poster:

3,810 posts

263 months

Tuesday 17th October 2006
quotequote all
It would be more along the lines of paintings, masks, tables, chest of drawers, lacquered stuff and odds and sods. Anything with an asian type of look to it that usually costs a fortune over here for no apparant reason.

Nothing big like sofas, well not yet anyway.

Its all an idea anyway, gonna look into it in more detail when I go across there next year.

dmitsi

3,583 posts

243 months

Tuesday 17th October 2006
quotequote all
It's very straight forward and most of the asian companies are very well set up to deal with english customers, often quoting for both wholesale and retail.
MOH imports and sells successfully online in three different areas. I think you'd be surprised just how many companies do import from that region.

Best of luck with you business venture.

Marki

15,763 posts

293 months

Tuesday 17th October 2006
quotequote all
ProPlus said:
It would be more along the lines of paintings, masks, tables, chest of drawers, lacquered stuff and odds and sods. Anything with an asian type of look to it that usually costs a fortune over here for no apparant reason.

Nothing big like sofas, well not yet anyway.

Its all an idea anyway, gonna look into it in more detail when I go across there next year.


A container from the far east will cost around $5000- , you can get a lot of stuff in one

dmitsi

3,583 posts

243 months

Tuesday 17th October 2006
quotequote all
rpguk said:
It's a sound business model, though shipping costs means it's only worth it when bringing quite a few over at a time.


There is almost always a minimum order for shipping, but so far everyone has been willing to send samples.