Inbound Marketing Blog

The online furniture market is growing rapidly. In fact, according to eMarketer, U.S. ecommerce sales of furniture and home furnishings will exceed $50 billion this year. While those sales are a small percentage of overall retail ecommerce, the furniture category is growing faster than any other at over 18 percent. What’s driving that growth? A couple things. Technology is one contributor. Advances in computer monitor display quality, website capabilities, and other factors make it easier for consumers to “see” a product and be comfortable purchasing it online. The other enabler of online furniture sales growth is improvements in shipping processes. Leading retailers are learning important lessons about how to package and ship their product so that it not only arrives safely, but also increases brand awareness and enhances the company’s reputation.

If you are an online furniture retailer, you are well aware that New York City-based online mattress company Casper completely disrupted the industry a few years back. The innovative organization took a product that had historically been marketed and sold exclusively in brick and mortar furniture store showrooms and began offering it online. Other companies, from startups to industry giants, soon followed suit. According to Forbes, dozens of companies have entered the rapidly growing online sales segment of the $15 billion mattress market. For any company looking to capitalize on consumers’ increasing interest in purchasing mattresses online, proper packaging and shipping is critical. With so many providers to choose from, shoppers will quickly look elsewhere if you don’t take great care in how your product is protected on its journey.

When the furniture that a customer purchased arrives intact and undamaged, it is positive experience both for them and for you. When the opposite occurs, and merchandise is damaged on its way to a customer, it can be costly in more ways than one. First, there is the expense of returning and/or replacing the damaged item. That includes staff time, materials, shipping costs, etc. Second, disappointing a customer can also tarnish your reputation. Especially in the age of social media, you don’t want a shipping incident to be publicized and affect your standing in the market and impact future sales. Consequently, it pays to take the necessary action to ensure your furniture merchandise shipments are properly protected.

For online furniture retailers, branding is more critical now than ever before. Why? There are a couple reasons. First, according to Forbes, e-commerce furniture sales are expected to reach $32 billion by 2018. As the market expands, new furniture retailers will surely be entering the fray looking to cash in. This means it will be more challenging to stand out in a rapidly growing crowd. Second, Forbes also quotes the Consumer Buying Trends Survey conducted by Furniture Today, which shows that millennials are now the largest consumer group in the U.S. furniture market. Millennials are notoriously hard for brands to win over, so staying top-of-mind with them is crucial to your success.

Packing and shipping heavy items has its own set of challenges. Your packaging has to be stronger and more protective than for standard shipments. Why? Because heavier shipments are more likely to be moved by forklift rather than human power and to switch trucks several times on the way to their destinations.

Buying new furniture is a significant investment. Consumers expect that the furniture they purchase, whether from the showroom or online, will arrive at their home in pristine condition. As buying furniture online becomes more prevalent, it's critical that companies, at a minimum, meet customer’s expectations. This article explains strategic ways online furniture companies can exceed expectations in the packaging and delivery process.

On any given day, millions of cartons and packages are being shipped across the globe. While many packages are light, items such as furniture, sporting goods, automotive aftermarket parts add significant weight to your carton, and as a result, can be more challenging to ship. Heavier merchandise requires well-considered shipping materials to keep items in pristine condition throughout the transportation process. One solution is to use water-activated reinforced packing tape because it adds strength to your carton seal. This article describes how utilizing reinforced tape when shipping heavy packages is a good business decision.

The 2015 U.S. furniture market was approximately $76 billion, of which $14 billion was purchased online. Online furniture sales have grown $8.8 billion since 2009. This growth trend is expected to continue and represents both opportunities and challenges for sellers. One major challenge online furniture sellers face is mastering the entire packaging and shipping process. Sellers need to work out the best way to package their bulky and heavy merchandise at the distribution warehouse and to transport the furniture to the customer. To ensure the furniture arrives intact, furniture suppliers and manufacturers must select the best packaging and shipping solutions. The following are three important areas of focus for the e-commerce furniture sellers.

Heavy furniture can be difficult to ship. Most pieces are intricate and bulky; therefore strong carton sealing solutions are needed so the furniture arrives undamaged, staying in brand new condition. Utilizing carton sealing gummed tape will protect the furniture as the water activated tape (WAT) creates a permanent bond with the corrugated carton, guaranteeing the most effective seal. This article will explain further the benefits of gummed paper tape for bulky furniture so you can ensure pristine products and excellent customer satisfaction.