With the eCommerce industry showing no signs of slowing down, finding the right product niche for your online store is one of the most important aspects of starting your business. When it comes to home decor, the options are vast, and you can focus on many kinds of unique categories or niches.
In this guide, we'll break down the essential things you'll need to know about selling home decor products online, from figuring out your business model to setting up your website.
Keep reading for an overview of how to sell home décor products online.
How to Start Selling Home Decor Products Online
- Figure Out Your Business Model
- Narrow Down the Products You Want to Sell
- Establish Your Branding
- Find Home Décor Suppliers or Manufacturers
- Set Up Your Online Store
- Market Your Store
1. Figure Out Your Business Model
Will you be creating and designing your own home decor, or will you be reselling items? Are you going to be keeping an inventory of products, or will you be creating a drop shipping store? There are a variety of different ways you can go about structuring your business, so it's best to figure out how much time and resources you'll be able to put into the store and then choose a business model that aligns with what you can work with.
The next steps that you take will depend on which model you choose to move forward with.
For example, if you decide on purchasing inventory, you'll need to organize the logistics of that process and find a space where you can store the inventory. You'll also need to take into account the costs associated with this.
If you decide to go with starting a drop shipping home decor store, you won't need to physically have inventory and there will be fewer steps towards getting your online store up and running.
You can also go the route of designing home decor and then having a manufacturer create the products.
There are pros and cons to each of these options, but many beginners choose to create a drop shipping store because of the lower costs associated with it. However, keep in mind that the barriers of entry are lower for a drop shipping business, and it is very competitive.
2. Narrow Down The Products You Want to Sell
Think about what you want your collection to look like. Do you want to focus on a certain style or category, or will you have a more expansive selection of products?
This is an important element of setting up your home decor store, as you'll want to find products that align with what you envision your brand to showcase. But, finding the right products to sell isn't just about what you like, it's also about what will be profitable.
It's important to research different types of home décor product categories and styles to see where there is a gap in competitors, what sells well, and what's trending. You can do this by exploring home decor product categories on eCommerce platforms like Amazon and seeing which categories are very saturated, as well as which products can be improved.
If you're new to the home decor world, take some time to learn about the industry and see what product areas are growing. Look at well-known publications in the industry to see upcoming trends. In the beginning you may want to focus on a specific niche and sell a small selection of decor items rather than a large collection.
3. Establish Your Branding
This goes hand-in-hand with narrowing down the products you'll be selling, but after you've done research and select products that you feel will be profitable for your site (and one's that work with the resources you have), it will become easier to establish what you want your branding will be like.
Think about what you want the customer to associate with your brand or products. What do you want to come to your customer's mind when they think of your brand?
For example, if you want your store to be known for trend-setting products that are always ahead of the game, that will need to be consistent across all facets of your brand, from the product itself to the packaging to the website.
Create a brand guide that you can look back to as you build and grow your business.
4. Find Home Décor Suppliers or Manufacturers
Finding the right supplier is essential. Research different companies online, read reviews, and speak with different suppliers. Learn about their offerings and prices, and see which ones are the most credible and would make the most sense for you to work with.
If you'll be purchasing wholesale products, you'll want to see what kind of deals or discounts that the manufacturers can offer you. Before purchasing inventory, it's best to see, feel, and test the products for yourself to ensure the quality.
If you are dropshipping, it will be beneficial to review top-rated drop shipping suppliers and find one that works best for your needs.
Regardless of the home décor business model you chose to move forward with, good communication and reliability with a supplier or manufacturer is a must. This will be important if you have urgent issues that come up, or if you need to make changes to orders or products.
5. Set Up Your Online Store
You've chosen your products, set up the logistics and did administrative work. Now comes the technical part. You'll need to get your home decor online and showcase them in a way that is not only appealing but practical.
In addition to developing and designing the website, you'll need to ensure that the payment processing systems and that inventory is being updated accurately (or ensuring that your drop shipping plugin works as it should).
Before your site goes live, you should dedicate a decent amount of time towards testing it and checking for quality assurance. You'll want to confirm that payments are going through, orders are being fulfilled, and items are being shipped.
It's also important to test your site from a user-experience standpoint. Is it easy to navigate? Are the photos and product descriptions helpful to the user? Does the site load fast?
You'll want to think about allocating resources towards getting experts to help you if this is the first time you are creating an online store, as there are a variety of details that you'll need to take into account.
6. Market Your Store
Marketing is an essential part of having a successful home decor website. After all, you did all this work to put everything together and have your products ready to go - customers should be able to find your site and understand the value of your products, but it's your job to show the value.
Start by making sure that each product is being showcased to its best ability. Does the product description explain the features and benefits of the product? Are the photos high-quality, and do they help the user see what the product is like when it is in use?
If you don't want spend a lot on advertising in the beginning, there are less expensive ways to market your brand and build a customer base:
- Social Media - Build a presence on various social media outlets and publish content consistently (and make sure that the content is high-quality).
- Content Marketing - Start a blog and focus on topics that are relevant to what your potential customers are interested in.
- Email Marketing - Build an email list and create an incentive by offering special discounts to new customers.
- Influencer Marketing - Offer free products in exchange for reviews from influencers or bloggers.
Discover High-Quality Home Decor Products for Your Online Store
Finding sellers can be a tedious task - you want to be able to trust the quality of the products, as well as the company behind those products. At Finesse Decor, you can be assured that every item has been created with quality, functionality, and style in mind.
Ready to get started? We offer a variety of wholesale home decor products, including Chandeliers, LED tables, table and floor lamps, wall art, sculptures, and more. Plus, at Finesse Decor you enjoy a 100% satisfaction guarantee, free returns, and price matching with a best rate guarantee (yes, even Amazon).
Why Choose Finesse Decor?
Finesse Decor was built from a passion & relentless dedication to providing home decor products that are the perfect mix between beauty, function, and cost. A family business since 2009, Finesse keeps promises and is dedicated to making sure you are 100% satisfied with every purchase.
Our products reflect the perfect mix between beauty, function, and cost. You’ll always have access to the most on-trend products at great prices.
Have questions? Contact us today to find out how working with Finesse Decor can allow you to find the best designs in the home decor space.