Interior home business

[treeoaklane]

Hi everyone,

So I've finally brainstormed and found my love for business and decided on home interiors/accessories as that's where my personal passion is.

Does anyone have any guidance or advice. Suppliers.. my instinct is alibaba but is there anywhere else? Any Italian suppliers that you are aware of.

I would love to set up a shop as where I live lack's a boutique homeware shop.

How do I even go about this.? How do people fit their shops out? Do I require a business loan? And where is the best business loan currently.
So many things I just don't know.

Then maybe not the best idea if on Mumsnet looking for advice?

Id like to be a pilot, can someone on here train me?

We need an interior designer. Saw an advert on telly for a service that allows you to hire on per room. Thought that was great. Maybe they need freelancers,

I suppose you need trade contacts. Look at the pieces you like and then contact their producers to see trade.

Well there you go, done it myself. I may become one instead.

I'm sorry what? Alibaba? Are you joking?

Alibaba does not scream boutique homeware shop.

You will make 80% of your money on the margin between the trade price of items and the rrp. So look for suppliers where either they won’t sell to the public or they have sufficient control such that the prices are never discounted. These suppliers usually sell to trade at 2/3 rrp and when you purchase them for customers as part of a scheme you have designed, you benefit from the margin as well as the design fee. The customer is no worse off as the supplier would have charged the same if bought direct.

Thank you so much for your reply. Im going by other products I've seen homeware shops selling I've found the source to come from there. As factories sell through this website and even found one which supplies to dunelm and other big shops. But the minimum purchase per product is very high.
Im afraid China is a lot of everyone's production. I went to buy a bed from dreams to be told it was being shipped over from China. I find your comment slightly distasteful .
Hence why I asked for Italian suppliers.
I require support not comments like yours which to be frank can be taken quite negatively.

Wow aren't you just wonderful. I clack a lot of confidence and people like you just mock an idea.

Thankyou

If you can afford to it may be worth getting yourself a business coach or research a business mentoring group that specialises in retail. If this is not in your budget then look for podcasts, books and YouTube channels, it is amazing what you can learn for free.

In the meantime, if you do some research on TikTok there are a number of accounts that give information about suppliers for all the products that you are looking for.

Good luck

Thankyou for your positive comment

You will need a loan or a supply of money from somewhere.

You need to rent and fit out a retail space but you can start really small and do a lot of it yourself if your into diy. IKEA for example great for basic but nice shelving, tables etc.

You need till and shopify or some such.

Then go to the trade fairs ie Birmingham and get chatting with the makers you like.

That's what I would do anyway ! Good luck.

Good luck dealing with your customers if you're rattled by a couple of perfectly valid comments on here.

My pleasure.

The only other piece of advice I would give is if you want to open a physical store is to make sure that your online presence is as strong as the brand in the actual shop.

You need to create a situation where you sell as much online as you do through the store. It is hard to maintain a business when you are relying solely on footfall.

So a really strong brand is important.

Look to accounts like

Lemontree_interiors
Lemontree.home

Both on Instagram

and

Oliveateliers which I found on TikTok

There are a ton more but these are the ones that stand out to me. They are in a different country from where I live but because I love the content I would definitely want to order from them and at some point visit.

Thing is everyone buys interiors stuff online now or via influencer or via Wayfair or dunelm, John Lewis, next etc

The fact there isn't an interiors shop is potentially the clue to the fact there is no margin or need for one? Plus business rates and parking.

I'm not going to travel to an interiors shop (unless it's Neptune) as I can't physically carry my cabinet home.

So I'd just buy online? Or go into your shop get ideas and source online.

We are also heading rapidly into a decline in spending, housing market is stalling the last business I'd set up would be house related.

Unless it was to go in and help people dress homes fur sale or rent? Or cleaning

I've had a physical shop (not interiors) so here's my advice:

Shop leases tend to be for 5 or 10 years, check there is a break clause early on as you are liable for the rent for the whole length of the lease.

Shops are expensive to run, rent, rates, waste collection, utilities, insurance (a must) and that's before kitting it out with furnishings and stock.

Don't stock anything which can be bought in supermarkets- customers will delight in telling you such and such is cheaper in Asda or wherever.

You need to drive customers to your premises - expect to spend every waking hour working on your business.

You are unlikely to make enough to live on for at least a year so you need plenty of savings.

Personally I wouldn't be starting a physical business in this economic climate, unless it was high end in a very affluent area! But if you do - good luck.

For suppliers, Alibaba's a good start, but you might also want to explore local options and trade shows. Italian suppliers can bring a unique touch! Setting up shop involves some planning – consider a business loan, maybe a working capital loan? It could help with initial expenses. As for fitting out your shop, get creative! DIY or hire a designer for that personal touch.