Mastering Online Furniture Sales: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide

In today’s market, every business must embrace online sales, including those selling larger items like furniture.

By creating an eCommerce store on WordPress, you can showcase your furniture collections to a broader audience. Customers can explore product catalogs from the comfort of their homes and thoughtfully evaluate their choices.

With years of experience in helping entrepreneurs establish eCommerce sites, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities you may encounter while building your online business.

This detailed guide will walk you through the process of effortlessly setting up your online furniture store using WordPress.

We will address everything from selecting the right eCommerce plugin to enhancing your store’s visibility on search engines. Let’s dive in!

What is the Best Website Builder for Selling Furniture Online?

WordPress is the top choice for building an online furniture store. It powers over 43% of all websites, is user-friendly, scalable, and packed with robust features.

Many eCommerce stores utilize WordPress, and there are numerous free eCommerce plugins available. This allows you to easily establish your store while maximizing your profits.

Before selecting WordPress as your website builder, it’s important to understand that there are two versions of WordPress available.

WordPress.com serves as a blog hosting service, whereas WordPress.org is a self-hosted, open-source software. For a detailed comparison, check out our guide on WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org.

For launching an eCommerce store, WordPress.org is the ideal option because it is free, provides full ownership of your website, and seamlessly integrates with popular eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce.

To discover more about why we recommend WordPress.org, please refer to our comprehensive WordPress review.

Now, let’s walk you through the step-by-step process of selling furniture online using WordPress:

• Step 1: Select a Domain Name and Hosting for Your Website
• Step 2: Set Up a New WordPress Website
• Step 3: Choose a Custom Theme for Your Site
• Step 4: Design a Custom Home Page and Navigation Menu
• Step 5: Install an eCommerce Plugin
• Step 6: Configure Shipping Options for Your Furniture
• Step 7: Set Up Payment Methods for Your Furniture Store
• Step 8: Add Your Furniture Products to the Store
• Step 9: Include a Contact Us Form for Customer Inquiries
• Step 10: Create a Product Search Feature with WooCommerce
• Step 11: Incorporate Customer Reviews into Your Online Store
• Bonus: Enhance Your Online Store’s Rankings with AIOSEO
• Frequently Asked Questions: Selling Furniture Online

Step 1: Select a Domain Name and Hosting for Your Website

To set up a WordPress site, you first need to acquire a domain name and web hosting.

A domain name serves as your online store’s address on the internet. It’s what customers will enter to access your website, such as www.sellingfurniture.com or www.buyhomedecor.com.

Web hosting, on the other hand, is where your website is stored online. To find the best web hosting for your online store, check out our comprehensive list of top WordPress hosting providers.

Keep in mind that while WordPress itself is free, purchasing web hosting and a domain name can lead to significant expenses.

A domain name typically costs around $14.99 per year, and hosting plans start at $7.99 per month, which can be challenging for those on a tight budget or just starting their business.

Fortunately, Bluehost is offering an exclusive discount for CanadaCreate readers, along with a complimentary domain name and an SSL certificate.

Bluehost is among the largest hosting companies globally and is officially recommended by WordPress as a hosting partner.

Click the button below to receive a discount on Bluehost.

This will take you to the Bluehost website, where you can select the ‘Get Started Now’ button.

You will be taken to the Bluehost Pricing page, where you can choose a hosting plan.

The ‘Starter’ and ‘Business’ plans are the most popular web hosting options among our readers, but you may find the ‘eCommerce Essentials’ plan more suitable for your needs.

To choose a plan, click the ‘Choose Plan’ button below it. This will lead you to a new screen where you need to select a domain name for your online store.

Select a domain name that is easy to pronounce, spell, and remember, and that relates to your business.

If you’re just starting your furniture business, you can use our CanadaCreate Free Business Name Generator to help create your company’s name.

The simplest option is to use your furniture store’s name as your website domain. However, sometimes that domain name may already be in use by another business.

In such cases, consider adding extra keywords or including your location to make your domain name unique. For more tips, check out our beginner’s guide on selecting the best domain name.

After entering your desired domain name, click the ‘Search For Domain’ button to proceed.

You will then be redirected to the Cart page, where you can select the duration of your Bluehost plan.

We suggest opting for the ‘3 Years’ plan, as it provides the best savings. After that, click ‘Continue to Checkout.’

Next, you will need to enter your account details, including your business email address, name, country, phone number, and additional information.

Simply enter your payment details to finalize your purchase.

You will receive a confirmation email containing your login details for the Bluehost control panel, which serves as your account dashboard for managing your furniture website and requesting WordPress support.

Now, it’s time to install the WordPress software.

Step 2: Set Up Your New WordPress Website

If you signed up for Bluehost using our link, WordPress will be automatically installed on your domain name.

If you wish to create a different WordPress site, click on the ‘Websites’ tab in the Bluehost dashboard, then select the ‘Add Site’ button.

This will take you to a new page where you can choose the type of site you want to create.

To launch a new website, select the ‘Install WordPress’ option. If you’re moving an existing site to a new domain, choose the ‘Transfer an existing WordPress’ option.

After that, click the ‘Continue’ button to proceed.

You will then be prompted to enter a site name of your choice.

Next, click the ‘Continue’ button.

You will be asked to connect a domain name for your furniture store.

If you haven’t purchased a domain yet, you can select the ‘Use a temporary domain’ option and click ‘Continue.’

Once you do this, Bluehost will begin setting up your WordPress site, which may take a few minutes.

Afterward, you will be directed to the ‘Websites’ tab where you can find your new website. Click the ‘Edit Site’ button to access your WordPress admin area.

You can also log in to the WordPress dashboard by navigating to yoursite.com/wp-admin/ in your web browser.

Step 3: Select a Custom Theme

WordPress themes are professionally designed templates that determine the appearance of your website for visitors.

After installing WordPress and accessing your website, you’ll see that a default theme is activated, which typically looks like this:

To increase sales and create a positive impression on your customers, consider replacing the default theme with one that aligns with your niche.

There are numerous popular WordPress themes available for customization on your website. You can also opt for multipurpose themes to create templates tailored to your specific niche.

Additionally, check out our curated list of the best WooCommerce themes that will enhance the visual appeal of your ecommerce website.

If you’re looking for a theme specifically designed for selling furniture online with minimal customization, SeedProd is an excellent choice.

We appreciate SeedProd because it enables you to create landing pages and entire themes without any coding knowledge. In fact, we’ve used it to develop complete websites.

SeedProd includes a furniture store template and extra WooCommerce blocks, allowing you to set up your furniture store in just a few minutes. For more details, check out our SeedProd review.

Begin by installing and activating the SeedProd plugin. For comprehensive guidance, refer to our detailed tutorial on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to the SeedProd » Theme Builder section in the WordPress dashboard and click on the ‘Theme Template Kits’ button.

This action will display a new screen where you can explore all the pre-designed templates available from SeedProd.

Once you locate the Furniture Store template, simply click on it to open it in the drag-and-drop builder.

SeedProd will generate all the necessary page templates for your furniture store and open the home page in the page builder.

In this interface, you can drag and drop any block you wish from the left column into the page preview.

For further assistance, consider checking our beginner’s guide on creating a custom theme in WordPress.

When you finish, remember to click the ‘Save’ button at the top.

If you prefer to use a different theme for your furniture website, check out our tutorial on how to install a WordPress theme.

After installation, you will need to go to the Appearance » Customize section in the WordPress dashboard.

This will launch the theme customizer, allowing you to adjust the theme settings to suit your preferences.

If you are using a block-based theme, navigate to theAppearance » Editorsection in the admin sidebar.

This will open the full site editor, where you can use blocks to fully customize your theme.

Once you have finished, remember to click the ‘Save’ button to save your changes.

Step 4: Set Up a Custom Home Page and Navigation Menu

WordPress defaults to two content types: posts and pages.

Pages can be utilized to create a home page, a Contact Us page, or an About Us page, while posts are typically used for articles and blog entries on your website.

These blog entries are displayed in reverse chronological order on your website’s home page.

You can also start writing blog posts to promote your furniture business, which can enhance your site’s search engine optimization (SEO) and boost customer engagement.

Even if you plan to blog, it’s advisable to create a separate page for your articles instead of displaying them on your home page.

Create a visually appealing custom homepage for your website to welcome new visitors to your furniture store.

For comprehensive guidance, check out our tutorial on how to build a custom homepage using WordPress.

After designing your homepage, you need to set it as the default homepage for your website.

To accomplish this, go to the Settings » Reading section in your WordPress dashboard and select the ‘A static page’ option in the ‘Your homepage displays’ area.

Next, click on the ‘Homepage’ dropdown and select the page you wish to designate as your homepage.

If you prefer to have a different page for your blog posts, refer to our tutorial on how to create a separate blog page.

Finally, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your settings.

With pages and posts added to your furniture website, you will also need a navigation menu to help visitors explore your site.

This menu will appear at the top of your site, providing an organized structure for easy navigation.

To create a navigation menu for your WordPress site, please refer to our detailed guide on how to add a navigation menu in WordPress.

Step 5: Install an eCommerce Plugin

WordPress does not come with built-in eCommerce features by default. To sell furniture online, you will need to install a plugin like WooCommerce.

WooCommerce is the leading eCommerce plugin and provides the simplest way to sell physical products on your website.

At CanadaCreate, we have extensively tested WooCommerce in various demo environments, and it has consistently provided dependable performance.

If you want to learn more about our insights, please check out our comprehensive WooCommerce review.

To get started, you will need to install and activate the free WooCommerce plugin. For detailed guidance, refer to our step-by-step tutorial on installing a WordPress plugin.

Once activated, the WooCommerce setup wizard will appear on your screen. You will first need to enter the name of your physical store.

Next, you will need to select your industry. Since you will be selling furniture, simply choose the ‘Home, furniture, and garden’ option from the dropdown menu.

Then, select your store’s location and click the ‘Continue’ button.

WooCommerce will then present you with a list of free features that you can utilize to enhance sales on your website.

Select your preferred features and click the ‘Continue’ button.

That’s all! WooCommerce will automatically set up your online store.

Step 6: Configure Shipping for Your Furniture

With your online store ready, it’s time to set up a shipping method for your furniture.

To begin, navigate to the WooCommerce » Settings section in the WordPress dashboard and select the ‘Shipping’ tab.

You will notice a shipping zone already listed. Click the ‘Edit’ link next to the zone name to adjust the settings.

This will direct you to a new page where you can rename the zone as desired.

Next, you can add multiple zone regions from the dropdown menu. Choose the areas, cities, or countries where you wish to deliver your furniture products.

Now, you need to add shipping methods. Click the ‘Add shipping method’ button to proceed.

A prompt will appear allowing you to choose between flat rate, free shipping, or local pickup. You can select any combination of these options.

After making your selections, click the ‘Add shipping method’ button to finalize.

WooCommerce will now include your selected shipping method in the designated shipping zone.

To adjust its settings, click the ‘Edit’ link associated with the method.

This will display a new prompt where you can choose the tax status and pricing for the shipping.

After completing your adjustments, click the ‘Save changes’ button to apply your settings.

You will be redirected back to the ‘Shipping Zone’ page, where you need to click the ‘Save Changes’ button again to finalize your updates.

Step 7: Configure Payment Options for Your Furniture Store

Next, you need to establish a payment method to facilitate online transactions in your furniture store.

To do this, navigate to the WooCommerce » Settings page in the WordPress dashboard and select the ‘Payments’ tab.

This will display a list of various payment methods and gateways available for use with WooCommerce. Click the ‘Finish set up’ button next to the payment method you wish to activate.

Now, follow the on-screen instructions to configure the payment method you selected.

Once you have completed the setup, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to save your settings.

To enable the payment method for your online furniture store, simply switch the ‘Enabled’ toggle to active and click the ‘Save Changes’ button at the bottom.

We suggest incorporating multiple payment options to increase sales. Consider using Venmo, offering cash on delivery, accepting credit cards on your website, and more.

Step 8: Add Your Furniture Products

It’s time to start adding furniture products to your online store. With WooCommerce, you can import products from a template, CSV file, or another service.

In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to manually add furniture products to your online store.

First, navigate to the Products » Add New page in the WordPress admin sidebar. Here, you can begin by entering a title for your furniture product.

Next, provide a detailed description of the product in the ‘Product Description’ text box.

Then, add a product photo by clicking the ‘Set product image’ link on the right. If you want to include multiple images, click on the ‘Add product gallery images’ link instead.

This will open the WordPress media library, where you can upload an existing image or add new ones from your computer.

After completing that step, you can enhance your product listing by adding categories and tags. This will make it easier for potential customers to discover your products in your online store.

To create a new category, simply click on the ‘+ Add new category’ link and enter a name for the furniture category you are selling.

Next, enter the various tags you wish to associate with the product in the ‘Product tags’ section.

Now, scroll down to the ‘Product Data’ section and select the ‘Variable product’ option from the dropdown menu at the top.

Following that, navigate to the ‘Inventory’ tab in the left column and input the stock-keeping unit (SKU) for your product.

Once that is done, switch to the ‘Shipping’ tab in the left column. Here, you can specify the weight, dimensions, and shipping class for your product.

Next, go to the ‘Attributes’ tab to create various attributes, such as sizes, colors, and more for your products.

In this section, you can enter a name for your attribute under the ‘Name’ option and then provide its values in the text box next to it.

For instance, if your furniture product comes in three colors, you can name the attribute ‘Available Colors’ and list black, white, and blue in the ‘Value’ box.

After completing the setup, click the ‘Save Attribute’ button to save your changes.

Next, navigate to the ‘Variations’ tab and click the ‘Generate Variations’ button.

WooCommerce will generate variations for all the attributes you have defined. To configure each variation, click on its ‘Edit’ link.

This will open the settings for that specific variation, allowing you to add details such as size, color, image, shipping method, and pricing.

When you finish making changes, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply your settings.

Repeat this process to set up each product variation.

You can also explore additional settings to customize your product further. Once you’re happy with the setup, click the ‘Publish’ button at the top to make your product live.

To add more furniture items to your online store, simply repeat the previous steps. Afterward, you can start selling furniture online.

Step 9: Add a Contact Us Form

Once your ecommerce platform is set up, it’s essential to include a contact form on your store.

This offers a convenient way for customers to reach out if they encounter any issues while shopping online, enhancing their overall experience.

Additionally, this feature helps you grow your email list by capturing the email addresses of your customers and visitors to your online store.

While you can include a contact information widget or your business phone number on your website, using a contact form is the most effective way to gather data, address customer inquiries, and generate leads.

We suggest using WPForms to integrate a form into your WordPress site, as it is the top-rated contact form plugin available today.

With over 6 million websites utilizing it, WPForms features a user-friendly drag-and-drop builder, includes a pre-designed contact form template, protects your site from spam submissions, and offers a free version.

Moreover, we have personally used it at CanadaCreate and had a fantastic experience. For more details, check out our WPForms review.

Simply select the WPForms ‘Simple Contact Form’ template and add it to any page or post using the WPForms block.

For comprehensive guidance, refer to our tutorial on how to create a contact form in WordPress.

Step 10: Implement a WooCommerce Product Search

It’s essential to incorporate a search block in your online store to help users easily locate your products.

The default WordPress search block is limited and does not search through product attributes, reviews, custom fields, or product descriptions.

This is where SearchWP comes into play. This plugin enables you to create an intelligent WooCommerce search experience without any coding required.

Our testing revealed that SearchWP gives you full control over the search algorithm, examining product titles, descriptions, slugs, and excerpts for relevant matches.

For further information, check out our comprehensive review of SearchWP.

You can also customize the plugin settings to search for matches in taxonomies, comments, product tags, reviews, and more.

For step-by-step guidance, refer to our beginner’s guide on setting up an effective WooCommerce product search.

Step 11: Incorporate Customer Reviews into Your Online Store

Showcasing customer reviews on your furniture store’s website is an excellent strategy to boost conversions. This practice helps establish trust with potential buyers and encourages them to purchase from your store.

If you have existing reviews on platforms like Yelp, Facebook, or Google, you can easily integrate them into your website using the Smash Balloon Reviews Feed Pro plugin.

This is the top-rated customer reviews plugin available, allowing you to effortlessly collect and display reviews in an attractive format.

For comprehensive guidance, check out our tutorial on displaying Google, Facebook, and Yelp reviews in your WordPress site.

Bonus Tip: Utilize AIOSEO to Enhance Your Online Store’s Search Rankings.

Having completed the setup of your ecommerce business, it’s now time to concentrate on enhancing your website.

By optimizing your website, you can improve its search engine rankings, attracting more visitors to your site, which can ultimately lead to increased furniture sales in your online store.

To enhance your online store’s SEO, we highly recommend All in One SEO, the leading WordPress SEO plugin available.

We have been utilizing it on the CanadaCreate site for several years, and it has significantly improved our articles‘ performance in Google search results. For more information, check out our AIOSEO review.

The plugin features an intuitive setup wizard that guides you in selecting the optimal SEO settings for your business. Additionally, it includes tools such as an on-page SEO checklist, XML sitemaps, a broken link checker, a schema generator, and much more.

AIOSEO provides integrated SEO tools for WooCommerce, including dynamic optimizations, tailored product page enhancements, breadcrumb navigation, product image SEO, and various other features designed to increase organic traffic to your online furniture store.

It also allows you to incorporate GTIN, ISBN, and MPN schema for your products, which can help you achieve rich snippets in search results, ultimately enhancing your online sales.

For more information, please refer to our tutorial on how to implement GTIN, ISBN, and MPN schema in WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions: Selling Furniture Online

Here are some common questions from our readers regarding online furniture sales:

What is the best way to price my furniture for online sales?

Begin by researching the selling prices of similar items on platforms such as Etsy, eBay, or specialized furniture websites.

Consider your material costs, the time invested in crafting or refurbishing the item, packaging, shipping expenses, and your desired profit margin.

It’s also important to take your target audience into account. High-end customers may be willing to pay a premium for custom or designer pieces, while budget-conscious shoppers will be seeking bargains.

You might even consider offering tiered pricing for various finishes or custom options to provide buyers with more choices. If you’re still uncertain, check out our guide on eCommerce pricing strategies.

What types of furniture are most popular for online sales?

Smaller items that are easy to ship, such as side tables, bookshelves, stools, and accent chairs, tend to sell better due to lower transportation costs.

Flat-pack or modular furniture is also a great choice as it simplifies shipping logistics.

However, niche furniture can perform well too. Vintage pieces, reclaimed wood designs, and handcrafted items often attract dedicated buyers seeking unique options.

We recommend analyzing your local competitors and selecting a category where you can differentiate yourself.

How can I take high-quality photos of my furniture?

High-quality photos are essential for selling furniture online. Utilize natural lighting whenever possible and capture images from various angles, including close-ups of details and finishes.

Keep backgrounds simple and uncluttered to ensure your furniture is the focal point.

If feasible, stage the furniture in a real room setting to help buyers envision how it would look in their own home. You don’t need professional gear—a modern smartphone and a tidy setup can suffice.

We hope this article has provided valuable insights on how to successfully sell furniture online. You may also want to check out our comprehensive guide on WordPress SEO and our top recommendations for the best WooCommerce plugins for your online store.

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