Starting a business in India - Customised furniture is an idea

Furniture has been one of the less ventured industries in the last couple of decades. While India is still in its nascent stage of the branded furniture experience, it’s a safe bet to say that we like our furniture customised to our tastes and homes.

It is no wonder why our market thrives mainly on local furniture shops rather than a retail brand that sells across the country. But right there lies a business idea that’s yet to be explored - customised furniture on demand.

Like old wine in a new wineskin, this concept has fired up many enterprises. You could be the next name in customised furniture to reckon with. But to get there you don’t have to take a leap of faith and make huge investments. Simply take baby steps before starting a business in India by building your base employing a few flexible designs, resources and manpower. Next, check out the world of possibilities available for your business with Amazon’s Affiliate Program.

Before you begin, here’s a checklist of dos and don’ts that are essential for almost every tailor-made business to keep in mind:

Any successful customised business works its way up from a niche. Find a particular genre of furniture you want to create. With homes in cities becoming increasingly expensive, more people are looking for space-smart and convertible furniture. From convertible wall beds to foldable bookshelves, coffee tables, chairs and more; space saving furniture is the hottest trend.

The best way to do this is to go with minimalism. Look for inspirations online and choose designs that are easy to set up. This way you will lessen the burden on your team while providing your customers with a decent variety.

While putting the ball in the customer’s court may seem like a big no-no, think of it in this way – you and your team spend less time figuring out your customer’s taste. You can get to work faster, deliver the final product quickly and get on to the next project.

It’s quite natural to want to win the customer over by showing them possibly everything you can do under the sun. But remember, the more options you put out there, the more complex you make the job for your team. Instead, give your customers the freedom to play around with the fabric, style, print, wood type and finish.

Always remember that it’s possible for the customer to know a bit more than you. Be open to learn from feedback and always offer a prompt response online – be it a social platform or an e-commerce portal. Doing this will not just up your business’ repute but will also put you in good books of prospective customers.

Custom-made furniture is one of the most untapped concepts when it comes to starting a business in India. You could start by creating furniture for homes and scale up to tailor-made ones for corporate spaces. The key is to get the word out about your business and one of the quickest ways to begin is by registering as a seller on Amazon.