Table of Contents
1. Furniture category hot selling sub-category 2. Recommended references for sellers in the furniture category 3. Portraits of overseas consumers in the furniture category and trends in 2020 4. Furniture category compliance certification and operation tips 5. Overview of overseas markets in the furniture category 6. Furniture category successful seller experience sharing

In the eyes of many people, a home has never been “one house with four walls”, even more so for foreigners who love to make trouble!From home decoration to furniture arrangement, creating your own “home space” is absolutely unambiguous. With the development of online consumption habits, buying furniture online has also become a trend. So, what are Amazon's best-selling furniture selections in Europe, America, and Japan?The answer is in this Amazon furniture selection guide. There are many interesting articles in this article. I recommend reading the full article first, then bookmark and retweet it, set up a floating reading window, and read it carefully!

The first demand from overseas consumers for office furniture is that it is cheap. Second, they want the product to be easy to install and have high environmental requirements for raw materials. Furthermore, they want the product to be ergonomically designed.

In terms of materials, as far as American corporate buyers are concerned, the distinction between office chairs is mainly made of nylon and PU leather, computer desks are mainly made of steel frame, desktop is mainly made of hardwood with solid wood veneer, and file cabinets are mainly made of steel and aluminum, which is convenient for logistics transportation. The composite use of products in multiple environments is also one of the factors they consider.

Regarding the entry threshold, sellers should pay attention: At the product level, BIFMA is a test and design requirement for office furniture. Although it is not a law or regulation, it is a necessary condition for entering the US market. BIFMA's testing content mainly targets the design and testing of the strength, stability, and durability of products; at the factory level Quality must meet 3A packaging, that is, packaging that meets ISTA-3A standards; considering anti-dumping restrictions, for example, it is not recommended to use materials such as solid wood for panel furniture; it is recommended to prepare patented protection for special processes, such as design patents, in advance, because brand and quality gradually replace price as important factors.

Consumer concerns : material (cloth, leather, imitation leather, plastic, metal, wood, polyurethane), seat height, seat thickness, price, functionality (adjustable height, whether it can be rotated, ergonomics, whether there are supporting cushions or armrests), easy assembly, ergonomic design, easy to move
Suggestions for sellers: Provide consumers with detailed installation instructions. When purchasing e-sports chairs, consumers will buy chair cushions and floor protectors together. Sellers can follow this idea to expand the product line
Best selling months: July, November-December
Hot sales sites: US, Europe
Price range: $20-40, $70-90
Hot product features:
● Color: black, blue, red, white, gray
● Design: Ergonomic, adjustable angle, comfortable, and fatigue-relieving office chairs and gaming chairs are more popular

Office DesksDesk

Consumer concerns : material (wood, metal, engineered wood, glass, plastic, bamboo), functionality (whether it is equipped with a drawer, whether the height can be adjusted), color (black, white, walnut)
Suggestions for sellers: Provide consumers with detailed installation instructions. When purchasing e-sports chairs, consumers will buy chair cushions and floor protectors together. Sellers can follow this idea to expand the product line
Best selling months: August, October-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $45-95
Hot product features:
● Color: black, white, gray, brown
● Design: practical and durable, easy to install and disassemble, large use area, good material

Shelves & StoragesStorage Rack

Consumer concerns: material (metal, plastic, wood, glass, bamboo, acrylic), number of shelf layers (1-4 layers), load-bearing capacity, whether it is movable
Best selling months: January, October-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $10-40
Hot product features:
● Color: white, black
● Design: Easy to disassemble and assemble, can expand storage space, simple style, flexible space can be divided

Consumer concerns: material (wood, metal, cloth, glass, plastic), size height, color (including natural color of the material and paint, such as cherry, oak, brown, mahogany, walnut, gray), style (with or without drawer)
Best selling months: October-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $70-130
Popular colors: black, white, gray, brown, cherry, brown

Industrial belt information:
● Northeast Industrial Zone: Mainly made of solid wood furniture, its production strength is in a leading position in the world
● Yangtze River Delta Industrial Belt: such as Anji office chairs, traditional mahogany office furniture from Yiwu and Huzhou, and sofa leather furniture in Haining are all famous for their excellent quality
● Pearl River Delta Industrial Zone: Due to its excellent geographical location, it can realize the integrated process of furniture production, sales and export support

Are there any specific product design/production requirements for this category?
● European site: Office furniture has gone through four stages of popularization, differentiation, customization, and personalization. The most prominent trend is that in increasingly fierce industry competition, consumers' demand for brand and quality is gradually strengthening, and patented protection of special processes requires every seller to prepare in advance
● Japan site: There are no special requirements for office furniture categories in terms of patents, but when manufacturing and selling office furniture, sellers must remember not to be too similar to well-known brands in terms of design patents to prevent infringement of design patents

Supply chain requirements: What kind of requirements does the category have for factories and supply chains?
● US site: Sellers need to pay attention to two levels of requirements — at the factory level: quality must meet standards. 3A packaging refers to packaging that meets ISTA-3A standards. The requirements for instructions are strict, the installation must be simple, and the material meets US requirements (solid wood cannot be used for panel furniture; solid wood is an anti-dumping product). For large card cabinets, the factory is required to provide “!” and other signs must be fixed to the wall; the second is the packaging level: add multiple layers of protective foam to avoid shipping damage
● European site: Since corporate buyers often have customized needs, manufacturers with their own factories tend to perform better in this category of sales
● Japan site: Sellers do not need additional certification. Due to the high delivery costs and customer unit price of the product, it is recommended that sellers with their own factories or supply chain advantages make such products

Popular sub-categories of kitchen furniture include bakery racks and dish racks, kitchen carts, kitchen islands, kitchen cabinets, etc.

As far as kitchen furniture is concerned, overseas consumers:
The first requirement is strong storage function, and the second is the need for good load bearing and stability
Products that need to be assembled must be simple and easy to operate, and up to 2 people can assemble them at home
It has a beautiful appearance and is easy to match with the overall style of the kitchen
Easy to clean and maintain, requires good resistance to oil stains and fumes
From a safety perspective, the fire resistance of furniture surfaces is also critical

Environmental standards for the production of furniture products are very high. In particular, board furniture using synthetic wood must comply with the relevant regulations of Amazon and the local industry on synthetic wood products. Due to certain threshold requirements, the total number of kitchen furniture sellers is relatively stable, and the sales concentration of US brands is high. Sales of new brands have increased significantly since 2018. Sales distribution in Europe is relatively scattered, and it is more beneficial for new sellers to seize the site.

Consumer concerns : the load-bearing capacity, stability, durability of the product, whether it has a strong storage function, whether it is equipped with hooks for easy hanging, ease of installation
Best selling months: August-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $60-100
Hot selling colors: metallic frame, grey, black, silver, tan
Hot style: 3-4 layer vertical shelf

Consumer concerns:
● The durability of the product, whether it is easy to assemble, whether it has a powerful storage function, and must not be too large to move in the kitchen
● The height is generally no more than 36.5 inches, the depth is 16-20 inches, and the width is 40-53.5 inches
Hot sale month: all year round
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: basic version 3-4 layer metal kitchen island 30-50 USD, multi-functional upgraded wooden kitchen island recommended no more than 300 USD
Popular colors: black, white, light or dark brown

Consumer concerns:
● Product load bearing capacity, durability, stability, whether it is easy to assemble, whether it has a strong storage function, good waterproof and easy to wipe in a special kitchen environment, and good after-sales service guarantee
● The depth is generally 15-16 inches, the height is no more than 74 inches, and the width depends on the product
Hot sale month: all year round
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $100-300
Popular colors: white, black, gray, oak

Popular sub-categories of restaurant furniture include dining table and chair sets, dining chairs, dining tables, bar stools, and sideboards. Because restaurants are an important place for consumers to relax and enjoy food and gather with friends and family, when it comes to restaurant furniture, consumers pay attention to proper size, functionality and coordination of style and overall decoration style. In addition, the concept of a guest restaurant is becoming popular, and the dining table also has a reception function. The expandability of the dining table, the concept of a sofa chair, the concept of a bench chair, and the folding function of the chair for easy storage are all future trends.

When choosing the size of the dining table, it is necessary to consider the “size that can be placed” and “the size to be placed” of the restaurant, including chairs and activity routes (places where people pass). If it is a living space for 1-2 people, the width and depth are at least 80 cm, respectively, ideal. However, if you are a couple or newlyweds, consider the increase in the number of family members. For a family of 4, we recommend 130-150 cm in width and 80 cm in depth. The 180 cm dining table is suitable for a family of 4 or for consumers who often host parties. Because of its large table area, it is suitable for taking out treasured tableware that cannot be used before or inviting acquaintances and friends to the party. The color of the table largely determines the overall impression of the room. The dining table, like items such as carpets, uses a large part of the floor area, so it has a great impact on the overall impression of the room.

Consumer concerns:
● Style (simple style, modern style, European retro style), material (wood variety, glass, etc.), table size, chair surface material (leather, wood, plastic) and sitting feeling (hardness, comfort), smoothness, durability, workmanship details, ease of installation, whether it is retractable, and whether there is a warranty
● Among them, Japanese consumers prefer benches, which are suitable for families with children
Hot sales month : There is usually a small peak in the first quarter of each year
Hot sales sites: Europe, Japan
Price range:
● 1 table and 2 chairs: $70-120
● 1 table and 4 chairs: $180-300
● 1 table with 6 chairs: $350-600
Popular products: The simple wooden style of 1 table and 4 chairs is mainstream. At the same time, the affordable and practical 1 table and 2 chairs are also the first choice for young people to transition. 1 table with 6 chairs is very popular in Europe
Popular colors: wood color , white, tan

Consumer concerns: material, table size, desk height, desk storage function, assembly time and complexity, whether desk height can be adjusted, and whether it is easy to clean
Hot sales months: March-April, September school season, end of year
Hot selling sites: Japan
Price range: $10-50
Popular product features: The material is plywood combined with fiberboard, surface stickers, mostly solid colors, such as white, black, and wood grain stickers

Consumer concerns: cabinet material, cabinet size, storage space size, stability after installation
Best selling months: Christmas season, July-August
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $100-150 for folding, $200+ for wooden closets and drawers
Popular product features: full storage closet, wooden chest of drawers, white, brown, gray and cartoon pet images

ChairsChair

Consumer concerns: material (whether it is an environmentally friendly material, whether it is sturdy, whether it is a round edge design), weight, size, whether it is foldable, color, with or without a backrest, and whether the chair is easy to clean
Best selling months: Christmas season , August
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $10-60
Popular product features: plastic and wooden chairs, table and chair matching combinations, rich and bright color combinations

Compliance certification requirements: What are the compliance requirements for the category?If certification is required, how long will it take?

For children's products, the following are commonly used standards for reference only. For specific product and sales site standards and testing methods, please be sure to consult the laboratory approved by the site. Take the US site as an example. A “children's product” is a consumer product designed for children aged 12 or under, or used as the main user. Amazon's instructions on children's products can be found by logging on to “Seller Central”:
US site requirements: All children's products sold in the US site must have tracking information:

If possible, a permanent mark must be attached to the product and its packaging

There is a specified format: the name of the US manufacturer or private brand, the specific place and date of product manufacture, details of the manufacturing process, such as batch, operation number, other identifying characteristics, and other information that makes it easy to identify the source

There is no specified format, please open the following link for details:

www.cpsc.gov/trackinglabel

Labelling Requirements - Warning:

Toys and games for children under 3-6 years old require warnings about small parts to warn buyers who may have children at home. The product may require multiple warning statements to cover all hazards associated with the product, and additional warnings (such as balls, marbles, balloons)

Lead: The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act prohibits more than trace amounts of lead in products used by children under 12 years of age: 100 PPM of lead in substrates, 90 PPM in surface coatings

Small parts: Small parts refer to small parts that can be placed in a size specified in regulations to measure a cylinder. They are harmful to suffocation, inhalation, and ingestion. Toys for children aged 3-5 with small parts must have the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act label

Magnet: magnet cyclic immersion test, strength, flux index, label

Testing regulations: Children's products are required to be tested for lead and meet a wide range of safety standards, such as the United States [1]

Identify one or more laboratories approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to test confirmed regulatory requirements. Laboratory information can be queried through CPSC.GOV/LAB

Ensure proper certification in the Children's Product Certificate (CPC) based on passed test results

The importer shall provide the retailer or dealer with a children's product certificate, and upon request to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission or the US Customs and Border Protection

Popular sub-categories of foyer furniture include shoe cabinets/shelves, entrance cabinets, mirrors, etc. The entrance is a necessary place for consumers to enter and leave the house, but the area is usually small, so when choosing entrance furniture, consumers usually pay attention to ease of installation, functionality and practicality to make full use of the entrance space.

Consumer concerns : material (bamboo, leather, glass, metal, plastic, wood, fabric, etc.), color (dark brown, black, white, gray, etc.), whether polished, easy to install, product durability
Best selling month: September-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $10-90
Popular colors: black, brown, white, gray
Competition situation: Leading brands have a high share of the industry, but in 2019, there were also rapid growth brands that strongly entered the leading brands

Consumer concerns: size , style, color, versatility, ease of installation, firmness, aesthetics
Best selling month: November-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $20-160
Popular colors: black, brown, white
Competition situation: Leading brands have a high share of the industry, and brands that have also experienced rapid growth in the past 2 years have entered the lead

Hot selling sub-categories of bathroom furniture include lockers, etc. Consumer demands for bathroom furniture mainly focus on its portability, easy installation, strong sense of design, simple appearance, easy integration with the overall style of the bathroom, easy to clean, and moisture-proof.

Consumer concerns : material (bamboo, glass, metal, plastic, wood), color (silver, white, black, gray, etc.), style (modern, rural, retro), storage space, sense of design, ease of installation
Best selling months: October-November
Hot sales sites: Europe
Price range: 40-320 Euros
Popular colors: white, black, silver
Competition situation: European sites, especially the UK and Germany, have a high share of the industry, and new brands still have a chance to enter the top of the brand

The best-selling subcategories of living room furniture include living room sofas, single sofas, shelves, coffee tables, sofa tables/tables, bookcases, display cases, etc. The living room is an important place for consumers to relax, gather with friends, socialize and entertain. For living room furniture, consumers pay great attention to style, style, function and practicality, and are required to reflect the owner's personality and taste; most of the living room furniture is planned to be purchased. The consumer's purchasing decision process is long, and they will fully compare and compare prices, and pay great attention to product quality and brand . Furthermore, modern style, industrial style, baroque style, retro style, and Scandinavian style are the current mainstream trends in living room furniture.

Compared to other scenarios, the overall overseas competition for living room furniture is relatively intense, but there are still opportunities worth exploring.

Consumer concerns: the material of the sofa surface (linen, leather, polyester, velvet, cotton, etc.), style (modern, baroque, Scandinavian, retro, rural, traditional), size (how many seats, seat depth, height, length), whether to have a chaise longue, inner cushion material (high elastic foam, memory foam, etc.), the soft seat cushion, whether the cushion cover can be removed and washed), the shape of the armrest (with or without armrests, wooden rail armrests, pillow type armrest type), backrest style ( pillow type, detachable, adjustable, low height, tight strap), sofa comfort, waterproof and stain resistance, durability
Suggestions for sellers: Consumers will choose different styles and easy-to-clean sofa covers for their sofas. Sellers can expand their product line according to this idea
Best selling month: September-December
Hot sales sites: US, Japan
Price range:
● 2-seater: $80-300
● 3-seater: $200-500
● 4-seater: $500 or more
Popular colors: black, light grey, dark grey, blue
Popular styles: modern, baroque, retro, scandinavian

Consumer concerns: material (leather, linen, velvet, cotton, etc.), style (modern, traditional, retro, etc.), color, base frame (metal, wood, etc.), seat size, backrest style, armrest style, whether the backrest and pedals can be adjusted
Best selling months: June-July, October-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $100-500
Hot selling colors: black, brown, brown, grey, brown

TV Tray TablesStorage Rack

Consumer concerns : material (wood, plastic, metal, bamboo, etc.), whether the height is adjustable, whether it can be folded, lightness, firmness, table size, ease of installation, durability
Best selling months: October-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $30-100
Popular colors: black, light grey, dark grey, blue
Hot product features:
● Color: wood color, black, brown
● Design: foldable, detachable table, easy to move

Consumer concerns: color, material, style (modern, retro, rural, industrial style), base style (single leg, shelf, drawer type), whether or not it has shelves
Best selling months: July-December
Hot sales sites: Europe
Price range: $40-200
Popular colors: brown, birch, oak, brown

Consumer concerns: color, table shape, material (pine, oak, ash, walnut, metal glass surface, composite board, etc.), size, style (modern, retro, rural style, etc.), whether it has a storage function, whether it is easy to move, and whether it is easy to clean
Best selling months: August-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $60-300
Popular colors: black, brown, white, silver, oak

Consumer concerns: material (wood, metal glass, etc.), space-saving, safety, strength, style, color, whether it is lightweight, easy to move, can it be stored
Best selling months: March-July, November-December
Hot sales sites: Europe, Japan
Price range: 30-150 Euros
Popular colors: brown, black, white, beige, wood color

Consumer concerns: material, style, color, quality (stability, durability), cost performance, partition load, wall or floor, whether it is easy to install
Best selling months: March-May, October-December
Hot sales sites: Europe
Price range: 30-200 Euros
Popular colors: brown, black, white, wood color

The best-selling subcategories of bedroom furniture include bed frames, sofa beds, mattresses, chest of drawers, bedside tables, etc. The bedroom is the main place for consumers to rest. In this scenario, consumers pay more attention to the functional needs and health and environmental requirements of the product, followed by aesthetic needs to reflect the owner's personality and taste. From the perspective of color concentration, consumers who buy online are more likely to prefer modern, simple and classical styles. The mainstream colors focus on the black, white, and gray series and the wood color series; from a functional point of view, consumers are more willing to pay for additional features, such as separate pocket springs for mattresses (independent activity has little effect on the other half) and the dual-use nature of sofa beds (increasing application scenarios).

Bedroom furniture must meet environmental standards, and in addition, pay attention to the relevant requirements of each site. For example, here are the consumer product-related laws relating to mattresses in the US:
● “Flammable Fabrics Act” (FFA) - the focus is on flammability performance
● Federal Dangerous Goods Act (FHSA)
● Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA)
● If suitable for children, a Children's Product Certificate (CPC) is also required

BedframesBedframe

Consumer concerns: size (4 mainstream sizes: King/Queen/Full/Twin), height, color, style, base material, bed head material, bed board load, whether it is safe and secure, and whether it is easy to assemble (mainly simplicity)
Hot sales months: July-December, generally stable throughout the year
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: There is a wide range depending on size, material, and whether the package is available, but the best-selling mainstream price range is $70-200
Popular colors : black, warm brown, gray, charcoal gray, white
Popular sizes: (Note that different countries have different size data standards, such as the same Twin, US 99 x 191 cm, UK 90 x 190 cm, European mainland 90 x 200 cm, and other models too)
● 180-wide double bed (king)
● 1 meter 5 wide double bed (Queen)
● Queen size single bed (full)
● Single bed (Twin)
Competition: Leading brands have a very high share of the industry and are continuing to grow. In addition to very few leading brands, other brands still have some industry space and activity

Consumer concerns : size, brand, inner surface filler material (gel, memory foam, foam), whether it is a separate pocket spring, mattress hardness, color, whether it is foldable, roll (logistics and distribution related), whether the surface layer is removable and washable, the fabric is breathable and anti-static or anti-mite
Hot sales months: Prime Day has a small peak, and the second half of the year has a small peak in November-December. Overall, it is stable throughout the year
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: Depending on the size, thickness, material, brand, etc., the price difference is large. The mainstream price range is 70-300 US dollars
Popular colors : white, gray
Popular sizes: (Note that different countries have different size data standards, such as the same Twin, US 99 x 191 cm, UK 90 x 190 cm, European mainland 90 x 200 cm, and other models too)
● 180-wide double bed (king)
● 1 meter 5 wide double bed (Queen)
● Queen size single bed (full)
● Single bed (Twin)
Competition situation: Well-known brands account for a high share of the industry, and some rapidly growing brands also appeared in 2019. The furniture industry showed a boom in multiple brands, and there are still great opportunities for new brands
Logistics requirements: Follow Amazon Logistics' guidelines on mattress packaging to ensure that Amazon fulfillment centers do not refuse mattresses. The mattress must meet the following conditions:
● Packaged in a corrugated box
● Classify as a mattress when setting up a new ASIN (make sure the classification is correct: Home & Kitchen > Furniture > Bedroom Furniture > Mattresses & box-spring mattresses > Mattresses)
Please log in for details

Consumer concerns: material (mostly wood, but also glass, bamboo, metal, rattan, etc.), color, style, height (the height of the chest varies, and the height of the bedside table is usually 50-65cm), number of drawers, drawer guides, handle material, and whether it is easy to assemble, safe, and not easy to pour
Best selling months: July-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $60-200
Popular colors : black, white, oak, brown, chocolate
Competition situation: Leading brands have an absolute share of the industry, and other brands have relatively little space in the industry

Consumer concerns: material (mostly wood, but also glass, bamboo, metal, rattan, etc.), color, style, size, drawer guide, handle material, and whether it is easy to assemble
Best selling months: July-December
Hot selling sites: United States
Price range: $30-100
Popular colors : white, tan, brown, walnut, grey, oak
Competition situation: Brands are in full bloom, leading brands do not have a high share of the industry, other brands have more space in the industry, and other brands are increasing year by year

Logistics Requirements/Storage Requirements: What are the logistics aspects of the category that need to be paid attention to?
Due to the large size of products such as mattresses and bed frames, the products are required to be rollable, or foldable, or detachable to meet shipping restrictions. It is necessary to avoid problems such as wear and tear caused by transportation, causing second-hand sales complaints. Also, pay attention to sealed packaging to ensure that the mattress will not be damaged during transportation, affecting normal sales.

Affected by the global pandemic this year, various policy adjustments will affect the business of many sellers, and the furniture category is no exception. Below we've summarized some of our experiences for our seller friends to refer to.

Due to the problem of large product size and size, the usage rate of FBA warehousing and distribution services is lower than that of other categories of furniture products, and the self-delivery model also accounts for a large proportion of third-party sellers. Furniture sellers are advised to adjust logistics delivery methods in a timely manner to minimize sales losses due to policy changes, and protect sellers' account performance indicators.

First, you should adjust the order delivery method to self-delivery in a timely manner. When switching to self-delivery, on the one hand, you should pay attention to whether your seller's performance indicators meet the requirements to win the “buy button”, and on the other hand, make timely operation settings to extend the shipping time, manage the self-delivery time, and reduce the order defect rate. There are many methods of self-delivery, usually international parcels, international express delivery, and overseas storage models. For large and heavy furniture products, logistics costs are not only affected by weight, but are also often charged more due to excessive size. Sellers need to make accurate and reasonable plans according to the weight and package size of the product. The overseas warehouse model is a good choice for large pieces of furniture. Overseas warehousing services are a one-stop shop for sellers to store, sort, package and deliver goods at the sales destination Control and management services, including three parts: first-haul transportation, warehousing management, and local distribution.

First trip transportation: Sellers ship products to overseas warehouses by sea, air, land, or intermodal transportation.
Warehouse management: Through the logistics information system, sellers remotely operate overseas warehouses and manage inventory in real time.
Local delivery: Overseas storage centers deliver products to customers through local post or courier according to order information.