Office furniture dealer (no showroom)

Small and mid-sized offices, startups, co-working spaces, clinics, schools and property managers fitting out or refreshing a workspace.

You earn a markup on each item you resell, plus a charge for delivery, assembly and space planning. Repeat clients and larger fit-outs bring the bigger orders.

• Selling to business clients
• Organised with quotes and orders
• Basic assembly and lifting
• Reliable follow-up

• Commercial general liability insurance, and cover for goods in storage and in transit
• GST/HST and any provincial sales tax on furniture, check how your province treats it
• Home-based business licence and zoning rules if you store stock at home, check your municipality
• Supplier dealer agreements, minimum orders and who pays for damaged or late deliveries
• Heavy lifting and installation injuries, and WCB/WSIB rules if you hire help (varies by province)
• Competition from big chains and online sellers, so focus on service and local support

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your storage, stock and delivery arrangements. These are estimates, not guarantees, so build your own figures from supplier pricing before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many offices you win and the size of each order. That is revenue, not profit, so allow for supplier costs, delivery and insurance.

Check insurance for liability, stored goods and goods in transit. Also check how GST/HST and any provincial sales tax apply, home-based licence and zoning rules if you store stock, supplier dealer agreements, and WCB/WSIB rules if you hire help.