Furniture & Home Furnishings Wholesalers

The 10,000 furniture and home furnishings wholesalers in the US resell furniture and home furnishings to retailers, builders, and other commercial customers. Major product categories include flooring and floor coverings; office and business furniture; household and lawn furniture; and linens, domestics, curtains, and draperies. Most companies are small, independent operators that serve a local market.

Dependence On Housing And Construction

The furniture and home furnishings wholesale industry is highly dependent on downstream demand from the housing and construction markets, which is influenced by economic factors.

Competition From Alternative Sources

Furniture and home furnishings wholesalers face competition from a variety of alternative sources, including manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and other channels which allow customers to buy direct.

Jul 28, 2026 - New Furniture Tariffs Complicate Sourcing

• New tariff actions announced in July by the Trump administration could significantly increase costs and complexity for US furniture and home furnishings wholesalers that rely on imported products, according to Furniture Today reports. A new 10% to 12.5% tariff on imports from 60 economies stacks with many existing duties, including Section 301 and antidumping tariffs, requiring wholesalers to evaluate products by classification, country of origin, and existing trade rules rather than relying on headline rates alone. A separate announcement imposing a 50% tariff on many Canadian imports, including furniture, beginning August 19, could further disrupt sourcing and raise costs even for products previously eligible for duty-free treatment under USMCA. Together, the measures may accelerate supplier diversification, complicate inventory planning and pricing, and pressure wholesalers' margins while increasing costs for downstream retailers and customers.
• According to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, US retail sales rose for a ninth consecutive month in June, but furniture and home furnishings stores underperformed most retail categories. Sales for the category fell 0.16% month over month on a seasonally adjusted basis, while rising 4.92% year over year, trailing overall retail sales excluding autos and gas (+0.33% month over month, +9.41% year over year) and core retail sales (+0.36% month over month, +10.08% year over year). Furniture stores posted the second-weakest year-over-year growth among the major retail categories, outperforming only building and garden supply stores. The results suggest consumers continued to spend during June's summer shopping season but favored discretionary categories such as sporting goods, electronics, and apparel over furniture and home furnishings purchases, reflecting ongoing caution toward higher-ticket home-related spending.
• Low brand loyalty among furniture shoppers could increase competition for US furniture and home furnishings wholesalers, as retailers and consumers remain willing to switch brands based on price, quality, and convenience, according to a Furniture Today report. Only one-third of consumers consider brand names important when purchasing furniture, and nearly half (47%) would buy a similar unbranded product if it were priced lower. Quality remains the primary driver of loyalty, while declining quality and price increases are the leading reasons consumers abandon brands. For wholesalers, the findings suggest that maintaining product quality, value, and reliable service may be more important than brand recognition alone. The survey also indicates continued furniture demand, with 12% of consumers reporting a furniture purchase in the past month, led by parents, Millennials, and Hispanic shoppers, providing opportunities for wholesalers that can align offerings with these customer segments.
• According to a Furniture Today report, US furniture wholesalers may see financial relief as tariff disputes advance in court. At least nine home-related companies, including major retailers and suppliers, have filed claims seeking refunds for tariffs imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. A recent ruling indicates these tariffs were unlawfully collected, with courts stating importers are due refunds. For wholesalers, many of whom rely heavily on imported goods, tariffs had increased acquisition costs and pressured margins, forcing pricing adjustments across the supply chain. Executives noted efforts to offset these costs through revised pricing strategies. Potential refunds could help restore profitability and improve cash flow, though ongoing legal uncertainty continues to impact sourcing and pricing decisions. Overall, the outcome may reshape cost structures and pricing dynamics across the furniture wholesale channel.

Industry size & Structure

The average furniture and home furnishings wholesaler operates out of a single location, employs about 11 workers, and generates $14.3 million in annual revenue.

• The furniture and home furnishings wholesale industry consists of about 10,000 companies that employ 110,800 workers and generate about $157 billion annually.
• The industry is fragmented; the top 50 companies account for 36% of industry revenue.
• Most companies are small, independent operators that serve a local market. Large companies include Arc International North America (subsidiary of Arc International SA, glassware and tableware distributor), Global Furniture USA, Furniture Wholesale Group, AAA Furniture Wholesale, and Building Plastics, Inc. (floor coverings).
• Some large furniture and home furnishings manufacturers are vertically-integrated and operate wholesale distribution warehouses that sell direct to commercial customers.