Buying furniture in Africa often presents challenges. Local options may not always meet quality standards, while importing furniture is expensive and time-consuming. Addressing these issues, a Lagos-based startup has introduced a fresh approach, combining affordability, quality, and reduced delivery times through its online furniture platform.
The company recently secured $2.5 million in funding to scale its operations and tackle the challenges of high costs and long waiting periods faced by customers importing furniture. By sourcing materials locally and manufacturing in-house, the platform delivers modern and culturally inspired furniture pieces at competitive prices, cutting delivery times by half to just 4–8 weeks.
A Transformative Journey
Launched in 2018, the company initially catered exclusively to businesses, offering custom furniture solutions. However, during the pandemic, it identified a gap in the market as traditional furniture showrooms shut down. Pivoting to a direct-to-consumer model, the brand quickly gained traction. One of its standout products, a work desk priced at an accessible $85, became an instant hit, selling over 1,000 units in just six months.
Since then, the startup has diversified into multiple product categories and expanded its reach to Kenya. To date, it has delivered over 10,000 furniture pieces to more than 5,000 customers across its markets.
Challenges and Plans
While the company’s popularity surged, meeting demand has been a hurdle. Long delivery times—sometimes extending to months—were attributed to dependency on third-party suppliers and logistics providers. To address this, the startup plans to streamline its supply chain by pre-manufacturing popular items and forming strategic partnerships with logistics providers.
Additionally, the company is enhancing its offering with flexible payment plans, allowing customers to pay for furniture in installments, and leveraging technology like augmented and virtual reality to create immersive online showrooms.
Future Growth
The newly secured funding will enable the startup to reduce delivery times to as little as three to five days and invest in operational efficiency, marketing, and talent acquisition. The company also plans to scale its innovative payment solutions, which have already attracted hundreds of users.
With over $1 million in revenue generated in 2021, the platform is poised for significant growth, driven by its unique value proposition in a largely underserved market.
Investing in Innovation
The investment comes from a firm committed to supporting women-led startups and businesses that leverage technology to solve critical challenges. The firm highlighted the startup’s rapid growth and innovative approach in disrupting the traditional furniture industry.
By maintaining a focus on affordability, quality, and local sourcing, the company aims to reshape the furniture shopping experience for customers across Africa.
