How to Buy Furniture Wholesale in Australia: A Step-by-Step Guide

Purchasing furniture wholesale is about five basic requirements: a business registration with an ABN, a supplier which wholesales the product, a trade account approval, a first order which meets the space and budget requirement, and logistics for transporting bulk products to the floor.

Vivin Imports is a leading Australian furniture importer and wholesaler. Vivin does not manufacture any furniture. Vivin imports contemporary furniture from India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia and supplies them to retailers all over Australia from its distribution centres in Wetherill Park, NSW (25,000 m²) and Melbourne, VIC (15,000 m²).

Can anyone buy furniture wholesale?

Not generally. Furniture wholesalers and importers supply to businesses who resell furniture or decorate spaces on behalf of their clients: furniture shops, online sellers, interior designers/stylists, property developers, hotels/motels, and others in the hospitality industry. Every Australian wholesaler will demand having the ABN before they quote any trade price, and many require evidence of the shopfront, website, or actual project.

But if you are decorating your own space, by "wholesale", we generally mean a retailer operating a high-volume/low-margin business or an end-of-line stock clearance sale at warehouses.

How to buy furniture wholesale, step by step

1. Set up your business properly.

Before you approach any one of the suppliers, here’s what you need to take care of:

1. ABN. Free registration for an ABN. Suppliers use it to verify that you’re a business and not a consumer customer trying to get a discount.

2. GST. Must register when your turnover is above the GST registration threshold; otherwise, voluntary. Trade discounts are usually provided without GST inclusion, and you can get the GST refund only if you’re GST registered.

3. Insurance and storage. Furniture can be bulky and fragile; therefore, you should cover stock insurance in both the storeroom and transportation.

4. Customer obligations. By law, you are the first person to contact in case of faulty goods, being a retailer according to the Australian Consumer Law. The supplier after-sale services will help you settle this problem.

2. Decide what you'll stock and how you'll sell it.

Plan your product range first: which rooms, at which price range, and if you will be selling through a showroom or online.

This will affect the choices you make:

• Retailers selling from showrooms require furniture items that people can actually see and sit on.

• Online retailers require packaging that can go through couriers, precise carton sizes, and product pictures.

Our range is for bedrooms, lounges & sofas, living & dining and outdoor, with new ranges coming on board all the time. Begin with a range that is available in stock.

3. Choose the right type of supplier.

The wholesale supplier includes these three very different firms:

For the majority of new retailers, the best starting point would be an importer-wholesaler. Our advice on how to select a reliable furniture supplier in Australia will tell you what to ask.

4. Apply for a trade account.

The trade account is that which provides access to wholesale prices and online ordering capabilities. The following information is typically required by wholesalers:

• Name of the business and ABN number

• Address of the business/website

• Nature of the business (retail, online, design, hospitality)

• Contact for orders and trade accounts

Vivin has trade customers placing their orders via their online account. For new customers, contact our sales team, and we’ll guide you through the process.

5. See the range before you commit.

Before placing an order:

• Go to one of our showrooms or see an example piece.

• Inspect the workmanship: the frame, joints, drawer slides, finish, and for upholstered items, the rub count of the fabric (Martindale).

• Check out the packaging. Packaging determines whether a piece will survive transit or not.

• View the colour in the flesh. Monitors represent colours differently from reality, so a website picture is only a reference.

• Ask about what after-sales service is provided and put it in writing.

For more information on the quality of furniture and import standards in Australia, take a look at our article.

Vivin has showrooms in both our Wetherill Park and Epping warehouses. Contact us prior at 02 9011 8080, and one of our sales team members will give you an overview of the range we currently have.

6. Place your first order.

Before ordering for the first time, please clarify the following:

• Is the minimum amount based on dollar value or the quantity per item? Most importers allow mixing of products, while most factories prefer quantity per item.

• Can I mix product types? Mixing will help you cover a wider range without focusing on one product category.

• Is the price ex-GST? Is delivery included? Delivery is free for selected products at Vivin, but this depends on your postcode, and you can confirm by calling our office.

• What are the payment terms? Most first orders require payment up front, while account terms will be given after building your trade history.

• What are the currently available items, and what do you expect to receive shortly?
  
  

Please ask our sales team about the order requirements at Vivin before making your first order.

7. Receive and check your delivery.

For Vivin shipments, delivery happens during normal business hours:

• Small and medium-sized shipments such as chairs and flat-pack furniture are shipped by any one of several carriers. The carrier does not schedule a time in advance.

• Bulky and delicate furniture shipments are made by 2-man delivery. These are not trackable, but the carrier will call you to arrange a suitable time.

• Multiple shipments are common. The products in one shipment can be shipped from several warehouses using several carriers.

• Provide a home or business address. Our delivery companies cannot deliver to PO boxes.

• Check on difficult addresses. If there are unusual freight costs due to remote or island deliveries, please contact us before you place your order.

In case your delivery cannot be made, additional shipping or storage charges could be charged, so make sure that someone is available to receive it. Once delivered:

• Inspect each box and item. Record the extent of damage to the packaging and to the product.

• Reject damaged products. In case the extent of damage is significant, reject that package. There is no need to reject the entire delivery if the majority of the delivery was in good condition.

• Document the damage, taking photos of the packaging and the product. Our team will request photos of the damage if necessary.

• Notify us before you return anything. Contact our Customer Service team on 02 9011 8080 during office hours. Return authorisation is needed before any product can be returned.

Changes of mind are not accepted by Vivin, so make your decision wisely. In case of faulty and damaged items, we will guide you in the right direction to get either a return or a repair. Read the full shipping and refund policy before your first order.

8. Reorder before peak season.

Once the stock is up for sale, the task becomes one of verifying that your bestselling products remain on display. Monitor the sales of products that move quickly, and verify that you restock before running out. EOFY, Black Friday, Boxing Day, and January sales all become stressful times for stock.

In order to support our retail customers during peak times, Vivin keeps its stock levels at appropriate levels to verify the reliability of supply when demand peaks.

Warehouse orders vs direct container orders

Two purchasing methods are offered by Vivin for wholesale.

If you choose warehouse orders, it means that goods have to be purchased out of stock already stored in our Australian distribution centres. It is possible to mix different items, purchase in smaller numbers and get your stock quickly. This is the way most new retailers usually start.

In the case of direct container orders, you purchase an entire container of furniture delivered directly from the factory. The cost of each item will be less expensive, yet you have to put in more money, wait longer, and have the place for unloading and people who will help you. We constantly release new full container collections, among which the latest one includes the 2026 launch with more than 40 new sofa ranges. Our guide on how to order furniture by container in Australia covers the full process.

Wholesale price vs. landed cost

However, the price listed on the trade price list doesn’t necessarily represent the true cost to acquire an item. The landed cost is calculated by the wholesale price and all other charges required to bring this item into your store or into the hands of your client:

• Freight from the supplier to your store/warehouse

• Unpacking and storage

• Damage and return allowances

• Financing costs

In other words, the landed cost of a dining room table is the sum of its trade price plus a portion of the freight, unpacking, and storage. Base your retail price on this calculation, not on the price listed on the trade price list. For more information, see our post on wholesale furniture pricing for bulk orders.

Mistakes first-time wholesale buyers make

• Over-ordering too large and too thin.

• Too much variety and not enough quantity of each one means shortages all the time.

• Calculating prices based on list price and not landed cost.

• Not accounting for delivery.

• Advertising before checking stock depth.

• Buying based on pictures. It is more affordable to visit the showroom than to buy the wrong colour, grey.

How to start buying wholesale from Vivin Imports

Vivin not only provides products to all the leading furniture stores in Australia but also to independent ones. The unique feature of Vivin is the selective choice of products, effective inventory control, and promotional programmes, both wholesale and direct via containers.

In order to establish a trading account, just contact us by phone or email:

• Phone: 02 9011 8080

• Email: sales@vivinimports.com.au

• ABN: 94 103 810 117 (VIVIN IMPORTS is a business name registered for VIVIN IMPORTS PTY LIMITED)

You can also visit our showrooms at 6 Burilda Close, Wetherill Park NSW 2164, or 20 Litoria Court, Epping VIC 3076. 

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an ABN to buy furniture wholesale in Australia?
Almost always, as proof that you’re shopping for a business.

What is the minimum order for wholesale furniture?
It depends on the supplier. Overseas factories often want a full container or a set quantity per item, while Australian importers usually allow smaller, mixed orders. Contact Vivin's sales team for our current requirements.

Do wholesale furniture prices include GST?
Usually not. Trade prices are normally quoted ex GST.

Can I buy wholesale furniture for my own home?
Most wholesalers only sell to businesses. For your own home, look for warehouse clearance sales.

Does Vivin accept change-of-mind returns?
No. For any defective items, please call 02 9011 8080 between working hours. An authorisation to return is necessary before sending any item back.

Is Vivin Imports a furniture manufacturer?
No. Vivin Imports is a company that imports and wholesales furniture. Our sources of furniture include India, China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, while our distribution centres are located in Sydney and Melbourne.