What Is Trade Pricing — and Why Can't You Access It?
The furniture industry has two price lists. Most buyers only see one.
If you've ever looked at a furniture price tag and felt it was arbitrary — that the number was chosen more than calculated — you're picking up on something real. The furniture industry runs on a dual pricing structure: a retail price that consumers see, and a trade price that professionals pay. The gap between them is not small.
What trade pricing is
Trade pricing is the price manufacturers charge to verified trade accounts: interior designers, procurement firms, architects, and other professionals who buy furniture as part of their business. It's sometimes called the 'to-the-trade' price, the 'net' price, or the 'dealer' price. Depending on the manufacturer, trade pricing is typically 30–55% below the retail price published in showrooms and on manufacturer websites.
Why the gap exists
Manufacturers set retail prices to protect their retail channel — the showrooms and dealers who carry their products. If a consumer could buy at the same price as a designer, the showroom has no commercial reason to exist. The dual pricing system keeps the retail channel viable while giving trade buyers an economic advantage that makes professional sourcing worthwhile. It's an industry-maintained structure, not a secret.
Why consumers can't access it directly
Trade accounts require verification: a business license, a tax ID, a designer certification, or proof of commercial purchasing volume. Individual consumers don't qualify. Even if they try to apply, most manufacturers decline — and a few have been known to cancel trade accounts that appear to be passing through pricing to consumers rather than integrating it into professional services.
What DAF does
DAF holds trade accounts with domestic and European suppliers. When a client engages DAF, they're sourcing through an entity that qualifies for trade pricing. DAF passes the supplier cost directly to the client with a 20% fee added on top. The total cost — supplier price + 20% — is still typically 15–35% below retail depending on the piece and the supplier.
An example
A sofa that retails for $4,800 might have a trade price of $2,900. DAF charges $2,900 × 1.20 = $3,480. The client saves $1,320 (27.5%) versus retail, DAF earns $580 for the sourcing, and the supplier sells at their standard trade rate. Every number is visible to the client in the sourcing plan before any order is placed.
What you give up
Trade sourcing through a procurement firm means you're not walking into a showroom and walking out with something the same day. Lead times apply — typically 8–16 weeks for custom or semi-custom pieces. You also don't get to sit on every option before selecting it, though DAF can arrange samples and trade showroom visits for significant pieces. The tradeoff is real: immediacy and tactile selection versus cost savings and specialist sourcing.
Tell us what you're sourcing. We'll show you the supplier price and the 20% fee — before you commit to anything.
Access trade pricing →Retail furniture markup isn't arbitrary — it covers real costs: showroom rent, staff, marketing, returns, and inventory holding. Understanding what those costs are tells you which ones you're happy to pay for and which ones you can eliminate by sourcing differently.
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