Guide
What trade discount should interior designers expect on furniture?
A furniture trade discount is the percentage off the retail price (MSRP) that a supplier gives approved business buyers such as interior designers, stagers and retailers. Also called trade pricing or a designer discount, it typically ranges from 10% to 25% on standard trade accounts, with deeper wholesale discounts for bulk buyers. The right number depends on whether you are buying occasionally for clients or reselling regularly.
What are typical furniture trade discounts?
Trade discounts fall into rough bands:
| Discount off retail | Typical source | What designers say |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | Retail-store programs, often full-price items only | Widely seen as too low to bother with |
| 15–20% | Larger retail chains' designer programs | A workable floor |
| 25% | Trade accounts with wholesalers | A strong standard discount |
| 40–50% | Wholesale and manufacturer pricing for volume or established accounts | What favoured vendors offer |
The bands come from designers' own discussions on Reddit's interior design communities, 2024–2026, where 10% was called a non-starter, 20% a floor and 25% a sweet spot. In Canada, published examples include 20% at Crate & Barrel and CB2, and 10–20% at Valley Ridge (October 2026).
Why does the discount level matter so much?
The discount is the designer's product margin. If you resell at retail price, a 10% discount leaves 10% to cover sourcing time, ordering, delivery coordination and any problems. At 25% there is room to pass some savings to the client and still be paid for the work. Designers on Reddit reported that a retailer offering only 10% received many quote requests but few repeat orders.
Do all trade buyers get the same discount?
No. Many suppliers tier discounts by buyer type or volume. At Artisan Furniture Canada, every trade account — designers, stagers, retailers, online stores and dropshippers — gets 25% off MSRP. Bulk wholesale orders qualify for up to 50% off MSRP. There is no minimum order on trade accounts, and prices are visible as soon as you sign up.
Should designers pass the trade discount on to clients?
That is a business decision, and designers split on it. The three common models are:
- Keep the discount: charge the client retail price and treat the discount as product margin.
- Split it: charge somewhere between trade and retail.
- Pass it on: charge the trade price and bill for time with a design fee.
Whichever model you choose, say so in your client agreement.
Paying retail instead
Buying at full retail price is the opposite of trade buying and leaves no product margin. It can still make sense for a one-off piece from a store with no trade program, but regular sourcing should go through accounts that pay you for it. See how to open a furniture trade account in Canada.