In this guide · 8 sections
- 01What a furniture website has to get right
- 02Delivery zones and surcharges: disclose them upfront
- 03Delivery slots and assembly booking
- 04Trial periods, change of mind and the lemon law
- 05Product pages that reduce returns
- 06Payments and BNPL for big-ticket orders
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
Show delivery fees and any stair, no-lift or remote-area surcharges on the product page or in checkout before payment, let customers pick a delivery and assembly slot at checkout, write trial and change-of-mind terms in plain numbers, and handle defects under the lemon law. Offer BNPL or instalments for bigger baskets.
What a furniture website has to get right
Most furniture complaints come from surprises: an extra charge on delivery day, a sofa that does not fit the lift, a two-week wait nobody mentioned. A good store removes them before checkout.
| Problem | What the store should do | Where it lives |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery cost surprises | Fee per zone, plus listed surcharges | Shipping rates and product page |
| Will it fit? | Full dimensions, packed box size, door and lift guidance | Product page |
| Lead time | In stock vs made to order, with weeks stated | Product page and checkout |
| Delivery day | Slot booking at checkout | Delivery date app |
| Assembly | Optional add-on with a fixed price | Product option or cart add-on |
| Disposal of old item | Optional paid removal | Product option |
| Returns and trials | Plain-number terms | Policy page linked from checkout |
For a wider view of delivery costs and couriers, see our e-commerce shipping costs guide.
Delivery zones and surcharges: disclose them upfront
The Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapore's Guidelines on Price Transparency say unavoidable or mandatory charges, such as surcharges and service fees, should be included in the total headline price. Where they cannot be calculated in advance, their existence should be disclosed clearly and prominently together with the headline price. Adding a stair-carry fee on delivery day, without warning, is the kind of drip pricing the guidelines describe.
- Standard delivery: one fee per zone, or free above a stated order value.
- No-lift or stair carry: a fixed fee per floor or per item, listed on the product page.
- Remote or restricted areas: list them (for example offshore islands or sites needing permits) with the fee or say they are quoted.
- Timed or weekend slots: show any premium next to the slot.
- Hoisting or dismantling: say when it may be needed and that it is quoted before work starts.
In Shopify, put bulky items in their own shipping profile so they carry furniture delivery rates while cushions and accessories keep normal parcel rates. Shopify says shipping profiles are gradually moving to shipping options by market, and existing rates are migrated for most stores.
Delivery slots and assembly booking
Phone tag after payment is where furniture stores lose hours every week. Let customers choose a slot at checkout, then confirm by email and message.
Set delivery days by zone
For example, east on Tuesdays and Thursdays, west on Wednesdays and Fridays, so your truck runs full routes.
Add a delivery-date app with capacity limits
Cap the number of bulky deliveries per day and slot, and block public holidays and days the team is off.
Respect lead times per product
In-stock sofas might be delivered in 3 days; made-to-order beds in 6 weeks. The date picker should start after the lead time.
Sell assembly as a clear add-on
A fixed price per item, chosen at checkout, booked into the same slot. Say what is included (unpacking, assembly, packaging removal).
Collect access details
Ask for unit number, lift size or no-lift, and any condo or office booking rules, as required fields.
Send reminders
Confirm the day before with the time window and a number to call. This cuts failed deliveries and second trips.
Trial periods, change of mind and the lemon law
Two separate rules apply, and your policy should keep them apart. Change-of-mind returns and mattress trials are a business choice. Defective goods are covered by law.
Under the lemon law in the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act, as set out in the Ministry's advisory, consumers can ask for repair or replacement of defective goods, then a price reduction or refund. If a defect is found within six months of delivery, it is presumed to have existed at delivery unless the retailer can prove otherwise. That covers discounted and second-hand goods too.
A clear trial and returns policy
- Trial length in days, starting from the delivery date
- Minimum keep period before a trial return (if any)
- Collection fee and refund method stated in dollars
- Hygiene rules for mattresses (protector required, no stains)
- Defects handled separately under consumer law
Wording that causes disputes
- All sales final, no exceptions
- Trial conditions only shown after purchase
- A short deadline for reporting defects
- Surprise restocking fees on return
Our refund policy guide has template wording for change of mind and defects. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Product pages that reduce returns
Most furniture returns are about size, colour or comfort expectations. The product page can prevent many of them.
Furniture product page checklist
If you use AI-edited room scenes, make sure colours and proportions still match the real item. A misleading photo can become a consumer complaint.
Payments and BNPL for big-ticket orders
Furniture baskets are large, so payment fees and instalment options matter more than for most stores. PayNow is the cheapest method for most local buyers, cards suit corporate and overseas buyers, and buy now pay later can help customers commit to a S$1,500 sofa.
As of October 2026, HitPay's pricing page lists PayNow at 0.65% + S$0.30 for orders of S$100 and above, domestic cards at 2.8% + S$0.50 and Atome at 5.5% for online payments. On a S$1,500 order that is roughly S$10.05 for PayNow, S$42.50 for a local card and S$82.50 for Atome. Our BNPL and Atome guide explains when that extra cost is worth it and how refunds work.
For deposits on made-to-order items, take a fixed deposit at checkout and collect the balance before delivery, with both amounts and the cancellation terms shown before payment.
Do it yourself or get help?
A small furniture shop can launch with Shopify's shipping profiles, a delivery-date app and well-written policies. The time goes into measuring and photographing products properly and setting surcharges you will actually charge.
Our Online Store Pro package (S$3,490) builds a larger store with up to 150 products and variants, collections and filters, payments, shipping zones and policy pages. If you only need payments, Online Payment Setup (S$290) sets up PayNow and cards through HitPay or Stripe in your name.
Frequently asked questions
You should. The CCS Guidelines on Price Transparency say mandatory charges such as surcharges should be included in the headline price, or clearly and prominently disclosed alongside it when they cannot be calculated in advance. Listing stair-carry, no-lift and remote-area fees on product pages and in checkout avoids drip pricing complaints.
Yes. The lemon law covers goods sold to consumers, including discounted and second-hand items. If a defect appears within six months of delivery, it is presumed to have existed at delivery unless the retailer can prove otherwise. The customer can ask for repair or replacement first, then a price reduction or refund.
No. A trial period or change-of-mind return is a business choice. If you offer one, state the length in days from delivery, any minimum keep period, hygiene conditions, the collection fee and how refunds are paid. Keep trial terms separate from the rules for defective goods, which the law sets.
Use a delivery-date app with daily capacity limits for bulky items. Set how many deliveries each truck can handle per day or slot, block holidays and rest days, and apply product lead times so made-to-order items cannot be booked before they are ready.
Often yes, because baskets are large and instalments can help customers commit. As of October 2026, HitPay lists Atome at 5.5% per online payment, compared with 2.8% plus S$0.50 for local cards. Check that the extra sales justify the higher fee, and check how fees are treated on refunds.