Meubelbaas

The idea of Meubelbaas grew during a business studies assignment for Saxion Hogeschool. Higher vocational students Kjelt van den Hazel, Mathé Booij, and Tom van Dieren developed an export plan for a furniture manufacturer.  The students noticed that the company had a relatively high percentage of return shipments. After their studies, the three friends approached the furniture manufacturer and asked them whether they would sell their return shipments for an affordable price, which they did.

Shortly afterwards, the three friends decided to set up Meubelbaas in 2019. Their first business activity was to buy the return shipments and store them. The three entrepreneurs sold their stock through online marketing campaigns, which turned out to be so profitable that soon other contacts were made with furniture manufacturers to sell new furniture as well as return shipments.

The assortment’s style is a combination of steel and wood, also known as the industrial style. The basic range consists of dining tables and chairs for primarily the consumer market, supplemented with cupboards, TV cabinets, sideboards, lamps and sofas. An increasing number of businesses and other organisations order their furniture with Meubelbaas. Today, their products can be found in many offices and school buildings. Restaurants also order their new furniture with Meubelbaas.

Meubelbaas’ main strength lies in its focus on online sales. The entrepreneurs devote plenty of time to providing a personal touch when offering their furnishings online. For example, the owners are featured in many of their homemade promotional films, making them more accessible to customers ordering their goods. Orders can be placed online or at the Meubelbaas showroom on the Zwitsalterrein in Apeldoorn.

Meubelbaas continues to thrive as a business. In 2021, their monthly sales average about 1000 chairs and 250 tables. The cabinets and cupboards that have recently been added to their range are also gaining popularity. The first international orders came from Belgium, followed by Germany. Word of mouth advertising has led to several follow-up orders from these areas. The business intends to continue to grow with a broader product range, continued expansion on the Dutch market and a greater focus on international sales.

 Export countries: Belgium & Germany