MobelFirst

MöbelFirst GmbH operates as an online marketplace for high-end and luxury furniture, bridging the gap between traditional brick-and-mortar retailers and online consumers. Founded in 2016 in Cologne, Germany, by Dennis Franken and Christoph Ritschel, the company was established with the support of initial investors Dr. Christoph Schug and Dr. Ralf Struthoff. The founders, themselves third-generation furniture retailers, drew inspiration from the legacy of Ritschel's grandfather, Wilhelm Varnholt, who in the 1960s created a collective sales platform for carpenters called "Der Möbelkreis". MöbelFirst digitizes this concept for the modern era.

The company's business model centers on the quick and quiet sale of display and stock items from local premium furniture retailers. It acts as a full-service provider for its partner retailers, handling everything from product photography and data management to marketing, customer service, payment processing, and logistics. This allows physical stores to access a wider online market without needing their own e-commerce infrastructure or expertise. Revenue is generated through transactions on the platform, which features products from renowned brands like Walter Knoll, Rolf Benz, COR, and Thonet. By focusing on exhibition pieces, MöbelFirst can offer discounts to customers while ensuring products are immediately available, a key differentiator from the long order times often associated with new furniture.

Initially launched to serve the German market, the platform has expanded to include over 400 retailers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In 2021, The Platform Group AG, a Wiesbaden-based specialist in platform software, acquired a majority stake in MöbelFirst, with the aim of scaling the number of affiliated dealers to 500 and broadening the product range, particularly in office and garden furniture. The founders, Franken and Ritschel, remain as managing directors and shareholders, alongside the Höner family of Musterring International. By December 2023, The Platform Group announced its intention to acquire 100% of the shares, a transaction set to close in March 2024, while the founders extended their management contracts to continue steering the company's growth. The firm has maintained profitability, with reported revenues of €3 million in 2020 and a notable average shopping cart value of €4,100 by late 2023.

Keywords: online furniture marketplace, premium furniture, luxury furniture, designer furniture, exhibition furniture, stock furniture, German e-commerce, furniture retail platform, home and living, office furniture, omnichannel retail, Cologne startup, Dennis Franken, Christoph Ritschel, The Platform Group, Musterring, Rolf Benz, Walter Knoll, COR, Thonet