Most designers mark up product at 10–15% — or pass it through at cost as a "favor." Here's what that quietly costs you every year, and what changes when you price procurement like the profit center it is.
You don't need more clients to earn this. You need to price procurement on purpose.
Different categories carry different risk and effort, so they earn different markups. Here's a healthy starting framework:
| Category | Healthy markup |
|---|---|
| Furniture & lighting | 25–30% |
| Appliances, cabinetry, flooring (high-risk, high-reward) | 30–35% |
| Accessories & décor | 35–50% |
| Custom & workroom | 35%+ |
The high-risk categories (appliances, cabinetry, flooring) scare people off — but they carry the most logistics, damages, and returns, which is exactly why they should pay you the most. Don't avoid them; price the risk in.
Retail brands like Pottery Barn or West Elm usually give the trade only 15–20% off retail — a true trade source is often 30–50% off. Defaulting to retail names quietly caps your margin before you've marked anything up. Build real trade-vendor relationships and the whole equation changes.
Clients don't push back on markup when they understand what it covers — curation, sourcing, logistics, damage claims, returns, and your accountability. Say it plainly:
No new clients. No more hours. Just pricing procurement correctly. Episode 5 of Really Renée walks through exactly how to do it — and how to position it so clients never blink.
A free tool from Really Renée — the real business of interior design.