I can honestly say that since the sofa arrived in my home, I have never been happier with my apartment. I am spending most of my time here due to the city's lockdown, so being comfortable is important. Whether I'm working on my computer, taking a Zoom call, or watching TV, this sectional has become my main command station. The sofa's design is stylish and luxe without sacrificing comfort.
One thing that has helped Article thrive in the current environment is that it has developed its own fulfillment and logistics operation. It has its own fulfillment centers and delivery teams. “That part is more in our control, so we can drive changes faster,” Baig said, mentioning contactless delivery as an example. Article quickly launched contactless delivery services in the spring of 2020 as lockdowns were going into place.
I’ve owned and sat on many other sofas, but few compare to Sven in terms of comfort, versatile style, and the ease of ordering.
Aamir Baig, founder and CEO of Article has a simple philosophy for building a business. In his eyes, a business is not a business unless it has a profit formula that comes with it. That approach to business has allowed Aamir and his cofounders to build Article into one of the leading DTC Furniture companies without relying on raising tens of millions in venture capital.
Over the past few years, Article has focused on controlling more of its supply chain, particularly on the shipping side, by building fulfillment centres across North America and hiring an in-house delivery team. The result? Customers can order beautifully designed modern furnishings in just a few clicks—and get it delivered just as seamlessly. These innovations helped the company grow even before COVID, but during the pandemic, they became a differentiating factor.
Article uses a high-quality aniline leather, which has proved durable and stain-resistant in my testing.
While older Americans are loath to buy big-ticket design items online, Generation Y has inspired direct-to-consumer digital retailers that slash the risk, cut the costs and amp up convenience
Article is tackling this problem by creating its own final-mile delivery service, which debuts today in Los Angeles and New York. The idea is to have a team of staff who are well trained in customer service and familiar with every piece of furniture in Article’s line. Article says this new approach will allow it to deliver products to these markets two days more quickly than an outsourced delivery partner.
The company, headed by self-proclaimed logic-nerds Aamir Baig, Fraser Hall, Sam Prochazka and Andy Prochazka (engineers, all four), has seen sales skyrocket by a gobsmacking 56,581% over the past five years, to more than $100 million in 2017, placing the company very comfortably atop the 2018 Growth 500 ranking of Canada’s Fastest-Growing Companies.
Furniture startup Article, which designs and manufactures modern furniture and sells it direct to consumers, expects to double its sales this year, to $200 million, cofounder and CEO Aamir Baig told Forbes. If it succeeds, that would put it in the same league as successful direct-to-consumer mattress makers Casper, Purple and Leesa, and prove wrong those who’ve questioned the ability of startups to manufacture and sell bulky items where design is critical direct to consumers over the Internet sight unseen.
“The three-year-old startup is profitable and made around $50 million in revenue in 2016, according to Chief Executive Officer Aamir Baig. It’s expecting to go into 2018 making $50 million a quarter. Article’s growth puts it in league with other fast-growing closely held Canadian tech companies like social media manager Hootsuite, marketing tech firm Vision Critical and real estate data provider Real Matters.”
“This e-commerce firm is attempting to simplify the furniture business, selling modern-looking beds, couches and decor direct-to-consumer at a price point between IKEA and The Brick. It’s doing it without taking any outside investment.”
Article is a company driven by software engineers who saw an opportunity to close the gap between cost and price of furniture while leaving some margin for themselves. It seems to be working.
“Now that this sectional is in here, man this room is prettier and more inviting than ever. It simplified the seating area and is the kind of sofa that goes with so many different styles of houses – so I knew it would appeal to so many different buyers. I was extremely impressed with it and we all commented how it just worked so much better than the awesome leather strapping sofa I had.”
"Once part of the bachelor pad starter kit, they now fit into the most stylish of spaces."
A new breed of online furniture manufacturers offers high-end quality and customization – and often a quick turnaround time – at low-end prices. When the Bryght website first went up in 2013, its “about us” manifesto stated that its sofas were produced at the same factory that made furniture for brands like B&B Italia and Knoll. That piece of information has since disappeared from the site, said Aamir Baig, the company’s chief executive, at the request of the factory’s owners, whose other clients didn’t appreciate the free publicity. Considering that Bryght’s prices range from about $700 for a loveseat to around $3,000 for a leather sectional with a Miesian vibe, that’s understandable.
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