You walk into a Bangkok showroom and see a price tag. That price is what you pay to the showroom. It is not what you pay in total. Between the manufacturer's factory in Italy and your living room in Bangkok, a significant stack of costs accumulates — some disclosed, some not. This post maps all of them.
The purpose is not to make import furniture look bad. Some pieces are worth every baht. The purpose is to ensure that when you compare import pricing to custom pricing, you are comparing the right numbers.
THE COMPONENTS OF IMPORT FURNITURE PRICING
Factory price (ex-works): What the manufacturer charges the dealer before any costs are added. Buyers never see this figure — it is the starting point for all the margins that follow.
International freight: Sea freight from Europe to Thailand runs approximately 6–10 weeks and costs the importer several hundred USD per cubic metre. For a large sofa or dining table, the freight cost alone is typically ฿15,000–฿40,000 per item.
Import duty: Thailand levies import duty on furniture classified under HS code 9403. The standard rate for upholstered furniture is 20%; wooden furniture is typically 20–30% depending on exact classification. This is applied to the CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value — so the import duty is calculated on a price that already includes the freight cost. The compounding effect matters.
VAT: 7% VAT is applied to the duty-inclusive price. This is not the same as 7% of the factory price — it is 7% of the landed value after duty has been applied.
Customs handling and brokerage: Importing furniture requires customs clearance, documentation, and typically a licensed broker. Brokerage fees add ฿3,000–฿8,000 per shipment depending on complexity. Port storage fees apply if clearance is delayed.
Local delivery and installation: The showroom price rarely includes delivery to your room and installation. White-glove delivery and installation for large pieces in Bangkok typically costs ฿3,000–฿15,000 depending on the building, floor, and complexity.
THE PRICE TAG IN THE SHOWROOM IS THE BEGINNING OF THE BILL, NOT THE END OF IT.
A WORKED EXAMPLE
To make this concrete: a Minotti sofa priced at ฿420,000 in a Bangkok showroom. The breakdown behind that price:
| Component | Approximate Amount |
|---|---|
| Factory price (ex-works Italy) | ~฿140,000 |
| International freight | ~฿25,000 |
| Import duty (20% on CIF value) | ~฿33,000 |
| VAT on landed value | ~฿14,000 |
| Customs brokerage & handling | ~฿5,000 |
| Dealer margin & showroom overhead | ~฿203,000 |
| Showroom price | ฿420,000 |
These are illustrative figures, not disclosed breakdowns — actual dealer margins are not published. But the structure is accurate: a product that costs €3,000–€4,000 at factory becomes a ฿420,000 showroom item after the full cost chain is applied. The dealer margin absorbs showroom rent, staff, samples, marketing, and profit.
COSTS THAT APPLY AFTER YOU PURCHASE
Delivery: Most Bangkok showrooms quote delivery separately, or include it for a minimum purchase value. For furniture above the fifth floor in a condo without a large goods lift, delivery may require a crane — a cost that can reach ฿10,000–฿30,000 for large pieces.
Installation: Sectional sofas, modular shelving, and built-in-adjacent pieces require installation. This is typically an additional charge on top of delivery.
Wait time cost: An often-overlooked cost. If you order in January for a March delivery, and delivery slips to June, you have been living without the piece for six months. In Bangkok's rental market, a furnished room that isn't furnished has a real cost. For renovation projects, delays cost more — contractor idle time, storage fees for other pieces delivered on schedule.
Long-term service: European furniture brands offer warranty coverage, but service centres in Bangkok for upholstery repairs, mechanism replacements, or fabric cleaning are limited. Some repairs require pieces to be shipped back to Europe. Factor this in when evaluating long-term value.
WHAT CUSTOM FURNITURE COSTS INSTEAD
A custom sofa built in Bangkok to equivalent quality — solid hardwood frame, down-wrapped foam cushions, European performance fabric or full-grain leather — costs ฿120,000–฿220,000 depending on size and specification. No import duty. No international freight. Delivery is typically included within Bangkok. Lead time is 6–8 weeks, not 16–20.
The custom price is not always lower on absolute terms. But it is almost always lower on comparable specification. And it includes dimensions matched exactly to your space, which the import piece never can.
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