Online furniture shop ITOOH Homestyle has spent 2023 steadily expanding and gaining support for its brand. Recently, the startup was awarded a P1 million financial grant from the StartUp QC program, an initiative led by the Quezon City government to help grow startups it deemed innovative, creative, sustainable, and socially relevant.
“ITOOH is a ray of hope for local artisans, embodying the essence of Filipino craftsmanship,” said Quezon City Local Economic Investment Promotions Office Head Jay Gatmaitan. “We chose ITOOH for their global aspirations to disrupt the marketplace by providing a platform to these artisans who lack access to international customers.”
Founded in 2021 by Jules Veloso, Andrew Bercasio, and Enah Baba, ITOOH Homestyle (named after the Filipino expression ‘ito oh!’ or ‘this is it!’ and ‘homestyle’ because the home is a reflection of one’s personality) is a digital platform curating premium home accents, art, antiques, and interior design services through a seamless online shopping experience. At ITOOH Homestyle, one can order furniture from a range of nearly 90 partner merchants and even sign up for an affordable interior design plan.
ITOOH’s growth is fitting considering the e-commerce furniture market that it operates in is flourishing. The global e-Commerce furniture market size was valued at $27.74 billion in 2021 and is predicted to reach $40.74 billion by 2030 with a compound annual growth rate of 4.4% from 2022-2030. This is good news for Filipino furniture makers in particular with Russia, India, South Korea, and the United States regularly importing hundreds of millions of dollars worth of furniture from the Philippines.
According to Veloso, the Philippines is a vastly underrated furniture source. “I’ve heard people call the Philippines the ‘Milan of Asia’ because we’re known for our designs,” said Veloso. “So we can definitely compete in the international market and there’s a growing demand for quality furniture locally.”
Humble beginnings to customer favorites
ITOOH got its start when Veloso saw first-hand that online furniture shopping didn’t have to be difficult. She was in the middle of her data science studies in Los Angeles when the first wave of pandemic lockdowns happened, leaving her stuck in an empty apartment with no furniture. With all physical stores closed, Veloso had no choice but to shop online for her furniture—where she was pleasantly surprised to find a smooth, efficient experience. Thus ITOOH was borne from the desire to provide the same reliable service in the Philippines.
The ITOOH platform, for example, now carries over 4000+ items. Understanding that Filipino shoppers may be hesitant to order big ticket items like furniture online, ITOOH takes major care to include as much info as possible about each piece. A typical product listing not only includes an item’s measurements, but also a size comparison with a typical 5’6 Filipino male. The product listing is then topped off with detailed descriptions of the material used and care instructions. Once a user decides to order, ITOOH also handles delivery services.
ITOOH’s transparency for its items reflects the needs of the market it caters to. “We’re focusing on the mid-to-high market,” Veloso explained. “Some of our platform users are OFWs who bought a house for the first time and need guidance making it cozier. Others are people remodeling or young families upgrading their living spaces and want their furniture to be practical, but also reflect their personality.”
So far, ITOOH’s efforts have paid off. The ITOOH platform now boasts of 600+ users, many of whom are repeat customers. Return rates are also at a low 2%.
Growing with the market
Because ITOOH understands that furniture shopping can be an intimidating experience for many (especially for first-time buyers), building a community is a cornerstone of their operations.
The ITOOH YouTube channel features inspiring interior designers discussing their projects, part of their effort to educate the market. Each video showcases useful tips for maximizing your furniture/home design with titles such as “Tips for choosing the best bed sheet” and “How to start your indoor plant collection.”
The partnership with interior design firm Grupo Santamaria, has added another layer of credibility to ITOOH’s community-building. With the help of the firm, ITOOH offers interior design packages that give customers professional design advice . The website clearly presents interior design pricing, offering packages ranging from P8,000 to P30,000 (depending on the size and number of rooms to be designed). While these rates do not cover the cost of furniture, they make the dream of having a thoughtfully curated living space achievable more accessible than ever.
“We realized how intimidated some people were by the thought of working with an interior design professional,” said Veloso. “We want people to know it doesn’t have to be expensive. They can benefit from the science of planning and spacing without breaking the bank.”
The overall goal of ITOOH’s community-building is to help customers understand and ultimately create what they want in a design. “Furniture is a social currency,” Veloso asserted. “What we do educates Filipinos on the importance of measurements, materials, and care. We then let them know we’re all about offering practicality at various price points, making us the entry point for many homeowners.”
Beyond the customer side
ITOOH has recently ventured into the B2B space as well. The platform has proven to be a particular favorite for unit officers of various companies: instead of having to talk to multiple suppliers ITOOH now offers over 90 of them in one easy place.
ITOOH also provides customized plans to meet the specific needs of its B2B clients. To get started, a client simply shares their budget and requirements with the ITOOH team. In response, ITOOH offers three distinct plans categorized as ‘good,’ ‘better,’ and ‘best.’ These options give clients a clear understanding of the realistic possibilities within their budget.
B2B orders now make up a substantial portion of ITOOH’s business—especially considering that B2B clients typically order in bulk. ITOOH has so far sold to offices, architecture firms, hotels and restaurants, and even other interior design agencies.
Yet all of this is possible because ITOOH’s attention to detail and care also extends to its partner merchants. For one, ITOOH has a warehouse for provincial merchants that want to reach a bigger customer base in Metro Manila. These partner merchants incur a small fee to cover warehouse expenses, but alleviate any concerns about storage.
The brand is also thoughtful about how it approaches onboarding new merchants. “We’re aware that we don’t want to compete with existing inventory,” explained co-founder Andrew Bercasio. “We actually like to look into ways we can help our existing partner merchants produce more—especially with demand anticipated to get higher in the future.”
While the aim is obviously continued expansion, new verticals are also never out the window. The team is currently studying the possibility of bringing the secondary market into the platform, with the aim of giving people a better way to get rid of pre-loved furniture they no longer use.
The exploration of new verticals makes sense given that ITOOH is in the midst of raising funds. These funds are planned to strengthen the sales aspect of ITOOH’s operations, with a particular focus on getting more B2B clients.
Yet the ITOOH team stressed its desire to work with an investor who truly believes in their mission to support Filipino artisans and is willing to take a sustainable approach to scaling. After all, the ITOOH team emphasizes their perpetual north star. “We really dream of the day every Filipino will have Filipino-made pieces at home,” underscored Bercasio. “Talented Filipino furniture makers put so much energy, passion, and talent into what they do. Why shouldn’t we make it easy to appreciate that?”
From the talented designs of its partner merchants to the expertise of team and external partners, ITOOH Homestyle shows it is much more than an e-commerce platform: it’s a testament to innovation and dedication, paving the way for beauty in Filipino homes.