Chairish is where interior designers shop, not just design-conscious individuals, and that changes everything about how the platform is priced. Chairish's commission is the highest of any marketplace covered in this series, starting well above Poshmark's 20%. It's worth understanding that trade-off before you commit inventory here, because the platform earns its fee in ways a flat percentage doesn't fully capture.
The Commission Structure (and Why It's High)
New sellers start on the Consignor plan at a 40% commission. Once you have 10 items actively listed, Chairish automatically upgrades you to the Professional plan at 30%: the rate most regular sellers actually pay.
Higher tiers exist for sellers with volume:
| Plan | Requirement | Commission |
|---|---|---|
| Consignor | Default for new sellers | 40% |
| Professional | 10+ active listings | 30% |
| Premium | $49/month ($539/year) | Lower rate, plus perks |
| Platinum | $200/month, approval required | Sliding scale (see below), 0% on Chairish Auctions |
How much are platform fees really costing you?
Compare exact selling fees and payouts across eBay, Poshmark, Mercari, Depop, Etsy, Grailed, and Vinted.
Use the Fee Calculator →Platinum and Elite sellers get a sliding-scale rate that drops as item price rises: 20% on the portion of a sale up to $2,500, and 12% on the portion between $2,501 and $25,000. This means a seller moving higher-value pieces can end up paying a meaningfully lower effective rate than the 30% Professional headline, but you need enough volume and approval to reach those tiers in the first place.
Why it's worth it anyway, for the right inventory: Chairish's buyers include working interior designers sourcing for paying clients, not just individual shoppers. Design-market pricing tends to run higher than what the same piece would fetch on a general marketplace, and Chairish's white-glove shipping removes a logistics headache that would otherwise eat into your time on every large item. A 30% commission on a $2,000 sale you wouldn't have gotten on eBay is still a better outcome than 13.6% on a sale that never happens because the right buyer wasn't looking there.
How Curation Works Here
Chairish is curated, but the bar to start is lower than Ruby Lane's application-and-review process. You need an email address and inventory to sell — no minimum item count or business account required to open a basic seller account. From there:
- Confirm your piece is designer, vintage, antique, or distinctive enough to fit a curated design marketplace — mass-produced modern furniture generally won't be accepted
- Submit your listing for review
- Chairish's curation team evaluates it for quality, style, and fit with their buyer base, and will approve it, request edits, or decline it
Every individual listing goes through this curation step, not just your initial shop approval, so the review process is ongoing, not a one-time gate. Wholesale sellers (dealers selling at volume) go through a separate application requiring a company website and business details.
What Chairish Buyers Are Furnishing
- Mid-century modern furniture: consistently one of the strongest categories
- Hollywood Regency pieces
- Vintage lighting and chandeliers
- Antique and vintage rugs
- Sculptural decor and abstract art
Condition matters more than age here — a well-preserved 1970s piece often outsells a tired 1870s piece at a comparable price. Chairish buyers are furnishing real spaces, not just collecting.
Photography matters more on Chairish than almost anywhere else. Styled shots — the piece in a room, with good natural light — consistently outperform plain white-background photos, because buyers are evaluating visual impact for an actual space, not just checking an item off a list.
Shipping
Chairish handles the logistics friction that usually makes furniture the hardest reselling category:
- Chairish-Managed Shipping: Chairish selects and books the shipper, calculates the cost passed to the buyer, and deducts it (along with commission) before your payout
- Seller-Managed Shipping: You add shipping costs to your own listing, priced for the furthest distance a buyer might be
- White Glove / In-Home delivery: For large pieces that won't fit in a standard box, in-home delivery starts around $299 and can take up to 6-8 weeks depending on location
Chairish expects small parcel items shipped within 3 days of purchase, and larger furniture delivered within 2-6 weeks.
Getting Paid
Payment is initiated once a sale is final — either after the 48-hour return window closes, or once local pickup or delivery is confirmed complete. Expect payment roughly six days after the order is marked "Delivered."
Where New Chairish Sellers Lose Money
Underestimating the commission on a low-value item. At 40% (before you hit Professional) or even 30%, a $50 item barely nets you anything after sourcing costs. Chairish works best for pieces with real design value, not clearance-priced basics.
Plain background photos. This is a design marketplace — styled, in-room photography isn't optional flourish here, it's close to a requirement for competing effectively.
Not reaching Professional status quickly. The jump from 40% to 30% at just 10 active listings is significant. If you have inventory ready, list it promptly rather than trickling items out one at a time.
Ignoring the curation step per listing. Unlike platforms where anything goes once your account is approved, individual Chairish listings can still be declined or sent back for edits. Budget time for revisions rather than assuming instant approval.
Listing Your First Piece
- Check that your username is available on Chairish and every other platform you're considering — see our username rules guide for character requirements elsewhere
- Photograph your first pieces styled in a room setting, not against a blank wall
- List at least 10 items promptly to move past the 40% Consignor rate into the 30% Professional tier
For how Chairish compares to Whatnot, Bonanza, and Ruby Lane, see our roundup of all four newer platforms, or use the fee calculator to compare commission rates across every platform on the site.