17 Companies and Website Stores Like Wayfair (Great Alternatives)

When Wayfair went public in 2014, Business Insider introduced this innovative company to readers via this intriguing headline: “The Oddly Named $3 Billion Home Goods Retailer That Just Went Public”!

Categorized as an online home goods retailer with few boundaries in terms of product selection, this company was launched by two entrepreneurs in 2002 as CSN Stores. They sold speaker and radio stands back then.

The founders kept adding specialty websites to their holdings until they realized that their goal, to operate “the ultimate home store,” would require rolling all 270 of them into one entity, thus the official Wayfair site was launched in September 2011.

Wayfair remains a dominant force within an online community devoted to providing everything a consumer needs for making a home look fabulous and function efficiently.

In the list below we list 17 companies like Wayfair which operate in the home good niche and most of them are also full online stores just like Wayfair is.

1. Joss & Main

Money magazine called Joss and Main “a major furniture retailer that offers online shopping and shipping to its customers.”

Editors write about reasonable prices and a variety of trendy collections but getting the best deals could require getting a membership in MyWay, a fee-based program offered by this Wayfair-owned business.

Membership isn’t required but it comes with perks. Fans of J&M love the special buying events, the ability to shop from home, the mobile app offering extra convenience and the ease with which browsers can shop for furnishings, décor, kitchen appliances, outdoor furnishings, window treatments and other must-haves.

2. Overstock

Calling itself a “tech-driven online retailer located … in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains,” Overstock launched in 1999 and became one of the most high-profile outlets for home goods quickly.

The brand was tarnished after CEO Patrick Byrne became involved with an accused Russian spy and he was forced to leave the company in 2019.

Under current management, Overstock has rebounded, say Reuters analysts, by “offering customers a range of brands for the home at low prices, including furniture, home decor, area rugs, bedding and bath, home improvement, outdoor, and kitchen and dining items.”

How does Overstock compare to Wayfair? Taste of Home editors say, “it’s important to check both” since the two “don’t typically carry the same items.”

3. Amazon Home

Given his unbridled appetite for launching diverse businesses, it stands to reason that Jeff Bezos and his team would make an effort to compete with Wayfair in a grandiose way.

Like Wayfair, the number of products offered on the Amazon Home site are endless.

In addition to décor, furnishings, kitchen and dining merchandise, linens, outdoor wares, home improvement, electronics and handmade items, shoppers can seek help from professionals on color selection, trends, and designs.

The Amazon Home “design a virtual room” tool is fun to use, but it’s the prices that attract shoppers eager to furnish homes without spending a fortune most of all.

4. West Elm

Founded as a unique online entity by Williams-Sonoma in 2002, West Elm’s aim was to attract young homeowners seeking contemporary looks at reasonable prices.

Despite the 2008 financial crisis that put retail commerce into a tailspin, West Elm managed to survive until 2010 when Jim Brett was hired to revitalize the brand.

Aiming to be a “true neighborhood destination” offering mostly American-made home goods and garden supplies, West Elm storefronts began popping up in addition to a revitalized website.

When parent company Williams-Sonoma issued financials in 2017, West Elm was declared the biggest revenue generator of its holdings.

Delivery delays have plagued the company, yet the website remains a popular epicenter for furnishings, rugs, bedding, lighting, art and storage necessities.

Don’t miss browsing the adorable goods for nurseries and children’s rooms when you visit.

5. Walmart

It’s a thinly veiled attempt to boutique items already included among Walmart’s estimated 142,000 SKUs, thus online shoppers won’t find the elan and artistry found on the Wayfair website.

But for this mass retailer, the site is a viable idea guaranteed to please Walmart fans who prefer one-stop-shopping for all manner of goods.

Popular categories of Walmart goods include furniture, appliances, window treatments, décor, bedding, mattresses, rugs and specialty categories like craft furniture and accessories, some of which are sold under the Better Homes & Gardens, Drew Barrymore and Pioneer Woman brand.

The site is easy to navigate and ordering is a breeze, though it doesn’t offer the kind of imaginative browsing one finds on the Wayfair website.

6. Crate & Barrel

Launched as a neighborhood shop stocking “simple, beautiful and practical housewares” by newlyweds Gordon and Carole Segal, C&B fast become a trendy place to shop once the store’s personality caught on with Chicagoans who loved the crates and barrel owners used to display products.

With bricks and mortar stores sprinkled across the U.S., Crate & Barrel’s online presence hosts around 100 million visitors annually and its CB2 brand launch in 2002 created a distinct avenue for cutting-edge products.

Every category homeowners shop is found here: furniture, outdoor, kitchen, lighting, rugs, bedding, and the kids’ room items are delightful.

There is an abundance of inspiring and idea-producing photos on the website and an app for folks who shop on the go.

7. World Market

World Market’s start-up tale charms shoppers who read about the San Francisco entrepreneur inspired by shiploads of wicker merchandise on display in the late 1950s on San Francisco piers.

Realizing that this exotic product mix appealed to browsers, the first World Market retail shop opened on Fisherman’s Wharf in 1958.

Product selection does not disappoint: from unique artisan goods and handicrafts to international foods and interior design inspiration, browsers find plenty to inspire them on this website, especially shoppers who prefer handmade goods produced abroad by artisans.

Furnishing styles are more eclectic than those found on the Wayfair website, and you won’t find imported foods and wines on Wayfair either, but if you’re out to decorate your home with a distinct exotic vibe, you’ll want to start here.

8. At Home

The At Home website promises shoppers outstanding selection and prices, stocking “endless [virtual] aisles of must-have styles at prices so low you won’t believe it.”

These warehouse-style stores partner with Habitat for Humanity to promote work being done by the non-profit to build affordable homes for people.

Use the search field on the At Home site to find the closest store or stick with the website to browse furniture, décor and pillows, rugs and curtains, wall décor, bed and bath, storage, cleaning, outdoors and gifts.

There’s a clearance page for thrifty folks, too. Register as an At Home customer and you’ll be sent a birthday discount coupon, access to Flash Finds and “hassle-free returns.”

More warehouse than showroom, there are enough perks to justify frequenting At Home in person and online.

9. Houzz

Young homeowners relate to Houzz founders Adi and Alon whose home remodel job morphed into a business known for flair and access to professionals eager to help visitors create their dream homes.

The couple say that the creation of Houzz established “A place to browse and save beautiful photos of inspiring homes, design and construction professionals” as well as finding furnishings and décor that delight everyone from house DIYers to apartment dwellers.

Design and construction professionals frequent Houzz to help clients get the look they seek.

You can choose furniture, kitchen and dining must-haves, lighting, bath, bedroom, outdoor, storage and organization products.

While on the site, borrow decorating tips and advice. Many of the products featured on the Houzz menu lean toward retro and Scandinavian styling, so you may not find as much diversity as you do when you shop Wayfair.

10. Hayneedle

Calling itself “an online retail company that offers home and lifestyle products,” Hayneedle is an Omaha, Nebraska company founded as Netshops in 2002 and rebranded as Hayneedle in 2009.

Much of this company’s focus is devoted to sleek, innovative furnishings and décor meant for outdoor spaces, but they also sell living room, bedroom, bath, kitchen, office, garage, sports, and hobby products in addition to unusual goods like compost bins and dog houses.

The Styles and Inspiration Gallery offer room setting ideas that focus on trendy looks, patterns, colors, and accessories.

Order from Hayneedle and you’ll receive free shipping on orders, easy returns and in-house financing for shoppers who require financial assistance to furnish and decorate their homes.

11. Bed Bath & Beyond

BB&B customers were wild about generous coupons delivered to the mailboxes of shoppers, many of whom wouldn’t shop elsewhere because these $10 off; 20% off deals kept bringing them back.

Calling itself a one-stop shop, the BB&B merchandise mix goes well beyond items used in bedrooms and bathrooms.

Find home décor, furniture, beauty & fitness products, and luggage plus organizational products.

“Whether your aesthetic is traditional, modern, boho, rustic, farmhouse, Hollywood glam, or transitional, you’ll find an impressive assortment to choose from,” according to BB&B marketers who focus their biggest promotional rollouts in anticipation of family holidays.

Due to its retail presence and preponderance of soft goods, furnishings take a back seat to gadgets, thus comparing BB&B inventory to Wayfair’s product mix is a stretch.

12. All Modern

As one of Wayfair’s most popular brands, All Modern is exactly what it purports to be: The website for shoppers whose homes would never welcome period furnishings!

All Modern’s primary philosophy and mission since 2006 remains hosting a site specifically for shoppers dedicated to furnishing, accessorizing and outfitting home with the trendiest new finds.

All Modern is filled with options for revitalizing interiors that include furniture, lighting, décor, bed and bath products, kitchen, and storage items.

There’s a baby and kids section offering ultra-modern furnishings for youngster’s rooms.

Stylists have curated items within four specific styles: Minimalist, Scandinavian, Modern Farmhouse and Mid-Century.

Though you’ll find modern furnishings on Wayfair, All Modern is mecca for busy folks who want to get right to the heart of contemporary finds.

13. Burrow

“The furniture industry hasn’t changed in decades,” the folks at Burrow insist, thus they want to be an epicenter for delivering a new brand of products that focus on three fundamental concepts:

1) modular platforms, 2) primary functional style, and 3) repurposing furnishings as investments in the future rather than just stuff shoppers order to fill rooms.

Toward that end, designers have reverse-engineered sofas into separate modules that can be re-arranged in myriad ways to suit spaces.

Units are extremely easy to move so completely re-arranging a room takes minutes.

Tool-free assembly and free shipping on every item add to a unique shopping experience that has no equal on our list of companies.

Yes, Wayfair may offer modular selections, but Burrow is Valhalla for those who believe that modular is the way of the future!

14. Pier 1

Pier 1 has been around for 55 years, making it the premier retail store and online presence for exotic goods.

Best compared to World Market, Pier 1 launched at a time homeowners patronized either major department stores or shops to fully appoint rooms with furnishings.

As one of the few companies hanging its marketing hat on overseas sourcing, the Pier 1 product mix is eclectic, consisting of products hand-crafted by artisans, furnishings made in small quantities and the art and accessory library offered by this company can only be described as imaginative.

Find furniture, lighting, tableware, décor, rugs, art, candles, vases, picture frames, upholstered furniture, hand-carved armoires, large-scale vases, and quirky wall décor on this site.

Pier 1 has little in common with Wayfair unless you factor in customer popularity and loyalty.

15. Pottery Barn

Does longevity impress you? Pottery Barn has been around for 70 years! Over time, styles and tastes have evolved, yet this accommodating retailer has managed to “go with the flow” as talented buyers swept the world for unusual goods guaranteed to turn empty interior spaces into personalized enclaves.

Bought by Williams-Sonoma in 1986, Pottery Barn first added furnishings to its inventory when it was acquired by Williams-Sonoma, but this niche has proven to be one of the brand’s most popular departments.

Name it and you’ll find it within the walls of retail stores and online where bedding, outdoor and garden, lighting, rugs, art, storage, and more are found.

The website is a visual treat for scrollers looking for expert design assistance that includes help with room layouts for perfect furniture placement. And don’t miss browsing Pottery Barn Kids!

16. The Citizenry

Slim Greek columns grace the storefront of The Citizenry’s New York City flagship location of a company that is philosophically far afield from Wayfair.

Yes, they do sell products for the home that are sourced overseas, but there is much more emphasis placed on the company’s relationships with master artisans around the globe than in emphasizing the number of SKUs stocked by The Citizenry.

Translation: there are no middlemen involved to increase pricing as there are when buying from Wayfair.

As a result, the crafters, artists, weavers, ceramicists and other craftspeople contracting with The Citizenry provide original and affordable treasures.

Shop The Citizenry for rugs, bedding, pillows and throws, mirrors, wall art, furniture, baskets, kitchen and bath items and accessories.

If you love patronizing a company that puts “people and planet first,” you’ve found it here.

17. Home Goods

As a sister store to TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, and HomeSense, HomeGoods came into its own when demand for home-focused retail stores that don’t dedicate floor space to off-price apparel was evident in 1992.

Home Goods concentrates on furnishings, decor, art, linens and even small appliances.

When RetailWire profiled the launch of Homegoods.com in 2021, parent company TJX made a promise to loyal customers: the brand’s online presence wouldn’t diminish the “treasure hunt” aspect of in-person shopping.

That goal is met. If you loved shopping bricks and mortar Home Goods stores, you’ll likely get the same thrills on the website.

As one loyal shopper eloquently stated, “Some of us think that HomeGoods is the hub of the universe. Having access 24/7 is just about heaven.”

Resources

https://www.businessinsider.com/the-story-behind-wayfair-2014-10
https://moneyinc.com/joss-and-main/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurendebter/2019/08/22/the-exclusive-inside-story-of-the-fall-of-overstocks-mad-king-patrick-byrne/
https://www.reuters.com/markets/companies/OSTK.O
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/wayfair-vs-overstock/
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/10/12/17963892/west-elm-customer-service-couch-late-shipping
https://www.tjx.com/company/history
https://retailwire.com/discussion/homegoods-finally-has-a-home-online/