Muji Starts Home Furniture Subscriptions as Work Habits Change

Muji, the Japanese retailer known for its minimalist, earth-toned home goods, is starting a furniture subscription service as consumers embrace the new normal of working from home.

Seeking to satisfy customers who are setting up home offices and spending more time in their houses, Muji is offering monthly and annual subscriptions for office and lounge furniture sets, a business pioneered by Plano, Texas-based Rent-A-Center Inc. An oak desk and chair set costs as little as 800 yen ($7) a month, depending on the length of the contract, according to Muji operator Ryohin Keikaku Co.