2018 Survey Reveals that an Overwhelming Majority of Design Professionals Begin Product Searches Online

Dering Hall, the premier online resource for designers and consumers to discover and connect to the world’s finest interior design products and professionals, announced the results of their annual spring survey today. Among its findings, 84% of design professionals are now sourcing products online.

The most popular online resource for respondents to the survey is individual brand websites. All of the design professionals who sourced online went to the sites of brands they knew early in their process. 71% of respondents utilized Dering Hall as an online resource and a lesser percentage, 48% used search engines like Google. The smallest percentage, 34% used social media platforms like Instagram.

“The internet is completely and entirely ingrained in the buying behavior of all of our clients,” said Peter Sallick, founder of Dering Hall. “There is immense value in design centers and showrooms because this is a tactile industry, but today people are more likely to come into a showroom because they have seen something online than for any other reason.”

The survey received 744 respondents from design, including professionals, makers and enthusiasts. Of the design professionals who took the survey, 54% did more than 11 projects a year averaging more than $200,000 per project. 73% had teams of 3 or more and 70% had more than ten years of experience in the industry.

“The design industry is experiencing what travel, media and most recently fashion has experienced before it - a total digital awakening,” said Alan Blaustein, CEO of Dering Hall. “Design professionals are communicating, collaborating, researching, and sourcing online. That’s why Dering Hall tools like online tearsheets, favorite folders, and sharing features are among the most important resources we can provide.”

As a trusted, curated and useful tool to navigate high-end design, Dering Hall features over 50,000 luxury products and produces over 250,000 tearsheets and 150,000 inquiries a year. 96% of respondents in the spring survey said Dering Hall is a much-needed resource for trade professionals.