NOTICIAS

E-Commerce: Remolding the Interior Design Industry

In the Digital Age, there has been a full reconceptualization of how consumers interact with the market. Companies such as Amazon, have been able to provide essential products in the most convenient manner possible, while providing all the relevant product information. This wide availability and full transparency of information has led to a revolution in how various industries operate, among them the fields of interior design and architecture. As fields that inherently require a certain level of expertise or insider knowledge, for many years an established system of operations and tastemaking were considered the norm. However, all of a sudden, the entire industry has found itself in a position where it has to innovate or stagnate, seeing as it now faces the great challenge of the democratization of interior design.

Adapting to a New Digital World

Since its inception, the industry was composed of a private quid pro quo between designers, brands and retailers, where consumers had to rely on middlemen in order to fully realize their project. Now, with the internet revolution, a full range of previously esoteric information became easily ac cessible for the general public. Suddenly, a layperson could easily search for the top brands of each field and formulate their own designs and opinions, leading to a new boom in terms of experimentation in the interior design industry. This is coupled with the popularity of social media platforms and profiles created for design enthusiasts which have effected an unprecedented level of engagement in the industry. This added layer of experimentation and enthusiasm has molded a more knowledgeable consumer, allowing a more harmonious relationship between clients and designers, seeing as they now have the available tools to explain and expound upon their personal tastes. Consumers are also more informed when it comes to pricing, due to a greater transparency in costs and product quality that can be easily compared at the press of a button. This can only be a good thing, as the principal foundations for a healthy market are based on informed and trustful consumers, instead of the nebulous and abstruse system of before.

Now, with the internet revolution, a full range of previously esoteric information became easily accessible for the general public.

The Limitations of E-Commerce and Interior Design

However, while it may seem that the role of the architect and designer has been phased out completely, this new era of democratization has only highlighted the need for their expertise. The digital age has served to change consumer expectations, meaning that there are certain requirements that need to be satisfied such as ease of purchase, access and acquisition. The challenge, however, is that these concepts are inherently at odds with the field, as interior design requires a close collaboration in various facets of a project as well as a conscientious design framework. With the full democratization of interior design knowledge, consumers would only be left confused and deterred by the plethora of considerations required for an effective and aesthetically pleasing design. This is also paired with the fact that various components require exact specifications, for example the installation of kitchens, something that can be outside the scope of a regular consumer. Finally, while the prices for several brands are readily available, there is still a very significant dependency between manufacturers and interior designers, meaning that a full transparency of prices is still a long way off. By being unable to fully grasp the scope and cost of their personal design projects, the average consumer would be disincentivized from participating, losing out in the great potential that could come from e-commerce.

Closing the Gap – Presenting DesignIt

As a way to tap into the obvious potential presented by the digital medium, Design Group Latinamerica is delighted to announce an exciting new initiative known as DesignIt. This new digital platform embodies a perfect marriage between e-commerce and interior design, attempting to institute a full price transparency as well as providing an aid to the average consumer in the personalization of their space. First of all, DesignIt will give you firsthand access to quotes for all of the highest quality European brands tailor made to your specifications, allowing you to make an informed choice. Additionally, DesignIt will provide all the necessary tools and guides in order to help consumers navigate through the technical considerations that they would have previously found to be esoteric. This comes in the form of information provided by the factories, technical specifications, recommended products as well as DesignIt’s innovative E-Learning platform which would supply a plethora of articles and guides for architects, interior designers and laypeople.

…Design It will provide all the necessary tools and guides in order to help consumers navigate through the technical considerations that they would have previously found to be esoteric.

Nonetheless, even with the availability of all of these tools, designing your space can still be overwhelming. To remedy this, DesignIt will give you access to a dedicated member of a multidisciplinary team, who will guide you every step of the way. Finally, the seemingly insurmountable gap between a fully fleshed out interior design and an e-commerce platform, can be closed.

You will soon be able to enjoy the Design It experience!