Interior Designers Can Avoid Being “Shopped” by Clients

As an interior designer, there’s nothing more frustrating than spending hours sourcing the perfect pieces for a client’s space only to have them buy directly from a retailer. This common issue, known as “being shopped,” can cut into your revenue and disrupt your workflow. Fortunately, there are tested strategies to protect your business and ensure clients see the value in purchasing through you. When we operated a design firm, we employed these principles and were never shopped.

1. Be Simple to Work With

The simplest way to avoid being shopped is to ensure that working with you is seamless and enjoyable for your clients. Here are a few ways to achieve that:

• Highlight Your Value: Clearly communicate the benefits of purchasing through you, such as handling orders, troubleshooting, and coordinating deliveries.

• Educate Your Clients: Help them see all the communication required to deliver even a single item to home on time and in good condition.

• Be Prepared: Go into a project with clear, written expectations, contracts, and materials that demonstrate you know what you're doing.

• Be Reliable: Demonstrate that you’ll take care of everything efficiently, minimizing stress for your client.

• Maintain a Positive Attitude: A pleasant and professional demeanor builds trust and strengthens client relationships.

2. Source Unique and Exclusive Items

Clients are less likely to shop around when you offer products that are hard to find elsewhere. Seek out unique pieces from niche vendors or manufacturers unavailable at major retailers. This adds value to your services and positions you as a design authority.

3. Be Transparent About Pricing

Pricing can often be a sticking point, but transparency can build trust:

• Research Market Prices: Ensure your pricing is reasonable and competitive. Avoid relying solely on MSRP.

• Explain your pricing: Hiding the way the industry works just looks deceptive. Be upfront and say you have access to certain lines at discounted pricing, the same way a retail shop would because you sell in volume, but help them understand all the work you do to earn and keep that discount as part of your project profitability.

• Discount strategically: You offer more value than Restoration Hardware. Don't let them treat you like you're less valuable. Giving away your whole discount tells the client that the service you provide is not valuable. Sometimes, sharing a portion of your discount may make sense. That could be to make shipping free, to get a very special item into the project, or to buy some goodwill. Only in the rarest of circumstances should you give your whole discount away. 

• Source strategically: Find trusted partners who support the trade. This makes it much less likely the client will be able to access a price better than you can offer them. Additionally, do your best not to buy from vendors who offer you less than 30% off retail. That pricing just doesn't work to support your business, and it offers you no wiggle room with your clients.

• Most Importantly, do not present yourself solely as a purchasing agent: Interior design is both a real art and something that can only be achieved well by someone who is serious about their business. Do not offer full service design to  clients who are primarily motivated by your industry discount. Help them see the bigger picture. Tell them the story of the life they will have once your work is complete. This will take the focus off the individual items and place it on the overall vision. Share the vision again and again, especially when you can tell your client is losing sight. 

4. Set Clear Expectations in Your Contract

Incorporate language in your client agreement that discourages independent purchases without discussion. For example:

• Explain that sourcing decisions impact the overall design.

• Highlight that unplanned purchases can lead to redesign costs or project delays.

• Emphasize that your expertise ensures a cohesive and complete result.

5. Walk Clients Through the Value of Sourcing

Clients may not fully understand the complexity of sourcing. Take the time to explain:

• The effort involved in finding the right items.

• Your role in handling logistics, such as returns and replacements for damaged goods.

• How your sourcing ensures a unified design and timely project completion.

6. Diversify Your Vendor Base

Don’t rely too heavily on a small pool of vendors. A diverse product selection keeps your designs fresh and makes it harder for clients to find exact matches elsewhere. It also clearly signals to them that the process of coordinating everything is worth the money and is tailored specifically to them. 

7. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Some clients will inevitably shop for small-ticket items. Don’t let minor price differences create tension:

• Learn quick mental math to decide whether a price point is worth negotiating. For example, a 20% discount on a $500 item only offers you up to $100 in margin. That won't pay the bills. Keep focused on the real value. 

• Focus on maintaining goodwill over haggling for small profits.

• Your time and reputation are more valuable than small margins.

8. Make Sourcing and Procurement Central to Your Business

Sourcing and procurement aren’t just add-ons; they can be major revenue drivers. In fact, they are scalable and highly profitable, often accounting for 60% or more of a designer’s income. With the right tools and partners, sourcing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. However, never lead with sourcing and procurement as your primary value - that’s your ability to put a space together. 

How Daniel House Club Can Help You Avoid Being Shopped

At Daniel House Club, we’ve designed our platform to support designers in navigating these challenges. Here’s how we can help:

• Exclusive Products: Access to items that are hard to find elsewhere.

• Streamlined Checkout: Simplify the purchasing process for you and your clients.

• Flexible Payment Options: Offer pay-over-time solutions to help clients stretch their budgets.

• Discount Management: Easily share a portion of your discount if you choose.

• Shipping options: Nationwide residential and white glove shipping is available on every product 

• Free Shipping Available: Join Pro + Free Shipping for free shipping on every item.

• Exceptional Support: Let us handle customer service so you can focus on design.

Leveraging these tools can elevate your business, build stronger client relationships, and protect your revenue from “being shopped.”

Ready to make sourcing easy and profitable? Join Daniel House Club today.