Furniture
A global first for the Netherlands: the Ikea store in Groningen is the first where the chain totally redesigns its lay-out and arranges items by price. The store also aims at selling 'full experiences', rather than single pieces of furniture.
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Ikea has launced an app with which customers can place products in their own house using augmented reality, then buy the items online. This means customers do not need to go to suburban physical stores as often, reducing the stress on environment and mobility.
Ikea is looking to sell its products in China through existing sales platforms. Conversely, the chain will be developing its own digital marketplace for Europe.
Ikea has commissioned the design of a fully white and transparent version of its logo, in order to better meet the requirements of online communication and e-commerce. That does not mean the famous yellow and blue logo is dead and buried, however.
This week, Ikea has opened its first city centre store in Paris. The Swedish chain has been experimenting with smaller store concepts for a while now, in order to respond to the growing competition from e-commerce - albeit with mixed results...
Furniture chain Ikea wants to open a small city store in Brussels city centre, Ingka Group CEO Jesper Brodin says. However, the retailer wants to test first which concepts would work best in such a store.
Ikea is continuing its plans to rent out furniture. Customers can buy them through a leasing model and simply return them after use. In 2020, the Swedish chain will be trying out the new model in 30 countries, including Belgium and the Netherlands.
According to CEO Jesper Brodin, any new stores Ikea opens will be smaller city stores. He claims product prices are sure to drop, but home delivery will become more expensive.
Ikea is starting a Swiss test in which offices can rent their furniture instead of buying it. Eventually, the chain wants to give its customers the opportunity to start leasing their interior decoration, allowing people to change the look of their homes from time to time without throwing away furniture.
This August, Ikea's shelves will be displaying wi-fi speakers designed by the furniture chain in collaboration with Sonos. This will bring smart devices and the internet of things closer to everyone, IKEA believes.
Swedish furniture giant IKEA has announced it will open its first true city centre store in Paris on 6 May. At just 5400 sqm, it will be Ikea's smallest real store ever (excluding pick-up points).
Heavy investments in logistics and digitisation have taken quite a bite out of Ikea's profits in the past financial year, as the Swedish furniture chain has decided not to burden its customers with these costs.
Swedish furniture chain Ikea plans to cut 7,500 jobs as part of its transformation plan, which should help the retailer cope with "changing customer behaviour". On the other hand, the chain will create 11,500 jobs in emerging markets.
General
Swedish furniture chain IKEA intends to tackle the issue of plastic in our oceans. The company has joined the NextWave initiative, which plans to re-use plastic waste before it ends up in one of the oceans. IKEA is looking to position itself as the first commercial retail chain in the world to focus on plastic waste.
In order to better meet the expectations of online shoppers, Ikea is changing its store policy. A new type of inner city shops should become the 'missing link' between its usual large department stores and the web shop.
Swedish Ikea wants to start in another dozen new markets in the coming years. In mature markets, like Belgium, the Swedish chain will cut back on its activities.
