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Tag: ikea

  • Ikea pet range ‘covers all the basics’

    Ikea pet range ‘covers all the basics’

    As animals are part of the family, an Ikea pet range has been introduced with 62 specially designed products.

    The Swedish homewares retailer’s Lurvig pet collection ranges from a cat hideaway resembling a treehouse to a bowl that encourages dogs to eat slowly, reports Freshout.Today.

    Designer Inma Bermudéz says she saw a gap in the market for affordable but attractive pet products covering such basics as sleep, eat, play, travel and walk.

    “Created by pet-loving designers with support from veterinarians, the range covers all the bases of our shared life with pets indoors and out.”

    Bermudéz says the items were designed with the natural needs and behaviours of animals in mind, such as how they sleep, eat or play.

    “Dogs will definitely chew on their toys and bring in dirt from their daily walks. Cats will definitely scratch on most surfaces and are sensitive to smell and texture. So safe, durable materials are very important.”

    Highlighting the influence of a vet in the design process is the “slow-feed bowl” for dogs, many of which tend to overeat. The bowl’s internal surface is designed to prevent dogs from eating their meal “in one or two gulps”.

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  • CEO confirms Ikea Philippines expansion

    CEO confirms Ikea Philippines expansion

    The first Ikea Vietnam store is in planning, with the Swedish furniture and homewares retailer revealing the country as one of its next two Asian markets.

    In an interview with Bloomberg, Inter Ikea CEO Torbjorn Loof said expansion in Southeast Asia and South America are priorities for the brand, which already has stores in Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand in this part of the world.

    Philippines is the other country he named in Asia. Both countries will host Ikea stores within five years.

    Ikea is not currently in South America, but the company sees the continent as “an important growth market” in the long term. Bloomberg named Mexico, Peru, Colombia and Chile as the most likely priority countries in South America for Ikea.

    “We haven’t zoomed in or decided on any particular markets, but we’ve said that within the next five years we should have opened our first Ikea in South America,” Loof said. “When we open in South America, because it’s a new continent and a new region, we can’t just open one warehouse.”

    The expansion plans follow Ikea’s entry into India and Latvia this year as it continues its slow global roll-out. After opening 22 new stores this year – eight more than last year – Loof said it expects to open about 25 a year moving forward.

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  • Similar to Ikea, but it’s Alibaba

    Similar to Ikea, but it’s Alibaba

    Alibaba has opened a colourful, all-inclusive home-furnishing flagship store in Hangzhou similar to Ikea, but fully augmented by Alibaba’s e-commerce technology.

    The Home Times store is the Chinese e-commerce giant’s second major offline push into the US$130 billion Chinese home-furnishing market (it launched designer home-product store House Selection in Hangzhou in December).

    Alibaba is reportedly planning to open three more Home Times stores by the end of the year and 15 next year, reports China Money Network.

    More than 20,000 items are available in the store, including furniture, kitchenware and stationery – all the most popular items from Alibaba’s online shopping channels. Each item has an electronic price tag that allows staff members to match the price to the online retail price if necessary. The barcode on each tag also allows customers to check and order the item on Tmall.com if they chose, rather than taking bulky products home by car or mass transit. Tmall.com also shows the products in different colours and formations via a touch screen.

    More than 30 per cent of customers in China buy their furniture in a furniture shop or at malls, while 21 buy online, according to a report by Chinese real-estate portal Fang.com.

  • Heads of Ikea and Tesco to headline Shoptalk Europe

    Heads of Ikea and Tesco to headline Shoptalk Europe

    International retail leaders will be gathering in Denmark next month for Shoptalk Europe.

    They will be discussing such topics as e-commerce trends, supply-chain challenges and augmented reality.

    A range of retail leaders will be guest speakers including Alibaba GM for Europe Terry von Bibra, Amazon Prime head Mariangela Marseglia, Dollar Shave Club CEO/founder Michael Dubin, Estee Lauder executive chairman William Lauder, Farfetch chief strategy officer Stephanie Phair, Harrods MD Michael Ward, Ikea Switzerland CEO Simona Scarpaleggia, Tesco online MD Adrian Lettes and Westfield co-CEO Steven Lowy.

    At Copenhagen’s Bella Center from October 8 to 11, Shoptalk Europe offers more than 100 events including presentations, keynotes, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities. It has a line-up of 200 speakers and is expected to attract more than 2000 delegates.

    “By changing the conversation and building a new community focused on innovation, Shoptalk Europe presents a unique, large-scale opportunity for the retail and e-commerce ecosystem to learn, collaborate and drive the future of commerce in Europe,” says Shoptalk Europe founder/chairman Anil Aggarwal.

    The event is a spin-off from Shoptalk USA, which will next be held at the Venetian in Las Vegas from March 18 to 21.

    Tickets for Shoptalk Europe are available online.

  • Ikea ventures into augmented reality

    Ikea ventures into augmented reality

    Swedish furniture chain, Ikea, has launched an augmented reality application that allows consumers to experiment with products in situ at scale.

    The new app automatically scales products – based on room dimensions – with 98 per cent accuracy, with Ikea asserting the AR technology is so precise that textures of fabrics, as well as how light and shadows are hit furnishings, can be seen.

    “Ikea Place makes it easier to make buying decisions in your own place, to get inspired and try many different products, styles and colours in real-life settings with a swipe of your finger,” said Michael Valdsgaard, leader digital transformation at Inter Ikea Systems.

    “Augmented reality and virtual reality will be a total game changer for retail in the same way as the internet. Only this time, much faster. ARKit gives us the opportunity to help shape the development of AR as an accessible tool for real-life decision making,” said Valdsgaard.

    Ikea has built the app on Apple’s new ARKit technology, which Cass Hall, customer experience manager, Ikea Australia, said is an important innovation for the global company.

    “Ikea is one of the first home furnishing brands in the world to bring this technology to people, which will shift the way we purchase furniture in the future,” he said.

    Over 2,000 products are available in the app at launch, and in the future will play a “key role in the launch of new product lines”.

    Tiffany Buckins, head of interior design for Ikea Australia said the furniture retailer “understands that the world is changing and that technology is impacting the way we live at home, especially in the living room”.

    Ikea will present the new AR technology to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne in October launching the Make Room for Life exhibition.

    “Through the Make Room for Life Exhibition we will draw on our understanding of how people live at home, combining sensory elements, AR technology, inspiration and our home furnishing expertise to inspire people to design their living room for what’s most important to them”,” said Buckins.

    Ikea said the new app will be available to download from the App Store “soon”.

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  • Ikea to revamp Melbourne location

    Ikea to revamp Melbourne location

    Swedish furniture retailer, Ikea, will give its Richmond store a multi-million-dollar facelift to upgrade the store’s layout with new entrance points and better lift accessibility.

    The project, which is expected to be completed by mid-2018, will expand the store’s showroom and a refreshed restaurant will be installed and serve cafe-style food including barista made coffee and cakes.

    The Swedish Food Market and Bistro will be upgraded to provide a better experience to customers, the retailer added.

    Chris Brown, Ikea Richmond store manager, said the investment will pave the way for a transformation at Ikea Richmond for it to be better equipped to meet the needs of its customers.

    “We are looking forward to opening a new and improved store and shopping experience for our customers that will continue to evolve,” Brown said. “Ikea Richmond will be more even inspiring and relevant for our customers, and even easier to access once the renovation is complete.”

    Ikea Richmond, which opened in 2003, currently employs over 350 co-workers, a figure which, according to the retailer, will grow by approximately 10 per cent through the store upgrade and expansion.

    The store will continue to trade as normal throughout construction.

    Earlier this week, the furniture retailer launched an augmented reality application, which it sees as a “total game changer for retail”.

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  • Ikea online stores planned for Singapore, Malaysia

    Ikea online stores planned for Singapore, Malaysia

    Ikea online stores are to be launched in Malaysia and Singapore.

    Ikea Southeast Asia MD Christian Rojkjaer says the Singapore site is currently in testing phase and will go live to the public within a fortnight.

    The Malaysian site is less advanced, with a vague launch date of next year.

    “For Malaysia, we are currently in the development stages and we look forward to sharing more when we enter the testing phase next year,” another spokesperson for Ikea said in a media interview.

    News of the much-awaited Ikea online debut in the two markets comes on the heels of a RM908 million (US$212 million) commitment to a regional logistics hub in Malaysia.

    The Swedish homewares and furniture company has recently launched an online store in Shanghai as the first step of a broader e-commerce strategy in China.

    Rojkjaer said in an interview that the brand’s Ikea Damansara store receives about 6 million visitors annually.

    Ikea plans to increase its ASEAN store network to 20 by 2026.

  • Ikea Korea launching second store

    Ikea Korea launching second store

    Ikea Korea’s second store will be in Goyang, opening on October 19.

    “We had heard from customers that they wanted us to come closer to them, and that sometimes our store is too crowded,” says Ikea Korea retail manager Andre Schmidtgall.

    He says the store is in the finishing stages of construction and is hiring 550 employees. Ikea hopes to have six stores in Korea by 2020.

    Schmidtgall says Ikea’s Gwangmyeong store ( pictured), south of Seoul, is the largest in the world. In its latest fiscal year, Ikea Korea earned revenue of 365 billion won (US$323 million), representing a 6 per cent rise, with 6.49 million visitors to the store.

    There were also 38.8 million visitors to the Ikea website and mobile app, says Schmidtgall.

    Slightly smaller than the existing branch, the Goyang store will offer a similar range of products but with a different layout. It is in a shopping and entertainment hot spot in the previously underserved northern suburb of Seoul. Starfield Goyang, a shopping and entertainment complex owned by Shinsegae, opened last week following a Lotte mall.

    Ahead of the opening of the Goyang branch, Ikea is showcasing its new range of products for the coming year, focusing on the living room, at Bread Comma Cafe in Hongdae through to September 17.

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  • Ikea plans $212 million Malaysian distribution centre

    Ikea plans $212 million Malaysian distribution centre

    Swedish furniture retailer Ikea is to  open a regional distribution and supply chain centre for Asean in Malaysia.

    According to Malaysian media, the facility will cost about RM908 million (US$212 million), and serve the existing 12 stores in the Ikea Asean network – and seven more planned for construction by 2026.

    The 100,000 sqm warehouse will be one of Ikea’s largest worldwide and reflects the company’s growing focus on the fast-growing Asian market.

    Ikea currently has stores in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. More are planned for the Philippines and Vietnam, although launch dates have yet to be announced.

    It is unclear whether Ikea stores in Hong Kong and India will also source products from the new facility.

    Malaysia’s international trade and industry minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said the project adds momentum towards making Malaysia a regional distribution hub and the preferred logistics gateway to Asia, as outlined in the National Logistics and Trade Facilitation Masterplan and National E-Commerce Strategic Roadmap.

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  • Ikea joins fun in Game of Thrones caper

    Ikea joins fun in Game of Thrones caper

    Revelations that TV series Game of Thrones adapted Ikea rugs as capes for its characters have led to the retailer issuing a spoof set of instructions.

    Created by its advertising agency SMFB and shared on Ikea’s Norwegian Facebook page, the instructions feature the simple line drawings typical of the company’s furniture-assembly manuals, and offer a three-step process for turning one of its sheepskin rugs into a Game of Thrones cape.

    Step one is to cut the rug where indicated by a dotted line to create a hole for the head and neck. Step two directs the wearer to place the rug on their shoulders, while the third step shows the wearer instantly morphed into a bearded swordsman with flowing locks and a thick fur cloak.

    IKEA instruction manual shows how to make your own Game of Thrones cape

    Ikea shared the depictions last week after a story was released about its rugs being co-opted by the series’ costume designers for its seventh season – admitted by key designer Michele Clapton during an event in Los Angeles last year. Her comments have finally found their way on line.

    “These capes are actually Ikea rugs,” she said in reference to the wardrobe for the Night’s Watch, a brotherhood whose members endure the coldest climate in the fantasy land of Westeros. “It’s a bit of a trick. We cut and we shaved them, and added leather straps then broke them down.”

    After the story was reported by publications as diverse, Ikea’s UK textile sales leader Carol McSeveney said her team was flattered to be included in the show.

    SMFB creative Pia Ølstad says the agency was inspired to make the graphic because the Game of Thrones cape anecdote resonated with how the team saw Ikea’s brand identity.

    “Through our six-year-long relationship with Ikea Norway, we’ve learned that there is nothing it loves more than when people take its products and make them their own.”

    Earlier this year, the flat-pack furniture specialist released a spot-the-difference guide after its iconic blue tote bag was copied by fashion house Balenciaga.

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  • Ikea Malaysia heading north to Penang

    Ikea Malaysia heading north to Penang

    Ikea Malaysia will open its first store in the north at the end of next year, in Penang.

    Ikano, which owns the franchise for the Swedish furniture giant for Malaysia as well as Singapore and Thailand, teamed up with Aspen Group to buy 99 ha of land in Batu Kawan from Penang Development Corporation to develop the Aspen Vision City (AVC), where the Ikea store will be located.

    Ikano will hold a 20 per cent stake in AVC with Aspen holding the balance. The Ikea store will be wholly owned by Ikano.

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  • Ikea Philippines debut imminent

    Ikea Philippines debut imminent

    The launch of Ikea Philippines is a major step closer after the Swedish furniture giant’s local partner won Board of Investment (BOI) approval to set up business.

    News of the BOI pre-approval of a bid by Ikano Pte Ltd, the operator and franchise-rights owner of Swedish furniture brand Ikea in key Asian markets, was broken by the Business Mirror, which cited BOI documents dated last November.

    Ikea has always wanted to establish a presence in the Philippines, especially Manila, and there have been reports of planning for a launch as far back as 2013.

    The Business Mirror points out that under current law, before engaging in retail trade business – or investing in an existing store in the Philippines – all foreign retailers must have a net worth of either US$200 million or $50 million, depending on its classification as a foreign retailer.

    “The foreign retailer must also have five operating retail branches or franchises in global locations, unless it owns at least one store worth $25 million, and a five-year track record in retailing,” the publication explained.

    Ikea is already operated in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Taiwan by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-headquartered Dairy Farm International, which also owns the Guardian chain of health and beauty shops, and pharmacies.

    It is run by a separate franchisor in Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

  • IKEA Korea chief ‘absolutely satisfied’ with performance

    IKEA Korea chief ‘absolutely satisfied’ with performance

    Global furniture giant IKEA’s retail manager for South Korea Andre Schmidtgall said the country’s home furnishing industry will continue to grow for the next couple of years.

    Its first store in South Korea which opened in December 2014 in Gwangmyeong, just southwest of Seoul, logged 345 billion won (US$303 million) in sales in the 2016 fiscal year.This is the largest turnover among all IKEA stores in the world during the period.

    The two-story building spans 57,100 square meters and displays some 9,200 products in 65 showrooms with a child care area and a cafeteria featuring Swedish and Korean dishes.

    During the 2016 fiscal year, the Gwangmyeong outlet had 6.4 million visitors. It said 1.1 million people have signed up for a membership so far.
    “”We believe that the (South Korean) home furnishing market will clearly grow above average retail the next five to seven years,”” the country retail manager said. “”One of our challenges at the moment is that we have only one store,”” he said. “”This store is too busy when it comes to the amount of visitors. We have more than 6 million, so we need more stores to give a better shopping experience.””

    IKEA plans to have six stores including one in Gwangmyeong — and an online store up and running by 2020 at which time it will have invested 1.2 trillion won in the country.

    The second store is set to open in Goyang, northwest of Seoul, later this year.
    The company currently has three memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Giheung, 40 kilometers south of Seoul, the southern port city of Busan and the Gangdong Ward office in southeastern Seoul.
    IKEA Korea is also preparing to launch an e-commerce service though it is yet unclear when this would begin.

    Despite worries that IKEA’s entry would result in a decrease in sales of existing small and medium-sized enterprises in the market, the furniture giant said it has so far brought a positive impact to the surrounding community.

    Citing a credit card survey conducted by the Korea Distribution Association between December 2014 and August 2015, Schmidtgall said more than half of their customers bought things at a shop other than the furniture store within a 10-kilometer radius.

    All shops in the region have seen their credit card turnover increase between 7 and 27 percent during the cited period, he said.
    “”This is something we are really happy with,”” the retail manager said. “”We are not only trying to stimulate interest in the furniture market, but it is visible that we are nurturing the area around too.”

    In addition, IKEA Korea is attributed to create new jobs forecasting to hire some thousands of new employees in the next couple of years with its new stores.

    IKEA Korea currently has around 1,200 employees at its headquarters and store in Gwangmyeong, and plans to hire 550 more workers for its second store in Goyang.

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  • Ikea plans fourth Store In Hong Kong

    Ikea plans fourth Store In Hong Kong

    Dairy Farm International, parent company of Ikea’s business in Hong Kong, recently revealed that Ikea plans to open its fourth outlet in Hong Kong during the second half of 2017.

    This new Ikea store will be reportedly located in the Tsuen Wan area of northern Hong Kong.

    Dairy Farm International revealed the news about the new store opening in its annual performance report; however, the company did not mention the detailed address of the new site.

    Dairy Farm International is a multi-model retailer listed in Hong Kong. It owns the franchising rights of Ikea in Hong Kong, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Later this year, the company plans to open Ikea’s second store in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia.

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  • Ikea gets approval to enter the Philippines

    Ikea gets approval to enter the Philippines

    The Philippine Board of Investments (BOI) has approved Ikea’s entry into the Philippines, following a bid from Ikano Ltd, the operator and franchise-rights owner of the Swedish furniture giant in Asia.

    The ready-to-assemble furniture and appliance maker first mentioned it had plans to enter the Philippines as early as 2013, but has so far failed to do so.

    According to BOI documents, Ikea has prequalified under the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000 last November to open stores in the Asian market, as reported by Business Mirror.

    All foreign retailers must have a net worth of either $200 million or $50 million, depending on its classification as a foreign retailer under the Act, before retail trade can commence.

    The firm must also have five operating retail stores in other global locations or own at least one store worth $25 million, and a five-year track record in retailing, which Ikea does.

    Ikea is also said to be registering with the Securities and Exchange Commission for its capitalisation requirement.

    No further information on store locations or manufacturing has been revealed.

    Speaking at a media roundtable held on the occasion of the 70th year of Sweden-Philippine Diplomatic Relations in March, the Swedish ambassador to the Philippines, Harald Fries confirmed in March that Ikea will be setting up in the Philippines soon, bringing employment to the region.

    “There would be great opportunities for Filipinos to find work and there would be investment in putting up stores,” Fries said.

    “I won’t be surprised that once they have set their camp here, they’ll be looking for local manufacturing. I think that would be wonderful and interesting for the Philippines,” Fries added.

    Launching in 1943, Ikea — Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd was founded by 17-year-old Swede Ingvar Kamprad.

    Ikano owns and operates home furnishing stores in South East Asia and under the franchise rights from the Swedish firm IKEA Systems BV. The company was incorporated in 1980 and is based in Singapore.

    The BOI is an attached agency of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). It is the lead government agency responsible for the promotion of investments in the Philippines.

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