Ikea: Testing for new store concept – Furniture giant wants to eliminate cult facility

Perhaps each of us has walked this path before. But a full-fledged cult facility at Ikea may soon be over.

As “Lebensmittel Zeitung” reports, the Swedish furniture giant is planning to end its incomparable furniture exhibition and replace the tour with an entirely new customer experience.

Ikea is planning a furniture revolution! According to the report, the group is currently testing a new store concept in China and is looking to integrate the “Home Experience of Tomorrow” into Ikea Shopping instead of touring.

In simple language it means: in the future, customers will no longer see the concept of living space – they themselves will become part of the background. There should be a mix of open spaces and return points in which customers can come into contact with each other. Ikea seeks to offer workshops on sustainable living, among other things. And customers could exchange ideas on topics such as repair of goods.

Crazy: In between stores, Ikea employees must team up with influencers to produce content—with the aim of encouraging customers to buy, of course. The first test area is located in Shanghai – but the new concept is also to be tested in Europe soon. The London and Vienna branches will try it this year.

The newspaper quotes Anna Pavlak-Kuliga, country manager and sustainability officer for Ikea in China: “People have high demands on their home and a greater need to belong to the social community.” With the introduction of the new concept, she hopes, “consumers should continue to inspire meaningful lives at home and outside their home”.