Ikea to Open Record 50+ Stores This Year

Anyone who doubts shoppers’ willingness to visit stores in-person should drop by their local Ikea on a Saturday. Yesterday, the Swedish furniture retailer announced that massive demand for home furnishings has kept it on track to open a record 50+ locations this year. 

Still, after decades of serving customers a store experience as consistent as its meatballs, it’s ready to mix things up: 

• Under Ikea’s “total market approach,” the company is supplementing its suburban warehouse mazes with city showrooms and expanded online fulfillment. 
• It’s also adding kitchen planning studios, services such as furniture assembly and rental, and tech-savvy tools for customers. 
• Plus: meat-less meatballs. 

Even as online sales surged 45% for the fiscal year ended in August, store closures this spring did hurt Ikea’s total revenue. But the company still managed to welcome 825 million visitors, and consumers have flocked back for Fjällbo since lockdowns lifted. 

Source: Morning Brew