Ikea change tack and focus on city centre stores
Ikea have today announced plans to open a new store on Tottenham Court Road as they evolve into opening city centre stores across the world.
Ikea manager Javier Quiñones said:
“Urbanisation and inner-city living are trends that continue to dominate the market. By launching this new approach and investing in our online offer and services, we are working to ensure Ikea remains affordable, convenient and sustainable, both now and in the future.”
Yes, if you’ve followed the progress of Ikea in Greenwich you may have just chocked a bit on your tea.
Before planning was approved many asked Greenwich Council to push Ikea towards adopting the kind of model now being introduced in cities around the world and not a car-centric big-box and car park whilst housing needs are severe.
But the big box was approved, and the huge Greenwich Ikea warehouse is now under construction and due to open in early 2019 slap bang in a city centre Zone 2 location often gridlocked by traffic.
Yes, the area has a fair bit of vacant land but it is inner London and will appear completely different in 10 years, let alone 20.
Ikea’s other London stores are around Zone 4 locations or beyond.
New Chief Executive Jesper Brodin announced in April that Ikea would look to other ways to sell products and furniture, with a push towards online sales and affordable home delivery whilst moving away from its traditional out of town outlets.
Can Greenwich Ikea be added to the Silvertown Tunnel and Cruise Terminal in terms of outdated concepts before they even complete?
IKEA is doing what O’Leary is a genius about with his RyanAir – it doesn’t matter HOW as long you name a brand. This a strategy from decades ago. Even if it is negative, people will remember a brand being named, and this what IKEA is doing. Their: we want to start some (Argos way) small high street branches never materialized. If they actually wanted, why not (just a tourist spot you know would rock) no branch of that manner in Canterbury?
It reminds me of the WHSmith outlet in the Mall of Dubai. Not a patch on the watch and jewellery outlets flanking it, still with the orange one yellow posters advertising free bottles of mineral water with a copy of the Daily Express. It should be interesting to see if this IKEA sustains momentum despite the sheer number of apartments being planned for the area. Generation Rent appears to shuns standard retail in favour of experiences and online convenience.
@themurkeydepths: have you been to the IKEA in Stratford Westfield? It’s lttle more than a pick up point and in no way a substitute for the full hit of the big box. I really deplore the idea of taking more and more things online. We really must be able to ‘try before you buy’ and this is the reason why I do very little internet shopping.
I agree wholeheartedly. Though with the closure of the excellent HMV in Westfield the irony is I now have to travel to Bond Street to pick up a new blu-ray as there really aren’t any more places to buy films locally. Sadly we ‘try before you buy’ types are in the minority these days