IKEA is working on plans for a linear store that would depart from the Swedish home furnishings retailer’s usual labyrinthine layout.
The proposed outlet will stretch to almost two kilometres in length to accommodate all the necessary showrooms and warehouse space.
The move is a response to increasing complaints by customers that they are getting lost inside IKEA stores, which have long been associated with a meandering one-way floorplan.
Tolga Öncü, Ingka Retail Manager (COO) at IKEA Retail (Ingka Group)
“We have noticed that more and more visitors of our stores resort to GPS on their phones to find their way around. This was, of course, a concern for us, as they spent more time looking at their phones than at our products. So, our solution is to build a store that is impossible to get lost in.”
The linear store will have only one floor, with customers entering at one end and can immediately see the full 2-kilometre straight aisle with the exit at the end.
A hop-on, hop-off travelator will transport shoppers through the store, in response to focus-group feedback about reducing walking time.
The famed IKEA food court will be stationed in the middle, with a “fast lane” travelator conveying customers who want to eat but not shop the full length of the store.
Despite the switch to a linear floorplan, the planned store will copy existing IKEA locations by not having any windows.
“We don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater,” said Öncü. “We want it to still be a recognisable IKEA experience.”
IKEA has long been famous for its maze-like store layouts, with its influence over shopper psychology believed to be a major part of the company’s global success.
But it is understood that following weeks of discussions, executives were finally moved to experiment with an alternative after security staff at an undisclosed IKEA store found a lost customer long after the store had closed.
The distressed shopper told staff he had climbed into a large basket full of squishy toy snakes in confusion and been unable to get out.
Further innovative layouts are under consideration for other future IKEA outposts, including a store styled on a giant meatball.
About Ingka Group
With IKEA retail operations on 31 markets, Ingka Group is the largest IKEA retailer and represents about 90% of IKEA retail sales. It is a strategic partner to develop and innovate the IKEA business and help define common IKEA strategies. Ingka Group owns and operates IKEA sales channels under franchise agreements with Inter IKEA Systems B.V. It has three business areas: IKEA Retail, Ingka Investments and Ingka Centres. Read more on www.ingka.com.
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