ᐅ IKEA is increasingly becoming a store selling mainly miscellaneous small items.
Created on: 19 Nov 2016 22:03
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Einzylinder
Since I have been regularly shopping at IKEA for over 20 years, I dare to say that IKEA is increasingly losing focus on its core business and gradually putting more emphasis on minor and unnecessary items.
Of course, it’s understandable that people want to buy decorative items for their homes. But I’ve noticed more and more customers in front of me at the checkout unloading lots of small individual items totaling nearly a hundred euros or more.
Furthermore, I have observed that the product lines are becoming increasingly confusing and harder to mix and match.
I can only say that my 15-year-old 2-meter (6.6 feet) Pax wardrobe, which has been moved four times, is still in great condition. The additional 3-meter (9.8 feet) unit acquired over the years now has some edge damage, hinges have needed replacing, and one Pax back panel has failed. However, the original 2-meter unit still looks like new.
It’s the same story with the Faktum kitchen. Faktum was excellent and still is.
In addition to the Faktum kitchen that is now four years old, I bought a 2.2-meter (7.2 feet) tall Metod cabinet last year for the opposite kitchen wall.
Despite heavy use and two energetic children, the Faktum kitchen still looks like new. Even the fronts remain presentable due to their robustness.
Unfortunately, Metod is not as durable. After less than a year, the cabinet fronts—comparable in style and price to the old Faktum kitchen—already show deep scratches from normal kitchen activities. The interior side panels also display significant wear marks (e.g., from pots or similar items).
Both children’s rooms have 2.5-meter (8.2 feet) Stuva wardrobes. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of the materials and surfaces. However, I frequently have to replace the hinges on these because after some time, due to their damping mechanisms, they no longer close properly.
Recently, I added another bookshelf to our six-year-old Liatorp combination. Let’s see what insights the new piece will bring...
Of course, it’s understandable that people want to buy decorative items for their homes. But I’ve noticed more and more customers in front of me at the checkout unloading lots of small individual items totaling nearly a hundred euros or more.
Furthermore, I have observed that the product lines are becoming increasingly confusing and harder to mix and match.
I can only say that my 15-year-old 2-meter (6.6 feet) Pax wardrobe, which has been moved four times, is still in great condition. The additional 3-meter (9.8 feet) unit acquired over the years now has some edge damage, hinges have needed replacing, and one Pax back panel has failed. However, the original 2-meter unit still looks like new.
It’s the same story with the Faktum kitchen. Faktum was excellent and still is.
In addition to the Faktum kitchen that is now four years old, I bought a 2.2-meter (7.2 feet) tall Metod cabinet last year for the opposite kitchen wall.
Despite heavy use and two energetic children, the Faktum kitchen still looks like new. Even the fronts remain presentable due to their robustness.
Unfortunately, Metod is not as durable. After less than a year, the cabinet fronts—comparable in style and price to the old Faktum kitchen—already show deep scratches from normal kitchen activities. The interior side panels also display significant wear marks (e.g., from pots or similar items).
Both children’s rooms have 2.5-meter (8.2 feet) Stuva wardrobes. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of the materials and surfaces. However, I frequently have to replace the hinges on these because after some time, due to their damping mechanisms, they no longer close properly.
Recently, I added another bookshelf to our six-year-old Liatorp combination. Let’s see what insights the new piece will bring...
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IKEA-Profi9 Jan 2017 23:10I once watched a documentary where it was claimed that Ikea makes more revenue from all the small items (internally called "satellite products") than from furniture. It’s not surprising why one entire floor is dedicated solely to furniture displays, while another floor of the same size is filled with small home accessories.
However, you’re fundamentally right in your criticism: the range of modular furniture has become more limited, and Ikea prefers to use shelf space in the self-service warehouse for additional small furniture pieces rather than offering greater flexibility with systems like PAX, Besta, Metod, etc.
Additional cabinet widths for PAX would be especially welcome, and for Metod, at least a 30cm (12 inches) cabinet body, even if only with an 80x30cm (31x12 inches) front panel for shelves. Besta should also bring back the high-quality full-extension drawer slides from Hettich, like the old INREDA line had. It would be good to offer the different cabinet and front panel heights for Besta again, as listed in the buying guide of the 2010 catalog.
The problem with system furniture is that for every new cabinet body and front dimension, Ikea has to reserve 10 self-service warehouse spaces to offer it in all front colors.
However, Ikea figured out that they generate more daily revenue per meter of shelf space by offering many more small individual furniture pieces than by expanding the selection of modular furniture. It’s logical that a trendy-colored armchair sells more often than a 30x80cm (12x31 inches) front panel of the VEDDINGE GREY type. I’m also convinced that Metod requires less shelf space than Faktum did (which had 50cm (20 inches) sinks, sliding door cabinets, 30cm (12 inches) cabinets, drawers from 30 to 60cm (12 to 24 inches) in 10cm (4 inches) increments, 80cm (31 inches), etc.) But Metod still offers good flexibility, and even Faktum had inflexible compromises (like a 50cm (20 inches) front for a 45cm (18 inches) dishwasher).
Anyone planning with Metod will have to reorganize and adapt accordingly—same for Besta or PAX. That said, it’s frustrating not to be able to customize the furniture as individually as one might want. I think Ikea doesn’t lose much revenue because of this; only a few detail-oriented customers ultimately end up buying from much more expensive and flexible system kitchen providers.
Ikea uses a big-data model and can test in one country whether revenue increases by reducing system furniture and replacing it with small furniture pieces, or even replacing furniture altogether with satellite products. If it works, they roll it out in every country the following catalog year.Feel free to award yourself a golden tin foil hat from me. 😀
When you think you know a lot but actually know little, you at least have to deliver it confidently. Chapeau.