Swedish furniture Store Ikea is known for having large, sprawling buildings with hard-to-navigate parking lots and quality furniture you put together yourself in return for low prices. Now the retailer is testing out a new concept in Vienna, Austria, with a store that does not welcome cars.

Where and When

The new store should be completed by 2021. As mentioned, it will be in Vienna, Austria. Specifically, it will be by the bustling Westbahnhof train station.

The Store

The store will be seven stories tall. It stands out from other Ikeas due to its lack of parking plans. After all, the one in Burbank, California, has a whopping 1,700 parking spots. This is a conscious decision on the part of Ikea, as it focuses on megatrends and the rise in people getting around without using a car.

Delivery Is Part of It

Shoppers will have the option of taking the smaller items home with them right away. Those that the company decides are too large to take home without a car will be delivered, arriving within 24 hours.

Past and Future Concepts

This Ikea without parking spots builds on the previously tested small-format stores in London, Paris, and the Upper East Side of New York. Those stores allow customers to talk to consultants to create design projects, but they cannot take merchandise home right away.

There is also a planned Ikea in Queens in New York City, which should open this summer. That location is around a third of a traditional Ikea in size and allows for bringing items home right away or delivery.

Part of a Larger Push to Appeal to Shifting Markets

This new concept store is meant to appeal to the younger customers who live in cities and do not have personal cars, relying on public transportation or walking. Ikea has already shown that the company is highly adaptable.

In June 2019, Ikea partnered with Ori, a startup business, to build robotic furniture that will help those living in small spaces. Even earlier than that, Ikea announced the testing of furniture leasing programs in 30 markets in 2020.

Experts Predict Success

Experts are unsurprised by this new concept from Ikea. Many point out that some Ikea locations already have minimal parking spaces and that companies offering delivery are the norm in many major cities. Others praise the plan for its convenience and the ability to better use the store’s space. At the same time, some caution that not all shoppers will appreciate this format and that it may be hard for people to adjust their expectations of Ikea.

Source:

https://www.retaildive.com/news/ikea-goes-after-urban-millennial-consumers/571310/

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