IKEA is an incredible furniture franchise. They have great furniture, affordable products, and delicious snacks. People worldwide spend Saturdays snacking on meatballs and scoping out cheap deals.
Even though IKEA is an impressive store, there are always ways to improve. Here are five ways they could improve their stores.
How Can IKEA Improve?
- Open More Stores
IKEA has stores all over the world. There is no question about where to find IKEA because they have stores in 26 countries. Other than Antarctica, they have stores on every continent.
Even though they have stores in many countries, they could increase their stores.
They have many stores in the United States but not in all states. They could increase their range by including a store in every state.
They could also increase their range by opening stores in more cities. Many people have to drive hours to the closest IKEA store.
By including stores in smaller towns, they could reach a wider audience and make their products even more accessible.
- Use Sustainable/Eco-friendly Materials:
It’s no secret that the furniture industry is not great for the environment. Many popular materials like particleboard and MDF are made with glues and resins that release harmful chemicals into the air.
However, IKEA has made some progress using sustainable materials like bamboo and recycled plastics. They could improve by consistently using sustainable materials in their products, not just a select few.
With global warming on the rise, big companies like IKEA must positively impact the environment.
- Introduce Furniture Assembly reforms:
One of the best qualities of IKEA furniture is that it’s affordable and easy to assemble at home. However, many customers have complained about the confusing assembly instructions.
IKEA could improve by creating clearer and more concise assembly instructions that make assembling furniture easier for customers.
Moreover, IKEA could introduce assembling assistants who can visit home and assemble the table for a fee.
- Improve Customer Service
One of the biggest criticisms of IKEA is that it doesn’t have high-quality customer service. Customers have a few complaints about long wait times, lack of communication, and difficulty reaching customer service.
IKEA could improve by hiring more staff to assist customers’ needs and training employees to communicate better with customers.
This would create a more positive shopping experience for customers.
This is because IKEA doesn’t have many employees on the floor.
They reduce their employees to have more money to put into their products. This is smart, so their products can be affordable, but they might consider finding a way to do both.
- Reduce their use of wood
IKEA uses wood in a lot of its products. They are a sustainable company, but its wood intake is very high. Using different resources, they could make better products and help save the planet.
Other materials like bamboo, recycled plastics, and metal can also be used to create amazing furniture items.
Reducing their wood intake would benefit the environment and allow IKEA to experiment with new materials and possibly create even better products.
They are slowly making improvements that could help their business and is highly sustainable. For example, they’ll be reducing a line of products made from plastic found in the ocean.
- Produce More Unique Products
IKEA is known for its sleek, modern designs and affordability. However, customers may want to see more unique and individualized products.
IKEA could improve by introducing a larger variety of furniture styles and designs that cater to different tastes. This would allow customers to express their style in their home decor.
IKEA is perfect for people with a simple design taste. But for people who like spunkier styles, IKEA does not have many options.
They could consider collaborating with designers or even allowing customers to customize their furniture.
This would allow IKEA to stand out among other furniture retailers and create a more personalized shopping experience for customers.
They could cater to people who want patterns and bright colors by adding some products to their store. Instead of offering colors in black, grey, brown, and white, they could mix them up by adding colors like yellow and blue.
They could also provide fun patterns like polka dots or stripes. This can still be affordable and maintain their sleek design while adding some personality to their products.
IKEA is a great company, but there is room for improvement in these areas.
- Improve Delivery Service
Customers have also expressed frustration with IKEA’s delivery service. Delays, damaged products, and lack of communication are common issues.
IKEA could improve their communication with customers about delivery times and train delivery staff to handle products with care.
This would create a better overall customer experience and potentially lead to more repeat customers.
Furthermore, IKEA could consider offering different delivery options for customers. This includes express delivery for a fee or the option to pick up the furniture from the store.
These options would provide convenience and flexibility for customers, potentially increasing satisfaction with their overall experience with IKEA.
- Benefit more from E-Commerce:
IKEA’s online store only offers a limited selection of products compared to its physical stores. They could improve by expanding their online offerings and making the shopping experience more convenient for customers.
This could include offering virtual design services or allowing customers to customize their furniture online before purchasing.
Improving their e-commerce presence could also lead to increased sales and reach a larger customer base. IKEA needs to stay current with online shopping trends and continue adapting its business strategies in this area.
Overall, there are many ways that IKEA can improve and become even more sustainable and customer-focused.
As a company known for being forward-thinking, we expect them to continue making changes and improvements in the future.
- Update Mobile App Algorithm:
In addition to their online store, IKEA also has a mobile app that allows customers to browse and purchase products. However, customers have complained about the App’s lack of personalized recommendations and outdated algorithm.
IKEA could improve by updating the App’s algorithm to make it more efficient and user-friendly.
This could include creating a more personalized shopping experience by suggesting products based on previous purchases and browsing history.
Even though the App is well-designed and has a good algorithm system, there’s always room for improvement.
Updating the mobile app algorithm would make the shopping experience smoother and more enjoyable for customers.
- Open more Branches Worldwide:
While IKEA currently has locations in many countries, some areas still don’t have an IKEA store nearby. This can make it difficult for customers in those regions to easily access and purchase IKEA products.
Expanding its presence by opening more stores worldwide would benefit customers and increase IKEA’s sales and reach a larger market. In addition, it could also create job opportunities in those regions.
Overall, opening more branches worldwide would have numerous benefits for both customers and the company itself.
- Relaunch Discontinued Products
Sometimes products at IKEA are discontinued to make room for new ones. Often people miss out on products they initially wanted and have to scour the internet for second-hand ones.
People have complained online about missing out on products they had once enjoyed. If IKEA announced the product is to be discontinued, they might get a surge in customers who want to buy it before it’s gone.
This would also give customers time to find a replacement product at IKEA before it’s too late. There are many ways to improve a store, and these are just a few IKEA can use.
However, they are doing very well anyway. These could help, but overall, IKEA is a great company that doesn’t necessarily need help improving.
They are always making changes and trying to please their customers.
- Improve the Cafeteria
In its cafeteria, IKEA is known for its famous Swedish meatballs and other delicacies.
However, they could improve the cafe by providing more options for those with dietary restrictions, such as vegetarians or gluten intolerances. In addition, they could offer more variety to give the customers a greater dining experience.
This could potentially increase customer satisfaction and create repeat customers.
Another improvement for the cafeteria could be implementing a more efficient ordering system, such as offering online ordering or streamlining their current process.
This would save time for both customers and staff, creating a better overall experience at IKEA’s cafeteria.
Bottom Line:
Overall, there are many ways that IKEA can improve and become even more sustainable and customer-focused.
From updating its mobile app algorithm to offering more options in its cafeteria, the company is always working to enhance customer experience.
With their forward-thinking attitude, we can expect them to continue making changes and improvements in the future.