Ikea May Be Overselling The "In-Store" Experience

Leave it to IKEA.

At a time when most retailers are scratching their heads for ways to entice shoppers into their stores,  it appears that the IKEA location in Beijing needs to find ways to get customers to go home.

Really. There was a recent story in the L.A. Times reporting how scores of shoppers in and around Beijing take day trips to IKEA.

Sounds like that would be good news, right?

Maybe not. According to the story, the theme-park like atmosphere of the Beijing store is making a trip to IKEA as popular with local shoppers as a day trip to the Great Wall.

While we all know that retail should be theater, giving shoppers a stimulating and enjoyable experience, the end game should involve them buying something.

According to the report, while this IKEA has definitely become a destination stop, shoppers here seem more intent on having their pictures taken inside the store  having lunch–complete with free soda refills–in the store’s cafeteria, and believe it or not, taking prolong after-lunch naps.

Shoppers also acknowledged that IKEA’s reputation for, “air-conditioned interiors,” gave them a break from the heavy smog often surrounding Beijing.

Kudos for IKEA for getting those customers to buy the in-store experience.

Now, if they can sell them something more than Swedish meatballs or in this case, rice with mushrooms, they’ll be on to something!

You can read the entire story here:  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-china-ikea25-2009aug25,0,7736661.story