Ikea's city store in Copenhagen recently celebrated its first anniversary, but the past year has been challenging, as described by Mads Kristensen, Commercial Manager of Ikea Denmark.
The store, which aimed to attract three million visitors in its first year, fell short of this ambitious target. While Kristensen did not reveal the exact numbers, he mentioned that they were 'a lot more than halfway' to the goal.
Photo: Dreamstime.
The launch of the city store had an unintended effect on nearby Ikea locations in Gentofte and Taastrup, where visitor numbers declined. However, the overall footfall across all Ikea stores in Denmark increased due to the addition of the Copenhagen branch. Despite a promising start, with around 19,000 visitors on opening day, the store struggled to maintain the expected flow of customers.
Given that only 30% of Copenhagen residents own cars, Ikea Copenhagen has had to continuously adapt its concept to better suit the urban environment. This included expanding the in-store product range by adding 350 to 450 new items, bringing the total to over 5,500—still fewer than the 9,500 items typically found in a standard Ikea store.
To boost traffic and meet visitor goals, Ikea has ramped up efforts to enhance the in-store experience. This includes more promotions, reconfiguring the store layout, and regularly updating displays to draw in more customers.
Source: www.wood-supply.dk