The Swedish furniture group Ikea wants to continue growing in Germany. This was announced by the general director of Germany, Walter Kadnar, in an interview with the newspaper “Bild am Sonntag”. The company primarily focuses on city center locations. Further price reductions are also planned.
“We are proud of our 54 large furniture stores in Germany. But we have also been testing smaller formats for about three years,” Kadnar told the newspaper. “In Berlin, Munich and Ravensburg we tested how to approach people in the cities. We have been so successful that we now continue in this direction. To put it bluntly: we want planning studies of this type throughout Germany.”
Customers can seek expert advice at city center branches.
According to the CEO, Ikea will not offer its well-known assortment in cities, but customers will be able to plan their kitchens or wall units there with interior design experts and then have them delivered to their home. “Cologne and Stuttgart are expected to start this year. In Stuttgart we will move to the 'Das Gerber' shopping center and in Cologne we have a branch in the Köln Arcaden. And it doesn't stop there: other cities will follow.”
When asked, the Ikea boss did not rule out the former Karstadt department store and Galeria Kaufhof as possible locations. “Ikea will not waste any option. We look at the market and see what opportunities arise from it.”
Ikea wants to reduce prices even further
And Kadnar announced new price cuts – the third round in a year. Kadnar: “We will continue to adjust prices. “We had already reduced the price of 800 items last year, more were added at the beginning of the year and now we have started the third wave and we have around 2,600 items in total that are cheaper.”
In addition to furniture, Ikea restaurants and delivery services are also now cheaper. Kadnar: “It is a conscious business decision. We are permanently reducing prices. It is a promise to our customers to whom we pass on our lower purchase prices.”
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