...IKEA MARKETING CASE 1. 1. Until now IKEA international marketing strategy has been tightly and centrally controlled by corporate headquarters. However, high local' pressures emerging due to demographic and cultural differences might force the local IKEA shops to take strategic initiatives to respond to local market needs. In this connection discuss the regional headquarters and transnational organization (presented in Chapter 12) as hierarchical 'entry mode' alternatives to the very centralised strategy emanating from IKEA's headquarters. The advantages of having regional headquarters ( feature of divisional structure) are : flexible reaction to local conditions, accountability and be more competitive. However, this implementation could face some problems: strategic focus, economies of scale, loss of efficiency and costs, and finally large commitments. If they pass from regional headquaters to a transnational organization they will obtain differents advantages related to focus on global integration: efficient resource allocation, knowledge Exchange, economies of scale, local focus. But some disadvantges would appear like corporate identity and complexity of the process. 2. IKEA has not yet explored joint venture and strategic alliances strategies. Evaluate the pros and cons regarding these two entry strategies versus the traditional IKEA entry mode of franchising. As we know, strategic alliances appear when parterships between firms where their resources and capabilities...
Words: 2452 - Pages: 10
...Contents Executive summary: 2 Historical Background: 3 IKEA Viaion and Mission: 3 Production Strategy: 4 Promotion strategy: 4 IKEA Expansion worldwide 5 Expansion into Europe: 5 Expansion into North America: 5 IKEA’s Marketing Mix 6 Price 6 Products 6 Promotion 6 Place 7 Environmental Analysis 7 Issue identification, discussion and strategic alternatives 8 Why IKEA wanted to penetrate the US market? 8 Issue identification, the problem IKEA faced in America? 8 What caused these problems? Mistakes that IKEA made while entering the US market: 9 How do some of the American customers perceived IKEA and its marketing strategies? 9 How can IKEA solve its problem? What are the strategic alternatives? 9 Recommendation 11 Alternative Implementation 11 Conclusion 12 Appendixes 12 Executive summary: IKEA is a Swedish company which specializes in manufacturing furniture and selling them throughout the world. It has got large retail stores located on the outskirts of the major cities. IKEA is well known for attracting customers who are looking for modern designs at good value. IKEA is a Swedish furniture chain that has drawn large opening crowds to its stores as it has pushed into Europe, Asia, and North America. It has built something of a cult following, especially among young and price-conscious consumers. But the expansion was not always smooth and easy, for example, in Germany...
Words: 3371 - Pages: 14
...Marketing Mix Product IKEA implements unique concept to its customers in able to cut costs. The company creates uniqueness through its product differentiation, which includes: Product features: 10,000 different Home Furnishing products under one roof in plentiful range of uses and style, with low prices, which is called as democratic design. These include bedding, sofa, kitchen cabinets, appliances and children’s products. In-store showrooms: Establishment of large store consists of in-store showrooms that display different settings of look-a-like-home departments, such as living rooms and bedrooms constructed by all IKEA products. This gives unique shopping experience to customers, as they are able to browse. Price IKEA applies value-based pricing strategy to keep costs low and create better value. In its planning and production process, IKEA develops beneficial relationship with its suppliers as it signs long-term contracts that allows rented equipment and technical support in producing low-cost manufacturing to maintain cost efficiency. Also IKEA provides same collection of products in all of its stores worldwide, so the company is producing in huge volumes. IKEA sells its products in flat packaging as Flat packs mean that we do not have to pay for transporting or storing and not only means lower warehousing and distribution costs, but also less impact on the environment. Moreover, the location plays important role in minimizing costs. Advertising and Promotion ...
Words: 305 - Pages: 2
...Internet Marketing Improving E-marketing Strategy for IKEA in China Topic Reasons: 1. Poor response rate on IKEA social websites (Weibo, Douban) and the official community Though IKEA has their official online community and accounts on the most popular social websites; neither has got enough attention and effective interaction. 2. Good online product presenting on IKEA.com but lack the featuring experience of IKEA. The official website is designed in a simple way. The main purpose of it is to present the products in a 360 degree way to consumers online. IKEA.com excels at giving clear information and vivid view like exactly what they do in their paper catalogues. However, we were expecting more on the website. They allow consumers to design their own closet, but the app runs promptly. They feature on their on-site experience, but no such experience is given online, and you cannot even buy the piece online in China. With technologies advanced every day, how can IKEA.com just be a catalogue online? It’s a challenging work, but we believe it can be better. Introduction: IKEA is a Swedish company registered in the Netherlands that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture (such as beds, chairs, and desks), appliances, and home accessories, featuring Scandinavian modern style. IKEA is now operating more than three hundred stores in more than 40 countries. The IKEA website contains about 12,000 products and is the closest representation of the entire IKEA range....
Words: 922 - Pages: 4
...IKEA Case Study Strategic Marketing Plan Review Table of Content 1.0 Executive Summary Pg. 3 2.0 IKEA Company’s Proflie Pg. 4 3.0 Segmentation Base on Applied by IKEA Pg. 5 3.1 GEOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION 3.1.1 TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS Pg. 5 3.2. DEMOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION 3.2.1 TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS: Pg. 6 3.3 PSYCHOGRAPHIC SEGMENTATION Pg. 6 3.4 BEHAVIORAL SEGMENTATION 3.4.1 TARGET MARKET SEGMENTS Pg. 7 3.5 IKEA’S POSITIONING STRATEGIES Ph. 7 4.0 Customer Value Provided by IKEA Pg. 8 4.1 Strategy of Best product values offered by IKEA Pg. 8 & 9 4.2 Best Price value strategies offered by IKEA Pg. 9 4.3 Best Service Value Strategies offered by IKEA Pg. 10 5.0 MARKETING PROPOSAL PROGRAM Pg. 11 5.1 PRODUCT STRATEGIES Pg. 11 5.2 PRICE STRATEGIES • The Long-Term Aspiration of IKEA • Reducing a lower price in several ways: • The Short-term Aspiration of IKEA Pg. 12 & 13 5.3 PROMOTIONAL STRATEGIES Pg. 13, 14, 15 & 16 5.4 PLACE STRATEGIES Pg. 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20 6.0 Conclusion Pg. 21 7.0 Referencing Pg. 22 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The selected company for discussion is IKEA group where company is renowned for their D.I.Y concept which makes them the sovereign furniture retailer in the industry. In this report, the first scope of the discussion will be accentuating on the segmentations and target market segments on how IKEA is based according to their company...
Words: 4977 - Pages: 20
...entreprise innovante : Ikea 1 Présentation et historique succinct Ikea est le nom d'un détaillant de mobilier, souvent à assembler, d'origine suédoise. La société a été fondée en 1943, par Ingvar Kamprad qui n’avait alors que 17 ans. À l'origine, il vendait de la papeterie (des stylos, portefeuilles, cadres pour photo, nappes, montres, bijoux et bas nylon) par correspondance, en profitant de la tournée du laitier pour faire livrer ses produits à la gare ferroviaire la plus proche. Depuis, IKEA est devenu un acteur de premier plan dans le monde de la distribution, employant 118 000 personnes dans 40 pays/territoires et enregistrant un chiffre d'affaires annuel de plus de 19 milliards d'euros. • 1945 : Premières publicités IKEA dans la presse locale Le porte-à-porte n’étant plus adapté à ses ambitions, Ingvar commence à faire de la réclame dans la presse locale. Le premier mobilier fut proposé en 1947. • 1951 : Publication du premier catalogue IKEA. Ingvar entrevoit alors la possibilité de distribuer des meubles à plus large échelle. Il supprime les autres produits de son assortiment pour se concentrer sur les meubles à bas prix. • 1953 : La première exposition permanente de meubles ouvre ses portes à Älmhult. L’ouverture du premier hall d’exposition est une étape décisive du développement du concept IKEA. Pour la première fois, les clients peuvent voir et toucher les meubles avant de passer commande. • 1955 : IKEA commence à créer...
Words: 5001 - Pages: 21
...Executive Summary Background IKEA, the world’s largest home furnishings retail chain, was founded in 1943 by a Swedish entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad. IKEA offers standardized products worldwide that are Scandinavian in design worldwide. The unique idea of this famous brand is to offer the option of assembling products to customers. The design of the furniture is very modern and light as it is made of particleboard. The products are of contemporary design and function with the concept that is based on low price. High quality, convenience, affordability, consistency, functionality and good design are the essence of this world class home furnishing retailer. Challenges IKEA faced many challenges in terms of culture and business practices as well as socio-economic and political conditions in China. The biggest challenges were pricing, copycat producers and cheap labor cost for assembled furniture. Alternatives To make the price more affordable for Chinese consumers IKEA has developed manufacturing units in China and collects raw materials locally. Due to country specific environment IKEA chose franchising in China. Because of cheap labor cost of Chinese assembled furniture IKEA offers reasonable fee-based assembling services. IKEA has built its stores near public transportation lines inside cities since only 20% of customers own cars in Shanghai. Recommendations IKEA needs to find more local suppliers to keep price lower. To understand local culture and purchasing habit,...
Words: 2857 - Pages: 12
...Case Report Marketing Case 8: IKEA’s Global Strategy: Furnishing the World I.Situation Analysis IKEA is a privately-owned international furniture manufacturer known for its low prices and unique style. The company’s vision is to create a better everyday life for its customers by offering a great selection of well-designed, practical home furnishings. Since IKEA has chosen this sort of affordable and distinctive marketing strategy, the company has been very successful in its expansion throughout the world. IKEA has been successful with a relatively standardized product and product line in a business with strong cultural influence. This is because: The founder formulated IKEA’s mission which states that IKEA offers wide variety of home furnishings of good design and function at prices so low that the majority of people can afford them. Such wide variety could fit a wide variety of cultures and tastes. The case studies also states that the assortment of goods are universally accepted. The principal target market of IKEA is similar across all countries and regions and is composed of people who are young, highly educated, liberal in their cultural values,white collar workers, and not especially concerned with status symbols.Most people in the IKEA target market are liberal in their tastes,preferences and cultural norms hence making them easy to accept and appreciate IKEA’s standardized products. II.Problems Found in Situation Analysis ...
Words: 1736 - Pages: 7
...IKEA Executive Summary Founded in 1943 by entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA first began with sales of inexpensive products such as pens, watches, and jewelry. Soon after, IKEA started selling furniture and published a catalog in 1951. With its Scandinavian and contemporary style, IKEA's business model of furnishing simplicity and do it yourself furniture has taken the company from a catalog based company to a multimillion dollar company. The company has grown to over 253 outlet stores in 37 countries and making itself known as a global brand of do it yourself furnishings at a lower cost than most furniture retailers Marketing strategies IKEA’s success is based on principal marketing strategies that remain the same throughout the world, which include a catalogue that is printed in 52 editions in 27 languages and has a worldwide circulation of 200 million copies, and the use of the colors of the Swedish flag blue and yellow in the IKEA logo. This is combined with an emphasis on customer freedom and choice with regard to buying and taking home products, and low prices intended to create a “sale” mentality amongst customers. This aggressive price strategy coupled, with a wide product range catering for every potential lifestyle and life stage of a consumer, can best summarize the company’s recipe for success. The fact that IKEA targets all age groups and households makes it an attractive proposition to a wide spectrum of most countries’ consumers, especially amongst depressed...
Words: 1823 - Pages: 8
...Executive Summary IKEA is the world's largest furniture retailer and the world's third-largest consumer of wood, behind The Home Depot and Lowe's. The company is known for its modern architectural designs on various types of appliances and furniture, often associated with a simplified eco-friendly interior design. They are owned and operated by a complicated array of not-for-profit and for-profit corporations. The corporate structure is divided into two main parts: operations and franchising. Older IKEA stores are usually designed in a one-way layout, designed to encourage the customer to see the store in its entirety as opposed to a traditional retail store. IKEA has suppliers in 50 countries, roughly ⅔ of purchasing is from Europe with about ⅓ from Asia but for most of its products, but the final assembly is performed by the end-user. They also have 28 distribution centers and 11 customer distribution centers in 16 countries using flat packs, transporting goods where possible by rail and sea, and utilizing fuel-saving techniques that allow them to be cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Their consumers are often the means of out-bound logistics, responsible for picking up and transporting the products. There's no room for wasted space in product packaging. Logistics roles exist at every stage in the supply chain at IKEA, from the moment a product leaves the manufacturer to the moment it is in the hands of the customer. The in-store logistics manager uses a proprietary...
Words: 3351 - Pages: 14
...International Marketing Review Emerald Article: Strategic consequences of retail acquisition: IKEA and Habitat Gary Warnaby Article information: To cite this document: Gary Warnaby, (1999),"Strategic consequences of retail acquisition: IKEA and Habitat", International Marketing Review, Vol. 16 Iss: 4 pp. 406 - 417 Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02651339910282027 Downloaded on: 25-01-2013 References: This document contains references to 17 other documents Citations: This document has been cited by 3 other documents To copy this document: permissions@emeraldinsight.com This document has been downloaded 5839 times since 2005. * Users who downloaded this Article also downloaded: * Gary Warnaby, (1999),"Strategic consequences of retail acquisition: IKEA and Habitat", International Marketing Review, Vol. 16 Iss: 4 pp. 406 - 417 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02651339910282027 Gary Warnaby, (1999),"Strategic consequences of retail acquisition: IKEA and Habitat", International Marketing Review, Vol. 16 Iss: 4 pp. 406 - 417 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02651339910282027 Gary Warnaby, (1999),"Strategic consequences of retail acquisition: IKEA and Habitat", International Marketing Review, Vol. 16 Iss: 4 pp. 406 - 417 http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02651339910282027 Access to this document was granted through an Emerald subscription provided by LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOL For Authors: If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication...
Words: 5911 - Pages: 24
...furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them." Introduction At the outset, it may be useful to characterise IKEA in terms of the characteristics of demand (also known as the four Vs, see Slack et al. p 20). First, IKEA is clearly a high volume operation – as indeed most international retailers are – which lends to systematising operations but which implies capital intensive processes and therefore cost considerations will be crucial. Second, IKEA offers a large number of products (up to 14000 depending on the country/store) so there is high variety in the production process which not only leads to the need for complex and flexible processes but also entails high unit costs. Third, variation in demand will however be low, or at the least predicable (holiday periods for example) so advanced planning is possible which eliminates the need to set resources aside as a “capacity cushion” for unexpected demand. Lastly, IKEA – again as most retailers – have high process visibility, or in other words display a high degree of direct customer experience, which underlines the importance of dedicating sufficient attention to the shopping experience in all its facets. In what follows, and in line with the questions for this TMS, the implications of the five performance objectives to IKEA will be examined as well as the company’s key operational decisions that have impacted on these objectives. Thereafter 1. Question 1 There are five...
Words: 2842 - Pages: 12
...IKEA was founded by Ingvar Kamprad. He was born in Småland in southern Sweden. In 1943, when Ingvar Kamprad was 17, he registered his company. The name IKEA is formed from his name’s initials (I- Ingvar & K- Kamprad) plus the first letters of Elmtaryd (E) & Agunnaryd (A), the farm and the village where he grew up. This IKEA originally sold typical general store goods. Five years later, in 1948, IKEA introduced furniture into the range. After 10 years, the first IKEA store on 6700 square meters was opened in Älmhult, Sweden. In 1963 IKEA’s first store outside Sweden opened in Oslo, Norway. 325 IKEA stores are located in more than 38 countries all over the world. IKEA supplies a broad range of home furnishing products in a great variety of styles. IKEA products are identified by single word names referring to places, rivers, and lakes in Scandinavia or common things in everyday life. Most of the names are of Swedish origin. IKEA stores are built usually very large with many displays inspired by realistic room settings or real-life homes. IKEA stores include also restaurants serving traditional Swedish food, grocery stores selling Swedish-made items and usually there is a play area named Småland for children from the age of 3 to 10. Low prices are the “cornerstone of the IKEA vision” and the most important thing for their business idea. The “flat-packs” are really useful to reduce labor-, shipping-, and storage costs. IKEA publishes an annual catalogue in 38 different...
Words: 448 - Pages: 2
...The cultural web - IKEA Ikea – Hybrid strategy: “Ikea recognised that it could achieve a high standard product, but at a low cost, whilst concentrating on building differentiation on the basis of its marketing, range, logistics and store operations” (Johnson, Scholes & Whittington, 2005, p.249). Power structures The leadership beliefs in an inverted organisational pyramid, where the customer is at the top followed by staff, with top management at the bottom (Sancovich, 2002). The customer is put on top as they have the real power of what Ikea can and should sell. No one in Ikea flies first class is another aspect of the power culture within Ikea (Sancovich, 2002). This is part of the core beliefs of the leadership, as everyone in the organisation should be treated the same regarding of position. In general, Ikea uses an egalitarian leadership style, hence emphasise of getting rid of status and conventions. Even though Ingvar Kamprad is retired, he is still involved in the organisation he founded in 1943 (Allen, 2005). Hence, it is difficult to change the culture in the organisation as he is still pulling the strings. As all the employees is taught and trained the IKEA way, the desire and need for a cultural change is another unanswered question. How is power distributed in the organisation? What are the core beliefs of the leadership? How strongly held are these beliefs (idealists or pragmatists)? What are the main blockages to change? Organisational...
Words: 491 - Pages: 2
...MGNT 3650 June 12, 2011 Chapter 1 Closing Case-IKEA How has the globalization of markets benefited IKEA? Globalization of markets has benefited IKEA by making it easy to expand into different countries. Now that the whole world has excess to the internet, everyone is basically wearing and listening to the same things. This is very beneficial to IKEA because there isn’t a lot the company has to do with the style they originally started in Sweden. With the globalization of markets it makes it easier for customers to buy products from IKEA online or at the warehouse with their country “social” demographics and culture in mind. “The worldwide success of a growing list of products that have become household names is evidence that consumers the worlds over, despite deep-rooted cultural differences, are becoming more and more alike - or, as the author puts it, "homogenized." In consequence, he contends, the traditional MNC's strategy of tailoring its products to the needs of multiple markets may put it at a severe disadvantage vis-a-vis competitors who apply marketing imagination to the task of developing advanced, functional, reliable standardized products, at the right price, on a global scale.” How has the globalization of production benefited IKEA? This has saved IKEA time and money. IKEA has producers to supply each of its big markets; it helps by knowing the styles of each market. For example the producer for...
Words: 635 - Pages: 3
