Deconstructing IKEA.com

Erin Moxley STRATEGY

Waseem Bari MARKETING VALUE CHAIN

Natalie Chan SOCIAL MEDIA

Derolyn P. Kinkead INTRODUCTION PERSONAS

Davide Sartori WIREFRAMES

A Web Strategy Report - 07/13

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AN INTRODUCTION

IKEA 101

IKEA is widely recognized for its low-priced, ready-to-assemble contemporary home furnishings. As related on their site: “At IKEA our vision is to create a better everyday life…by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”

Equally commendable is IKEA’s commitment to the environment; that is to invest in both renewable energy and energy-efficient technology to lessen their impact on the planet. In addition, the company champions social issues and supports/funds charitable programs. For this, IKEA’s vision and values has secured them a loyal customer base within the 41 countries the store operates— which averages some 500+ million customers walking through its doors annually.

Know Thy Customer…

However, for IKEA to stay competitive and to prosper in a draconian economy and often fickle marketplace, they quickly embraced the new technology based economy and migrated to the web with the objective of building a strong online presence that takes advantage of customers’ ability to engage, interact, and even collaborate with their organization and each other. To that end, this report generated from the perspective of five individuals who have differing shopping experiences at IKEA, will

reveal how they have adapted to stay relevant in the digital/virtual world by providing an in-depth analysis of their online strategy, marketing programs, social media interactions, and wire frames. Plus we’ll provide insight on two specific personas.

Long Live the Home

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/categories/departments/living_room/

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STRATEGY

“You do your part. We do ours. Together we save money.”

IKEA founders set out with a strategy to create a chain of stores that could provide simple alternatives to luxury furniture, and the cost-conscious consumers were ready for this innovative experience. Their mission statement, “To offer a wide range of well designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”

The IKEA that we know today began as a simple catalogue. It later opened its doors to their first showroom in 1953, and they allowed consumers to touch and feel the sleek new designs, seeing the durability and high quality of the low-priced products. This strategy proved fruitful for the brand; consumers would choose the products that delivered the very best value for their money. Beginning to look at expanding abroad, the IKEA knew that in order to successfully enter in to foreign markets, they would have to appeal to the masses and differentiate themselves from already established competitors such as Walmart and Target.

The goals that these founding partners had for the IKEA Company resonated over the years with their continued global expansions, bringing the Swedish designs in to the homes of people worldwide. IKEA had a disruptive approach to retail, that would challenge and eventually change how consumer’s shopped. However, in order to properly advertise their differences from other big-box stores such as Walmart, IKEA had to engage the consumers, and educate them along the way. They accomplished this with their innovative design of products and stores, then in 1997 IKEA launched their online retail experience. It became just as enjoyable to shop through their online store as it is to be present in an IKEA bricks and mortar establishment.

Similar to their in-store experience, the layout of IKEA’s web design allowed consumers to engage with the IKEA products. With interactive room planners, shoppers could see how each product will look when laid out in a room setting. “With online sales increasing 25% year-on-year in 2012 and clearly established customer expectations in the UK, European and US markets,” IKEA’s online presence is well on track to catch up to the success of their brick and mortar establishments. The in-store and interactive “map” is accurately depicted in this image here, showing that the consumer experience is heightened by their ability to be in control, and to be able to self-select each product. This strategy has helped IKEA to keep costs low, with limited staff on hand to provide service. As well, by adding in flat packed products, customers must then transport and assemble their purchases at home. Their unique approach across all platforms is what draws the customers back for more.

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STRATEGY cont’d

With IKEA becoming a global company, they had to appeal to each unique market and culture, and adapt to each consumer market accordingly. In North America for example, a trending topic is that of sustainability. Being a furniture manufacturer, IKEA had to re-strategize and provide sustainable and recyclable products. Steve Howard, Chief Sustainability Officer at the IKEA Group says,

“We believe that sustainability should not be a luxury good – it should be affordable for everyone. With over 770 million visitors to our stores, we are excited by the opportunity to help our customers fulfill their dreams at home with beautiful products that help them save money on their household bills by reducing energy and water use, as well as reducing waste.”

IKEA had to also develop a strategy that catered to their ways of living by making their furniture more accessible. The creation of the mobile and iPad app allows both targets to access IKEA products on the go, at the famous low prices. Accessibility is a reason that IKEA has grown to be such a global competitor in the furniture market. With IKEA continuing to expand in to key emerging markets, their strategy will always be one of accessibility, low-cost home furnishing solutions, with an innovative in-store experience.

Mapping Activity Systems

Shows how IKEA’s strategic position is

contained in a set of tailored activities

designed to deliver it.

See diagram.

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MARKETING

Brand Management The IKEA brand is the sum total of the emotional and rational values that consumers associate with the IKEA trademark and the reputation of our company. The brand image is the result of over 50 years work by IKEA co-workers at all levels all over the world.

Marketing Communication

The overall task of IKEA marketing communication is to build the IKEA brand and inspire people to come to the stores. The IKEA concept builds on a relationship with the consumer. Nine key messages are used within the IKEA marketing communication to build this relationship. These are:

The IKEA concept is based on the market positioning statement. "We do our part" focuses on their commitment to product design, consumer value and clever solutions. By using inexpensive materials in a novel way and minimizing production, distribution and retail costs, their customers benefit from low prices.

The IKEA product range is developed to be extensive to have something that appeals to everyone and to cover all functions in the home. The products are modern not trendy so they are practical enough for everyday use. IKEA is the home furnishing specialist- IKEA products are functional and appealing; they enable people to improve their home life

through practical solutions to everyday problems.

Low price is not appealing unless it represents good value for money. This is where IKEA is able to make a real difference. IKEA is committed to having a good relationship with our suppliers and so we are able to purchase good quality, economically produced designs that are bought in bulk to keep costs down. By making all their furniture flat packed they cut down on transportation and assembly costs.

Function - IKEA products are based on a functional approach to design. IKEA design means products that are attractive, practical and easy to use. They don't have unnecessary features, they give genuine solutions for specific home furnishing needs and are made of the most suitable materials for their purpose.

The right quality-IKEA products are subjected to rigorous tests to make sure that they meet national and international safety standards.

Convenient shopping- The IKEA store offers "everything under one roof", most of it available for immediate take-away. IKEA offers service where they need it, but allows customers to make most of the decisions themselves. This means that they need to make it easy to choose the right products by displaying them correctly, describing them accurately and having a simple returns policy.

A day out for the whole family- IKEA aims to look after their customers by planning for their needs. Not only do they provide inspiration and ideas, but they also encourage people to touch, feel and use the

products on display to see how they would fit into their own home. They have new

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MARKETING cont’d

products arriving all the time, seasonal themes, play areas for children, special events and a great value family restaurant. Swedish IKEA, - The key IKEA messages all have their roots in the Swedish origin of IKEA. Swedish furniture is light and fresh yet unpretentious. The warm welcoming Swedish style has become a model of simplicity, practicality, and informality that is now world renown.

IKEA Marketing Mix To develop a marketing research approach, a company will look to do a consumer analysis, an industrial analysis, and develop a marketing mix that will best suit the organization and the consumer. “In a consumer analysis, some areas to look at are demographics, psychographics, behaviors, and geographical consideration. In an industrial analysis, the company will do a competitor analysis,” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). Every organization has countless ways to try meeting the need of his or her customers. There are so many variables; a company needs to be able to organize them to simplify the selection for that organization’s marketing mix. All the variables are reduced down to four basic variables:

1. Product 2. Place 3. Price 4. Promotion

All other variables will be listed under these four variables. “All four Ps are needed in the marketing mix, and in fact, should be tied together,” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). “This paper will discuss and describe the elements of the marketing mix. It will also describe how each one of the four elements of the marketing mix impacts the development of IKEA’s marketing and tactics.”

1. Product First of the four variables is the product. Developing the right product for the target consumer is the main area of concern for this variable. Some products can be tangible products that can be bought and sold. However, not all products are that of physical goods. Many products that are offered to the consumer are services. “Services can consist of completing someone’s taxes, performing yard work and landscaping, and legal representation. The most important thing is that the product or service satisfies the customer’s needs,” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). “Some examples of the product decisions to be made are brand name, functionality, styling, quality, safety, packaging, repairs and support, warranty, accessories and services,” (NetMBA, 2012).

2. Place The next variable is the place. What good is a product to the consumer if it is not available when and where it is wanted and needed? Decisions involving getting the right product to the targeted consumer are the area of concern of place.

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MARKETING cont’d

The product reaches the consumer by a channel of distribution. “A channel of distribution is any series of firms (or individuals) that participate in the flow of products from producer to final user or consumer” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). A channel of distribution can be very short and simple or much more complex, involving different wholesalers and retailers (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). “Some examples of distribution decisions include distribution channels, channel members, inventory management, warehousing, distribution centers, order processing, transportation, and reverse logistics,” (NetMBA, 2012).

3. Price In addition to developing the right product and place, a company must also decide the right price. “When setting the price of the product, the marketing manager must consider many variables. Some of these variables include the price of the competition in the target market and the cost of the entire marketing mix,” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). Another important factor of pricing is the reaction of the consumer to the price. If the consumer does not accept the price, then all of the other components of the marketing mix are wasted (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). “Some other examples of pricing decisions to be made are price flexibility, price discrimination, bundling, cash and early payment discounts, seasonal pricing, and suggested retail price,” (NetMBA, 2012).

4. Promotion

The last of the four marketing mix variables is promotion. Promotion is concerned with letting the target consumer know about the right product. Promotion can be focused on both acquiring new customers and retaining current customers. “Promotion can include personal and mass selling, as well as sales promotion. A blend of all of these methods can help in the marketing success,” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). Personal selling involves direct communication between the seller and the consumer. It can happen face to face or by phone and video conference. “Mass selling involves communicating with a large number of customers at the same time. This can happen by utilizing forms of paid and unpaid publicity,” (Perreault & McCarthy, 2004). “Some examples of promotion decisions can include advertising, public relations and publicity, and sales promotions,” (NetMBA, 2012). IKEA is company that strongly exhibits all aspects of the marketing mix. There vision is “to create a better everyday life for the many people,” (IKEA, 2012). IKEA offers a wide variety of quality home furnishing products at low prices so that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. The IKEA brand is built on encouraging customers to experience the IKEA concept. “The company’s image is contributed by what the company does, says and the products they offer at the price they are offered at,” (IKEA, 2012). The marketing mix is shown throughout the IKEA business and culture.

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MARKETING cont’d

The IKEA product is what the company is all about. The company offers a wide array of home furnishing products for ever area of the home. Their products are offered in many different styles to give the consumer the opportunity to find exactly what they need. IKEA’s brands speak volumes about the culture with each item having its own unique brand name with a Swedish flare. Packaging is also a big IKEA selling point; selling the majority of their product unassembled so the consumer can transport them all home without having to arrange and pay for delivery. Place is also a big IKEA strategic strong point. Compared to other home furnishing retailers, IKEA has a smaller amount of well strategically place stores throughout the United States and the rest of the world. This leaves room for a lot of supply and demand. Consumers flock from all over to visit IKEA locations and purchase large volumes of products. Since each IKEA location is its own warehouse, customers can leave with their furniture or arrange for short-term delivery. Each IKEA location also keeps a large amount of inventory in order to keep merchandise available for the many customers that come to their locations. Price is also one of IKEA very strong qualities. It is actually their claim to fame. Because of how other variables in the marketing mix are addressed, IKEA is able to offer its products and services and much lower list prices than its competitors. The company also offers many discounts and sales throughout the year to lower prices

even more on some of their most popular items. IKEA also offers different credit and financing options to allow more consumers access to purchasing IKEA products. IKEA has also bumped their Promotions in the last few years. With the opening of many more U.S. IKEA locations, the company has started a completely new national commercial ad campaign. The commercial ads were developed to appeal to the consumer that shows IKEA as a hip, fresh solution to any home furnishing need. The company also takes advantage of some free publicity by donating time, service, products, and funds to various local causes. These types of promotion appeal to the local market and show that IKEA is a large integral part in the community. IKEA utilizes all aspects of the marketing mix to help make it one of the leaders in its industry. Just like IKEA, all businesses that offer products and services rely on the marketing mix to develop the most successful marketing and tactical strategies possible. With the proper mix of product, place, price and promotion, organizations can most effectively provide the right consumers right the right products at the right places and at the best prices.

References:

1. IKEA. (2012, May 14). Products and materials. Retrieved

from

http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/about_ikea/our_responsibi

lity/products_and_materials/index.html

2. NetMBA. (2012, May 14). The marketing mix. Retrieved from

http://www.netmba.com/marketing/mix/

3. Perreault, William D., & McCarthy, E. Jerome. (2004). Basic

marketing: A global-managerial approach. [University of

Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. : The McGraw-Hill

Companies. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, MKT421

website

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VALUE CHAIN

“Each step in the manufacture of a product or the delivery of a service can be thought of as a link in a chain that adds value to the product or service. This concept of a how business fulfills its mission and objectives is known as the value chain” (Needles et al, 2007, p.836)

The concept of Value-Chain analysis is introduced by Michael Porter (1985), who divides activities of the firm into two categories: primary activities and support activities. Primary activities are necessary elements for producing the products and offering services, and support activities assist businesses to become successful in the marketplace.

These include, firm infrastructure, Human Resource Management. Technology development, and procurement. The ultimate purpose of the firm is to add as much customer "value" in each of the primary activities (Pearce et. al, 1993: 184-187).

Ikea has modified the value chain approach by integrating the customer in the process and introducing a two-way value system between customers, suppliers, and Ikea's headquarters.

In this global sourcing strategy, the customer is a supplier of time, labor, information, knowledge and transportation. On the other hand, the suppliers are customers, receiving technical assistance from Ikea's corporate technical headquarters through various business services. The company wants customers to understand that their role is not to consume value, but rather to create it (Normann et al, 1993: 67).

Ikea's role in the value chain is to mobilize suppliers and customer to help them add value to the system. Customers are clearly informed in the catalogs of what the firm's business systems provide, and what they are expected to add to the final process. In order to furnish the customer with good quality products at a low cost, the firm must be able to find suppliers that can deliver high quality items at low cost per unit. The headquarters provides carefully selected suppliers with technical assistance, leased equipment and the necessary skills needed to produce high quality items.

This long-term supplier relationship does

not only produce superior products, but

also add internal value to the suppliers

(Normann et al, 1993: 72). In addition, this

value-chain modification differentiates Ikea

from its competition.

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VALUE CHAIN cont’d

In-Bound Logistic > Distribution of products to the stores

from 27 distribution centres

> “10,000 IKEA products are manufactured by 2000 suppliers and transported to the IKEA stores” (Berger, 2011, p.3)

> “Jobs in logistics account for about 20 -25% of each store’s co-workers” (IKEA, online, 2011)

Operations > Operations in more than 38 countries;

208 company operated stores in 26 countries, remaining stores operated by franchisees.

> IKEA does not manufacture its own products

Out-Bound Logistics > Transportation of products is done by

customers

Marketing and Sales > Targeting mainly families with lower

income, students and singles

> Family-friendly environment within stores

Services > Very limited level of customer services

according to the chosen business strategy

> Information to customers mainly provided through explanatory catalogues and displays

> Low number of sales assistants in stores

Support Activities > Infrastructure

> Hierarchical tall organisational structure

> The IKEA Group is controlled by INGKA Holding B.V. that belongs to Stichting INGKA Foundation

> Stores are large in size

Human Resource Management > High level of commitment to HR

practices

> Effective staff training and development programs

Technology Development > Research and development activities are

initiated in Sweden

> Extensive use of information technology in various business processes

Procurement > No need for raw materials as IKEA does

not produce own brand products

> Long-term strategic relationships with suppliers

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SOCIAL MEDIA IKEA’s Social Media Strategy

In 2009, Gordon Gustavsson, manager of Malmo, Sweden’s new IKEA store created a Facebook Account and now IKEA actively has global Facebook accounts including Canada, UK, USA and Australia. Since then, IKEA has begun to cross promote with their Pinterest boards, blog and twitter posts in a continuous effort to tell their story over different social media platforms.

Recently, IKEA has found itself caught up in the horsemeat scandal and also affected by the flooding in Calgary; it is the perfect time to see how it is using social media to handle these situations. IKEA also holds various campaigns on its social media such as “Tweet &Tidy” on twitter and “Pin to Win” on Pinterest for further customer engagement.

Tweet & Tidy campaign as posted on Facebook https://twitter.com/ikeacanada

IKEA Canada Pinterest http://pinterest.com/ikeacanada/

IKEA on Facebook

IKEA Canada’s Facebook post with an eye-catching image of a room arranged with IKEA furniture https://www.facebook.com/IKEACanada

IKEA Canada’s Facebook page is normally updated once or twice a day with an eye-catching image of a room arranged with IKEA furniture. There is a decent level of engagement, with posts generally achieving a few hundred ‘likes’ and a number of comments. The team is active in responding to customer inquiries and complaints, but generally quiet other than to inspire with their daily updates. IKEA does a good job in not talking too much about what they sell; however, they occasionally throw in special offers or campaign, but they keep it on a moderate level.

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SOCIAL MEDIA cont’d

Rather than offering discounts or attracting followers by giving out oversized prizes such as furniture for their homes, IKEA has a unique way to reward their Facebook fans. For instance, IKEA’s UK Facebook had a group which gathered 100,000 people to join and IKEA gave 100 of them the chance to actually spend a night in the warehouse. On the other hand, Australia held a competition that gave one ‘lucky’ couple the chance to get married at an IKEA store on Valentine’s Day, with 80 Facebook fans in attendance. Rewarding Facebook fans with unique and original prizes is a great way of sustaining an active online community as it provides experiences they cannot get elsewhere. Any retailer can give away a bed or a new sofa, so there is more value in terms of building brand loyalty if you offer people something unique.

Facebook is not only used for contests or campaigns, but IKEA also uses Facebook for crisis management and information sharing. For example, IKEA confirmed on its Facebook page that it would stop the sale of meatballs in Sweden and later withdrew the meat from 14 countries across Europe. Recently, the flooding in Calgary has results in closing IKEA’s Calgary store for safety purposes. As seen in the post below on IKEA Canada’s Facebook, IKEA takes responsibility to keep their customers and staff up-to-date with the disaster:

“Our thoughts are with the residents of Calgary during this difficult time. As the safety and security of our customers and co-workers is of the utmost importance to us at IKEA, the Calgary store will close for the day at 12:30pm this afternoon. We will provide further updates regarding weekend hours as information become available. Please stay safe.”

IKEA’s Facebook team manages the appropriateness of its content and the Facebook page acts as a channel between IKEA and its customers.

IKEA’s 2013 Catalogue APP

Wonder what the DUKEN setting will look in your bedroom? Or cannot picture the red or white BESTÅ BURS TV storage combination suites your style? IKEA has now solved the wondering minds and allows a preview of the furniture in the IKEA 2013 Catalogue to see how it would look exactly in your house. IKEA has transformed a boring marketing material – the IKEA catalogues – into a truly genuine customer experience. IKEA’s new APP allows its customers a chance to see how their products will truly look like in their homes.

Promo video of the IKEA APP shows the new experience with a digital component to its annual catalogue http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QQ8HNXtl7jQ SOCIAL MEDIA cont’d

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SOCIAL MEDIA cont’d

The famous IKEA catalogue, with its history going back to 1951, is delivered into many mailboxes around the world annually. Starting 2013, IKEA added a whole new experience with a digital component to its annual catalogue. Customers can download the IKEA Catalogue app which works on smartphones and tablets and offers consumers an augmented reality (AR) experience which is fun as well as useful for product knowledge.

Users simply launch the app and point their cameras on the image to interact with the printed catalogue pages that has a “phone symbol” on it to unlock short movies, interactive activities and more photos that customers may mix and match. Most customers would want see how their homes will look before investing into pieces of furniture and IKEA made it convenient for them. IKEA’s new approach to its catalogue can be a revolution to the furniture shopping experience. The IKEA APP is an appropriate addition to the nature of IKEA’s core value and also to its products. IKEA’s new APP is marrying the human imagination, Instagram, Flickr and Pinterest board all into one.

IKEA 365 Campaign Case Study

The IKEA 365 Campaign Case Study still runs on You Tube today since 2011 http://bit.ly/ikrB4z

The 80/20 theory applies to every business strategy. For example, McDonalds’s Big Mac has always been 80 percent of its profit.

As for IKEA, which carries hundreds and thousands of products and the catalogue is overwhelming and even with the newly introduced APP, how can IKEA ensure that each item has received the same amount of promotion? Lemz, an Amsterdam based company which advertises “what you see is what you get” came up with the right solution for IKEA. Instead of focusing on bedroom fixtures or kitchen cabinets, IKEA recognises the importance of everyday life at home. The company wanted to promote the idea of everyday IKEA products and that they bring happiness to those who uses them every day. Lemz together with IKEA decided to offer a new idea for the home, every single day of the year.

The companies together launched a TV campaign, which started in September 2010 and released a new commercial every day, comprising of 365 commercials which focused on a different IKEA product each day. The 365 concept was extended in-store, where each day a different product was showcased. Online content was also updated daily.

The IKEA 365 Campaign Case Study still runs on You Tube today since 2011 http://bit.ly/ikrB4z. This is taking a step further with traditional advertising to grace each of the 365 products with the same amount of attention. It may be one of the most intriguing and successful digital campaigns in the history of IKEA.

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PERSONA 1

William and Katherine Location: London, England

William and Katherine Mountbatten-

Windsor, both in their early 30s, are

newlyweds. After living the pauper’s life for

a year, they have saved enough funds for a

down payment on a flat in Kensington.

Eager to dispose of the antiquated furniture

they’ve inherited from family members, and

found on-the-cheap at thrift shops, they

have also set aside a small budget for new

furnishings. While this style-conscious

couple is desirous of achieving a

contemporary look for their new home,

they also are keenly aware of their limited

budget. They want style and value for their

money.

Processes

Social Media

Both William and Katherine are active users on social media sites, namely Facebook, to engage with the people, events and brands that matter the most to them. They also invite others to do the same. Together they consult IKEA’s Facebook page to review comments about the store made by peers, notable interior designers and related industry folk.

Impressed by the 301K LIKES and after

viewing a number of posts, they peruse the

flyer for current offerings and pricing.

Happy with the results of their findings,

they are resolved to go DIY and shop IKEA.

Style + Value = IKEA

Web Site

Now ready to engage in some online

shopping, William and Katherine visit

IKEA.com. They are immediately inspired by

the catalogue of photos as they move from

the kitchen to the bedroom to the

bathroom and then to the living room -

creating ideas for lounging, storing, playing

and entertaining in their space. They also

take advantage of the online shopping list

that prompts them to check stock

availability before they visit their local store.

Then, with tape measure in hand, they set

off to IKEA to make their purchases.

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PERSONA 2

Sara, Bella and Rhys Location: Toronto, Canada

Sara is a busy mother of two young children

(Bella 2, Rhys 4) and is due to have her third

child in five weeks. While her husband is

out of town on business, she is tasked with

preparing the house to accommodate the

new addition. However, with two growing

children, both who own a massive toy

collection, space is limited.

Having to juggle her time between home,

work and weekly doctor’s appointments,

Sara hasn’t the desire or the patience to

spend hours searching multiple furniture

outlets. She is looking for quick, easy

storage solutions but wants to make an

informed decision about her present needs

and long terms goals.

Processes

Mobile App

A sympathetic friend, who often shops IKEA,

suggests that she download their mobile

catalogue app. This time-saver will allow

Sara to view products in-between daycare

drop-offs, while commuting on the train,

and waiting in the doctor’s office.

IKEA Offers Creative Storage Solutions

Web Site

Sara visits the web site and easily locates

the Children’s IKEA tab. She is comforted by

the numerous resources on how to:

> create a child-friendly home

> prepare for a new arrival, and

> customize storage solutions.

Sara chooses to CHAT LIVE with, Ask Anna,

the automated online assistant, who

reassures her about product safety and, if

unsatisfied, the online purchase return

policy.

Before long, Sara checks out her shopping

cart opting for home delivery. Then prior to

leaving the site, she subscribes to the

monthly newsletter.

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WIREFRAMES The IKEA wireframe can be analyzed from

the behavior of the following two personas:

a young couple and a mother of 3 children.

Persona 1

William and Katherine

William and Katherine decide to purchase

the furniture for their new house at IKEA,

because thanks to Facebook they

understood how IKEA is their best option

compared to many other companies, most

of all in terms of style and value.

After having read some posts and feedback

of the IKEA Facebook page they got really

satisfied about IKEA and its offerings and to

make the purchase there rather than in

other companies.

Their idea is to order the items that they

want to purchase throughout the IKEA web

site and then to go get them in person at

their nearest store location.

From the web site homepage they select

the country (United Kingdom) to figure out

where the closest location to them is, and

to better understand if they would have to

drive too much to get the items that they

ordered online. From the “Your local IKEA

store” they can easily see that there’s more

than one store close to them and decide to

select the one in Lakeside.

They go to the “Shop Online” link, under

“Customer Relations”, to understand how

the process of online purchase works with

IKEA.

Then, they decide to register their profile at

the “Login”; in this way they’ll be able to

save their items online once they decide

which ones they want to purchase. Once

registered, they start surfing the web site to

see what it offers, in particular in the

following sections: kitchen, bedroom,

bathroom and living room. They find the

photos in them very helpful, because they

can give a better idea of the items. They

also check out the “Summer offers” link to

see if there are other items that they could

be interested in and that were not listed in

the sections that they just check out. They

also want to see if these offers match the

ones that they found in the IKEA Facebook

page. They make their choices based on the

style that they are looking for and the value

that they attribute to the items. For each

selected item, they also check its stock

availability and size, in order to figure out

how it would fit in the new house.

After this research, they think that it might

be worth to take a look at the “Members

get more” link, to understand if in the

future they can benefit from IKEA through a

membership.

Once all this information is collected, and

their Shopping list has been double checked,

they go to the store that they selected at

the beginning to get the items that they just

ordered.

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WIREFRAMES Persona 1 – William & Katherine Mountbatten-Windsor

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WIREFRAMES

Persona 2 – Sara Atherton

Sara is a very busy woman, as her children and her job take most of her time. She wants to buy some furniture for her children and she decided to follow an advice from a friend of her, who told her that the IKEA App might be a good choice for her. She realizes that this is actually a great solution for her, because she’ll be able to look for furniture while she’ll be looking after her children. The IKEA App, which is the digital copy of the old IKEA catalogue, gives Sara a great idea of what she is looking for and how much she would have to spend. Most of all, she can also see how the products that she’s interested to would look like in her house. For this reason, she decides to check out IKEA web site and, in particular, the “Children’s IKEA” link, which is located in the main link menu. This section makes her feel very comfortable, as it includes items that might be very handy for her two children (“Children” link) and the newborn (“Baby” link) too. Even better, she can find some extra useful information at the “Get advice for creating a kid-friendly home” link, here she can get rid of many doubts about how the items that she’s looking for might suit her children and baby’s needs. And since Sara is too busy with her children, she thinks that making the whole purchase online will be the best idea. For this reason, she wants to know how much the home delivery expenses are for the items that she selected. This information can be easily found at the “Shop Online” link, under “Services, shipping and return policy”.

The delivery expenses look good to her, but there’s still one more thing she wants to clarify, the return policy. She contacts “Ask Anna”, the automated online assistant, and clarifies her last few doubts. At this point, Sara feels 100% comfortable to make her purchase online at the IKEA web site. She registers her profile at the “Log In” area and purchases what she had in her mind before.

This has been a great purchase experience

for Sara, who thinks that IKEA will still be

very helpful to her even in the future; for

this reason she decides to register to the

IKEA Newsletter to keep in touch with

future IKEA deals and promotions that can

be useful to her and her family.

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WIREFRAMES Persona 2 – Sara Atherton