Swedish furniture company IKEA now has a second online-only store in India, this one in Pune. The store follows an earlier, similar model that opened in Mumbai without an actual building, according to reports. The rollout furthers IKEA’s strategy to connect with Indian consumers, and accelerate the sale of its traditional home furniture products.
IKEA India Market Manager Per Hörnell said in a statement, “Maharashtra is a very important market for IKEA, and we see a lot of potential in Pune. IKEA’s priority is to meet consumer expectations by being affordable, accessible and sustainable.”
He added that the company intends to streamline physical deliveries to customers who order items through the store’s web interface.
“Our online shop has over 7,000 products, of which more than 800 products are [priced] below ₹200 [$2.81 USD]. With our fulfillment center in Pune (Chakan), we are well-prepared to serve our customers with a shorter delivery time,” Hörnell said.
Buyers have the option to book IKEA professionals to put the furniture items together, or they can assemble the products on their own.
Pune now houses IKEA India’s initial distribution center, anticipating more fulfillment needs over the next few years, and intends to establish and utilize two more in Delhi and Bengaluru.
IKEA India’s Mumbai online store has recorded nearly 4 million visits since August 2019, the company said.
In addition to facilitating exclusive eCommerce stores, as well as adapting to new consumer trends and lifestyles, IKEA is creating larger physical megastores — such as in Vienna, Austria — in heavily populated urban areas. This will be done without any parking spaces included around the buildings, as more global consumers embrace car-free lifestyles, PYMNTS reported earlier this month.