The president of Ingka, the holding company that groups together most of the Ikea stores in the world, expressed his optimism on Thursday about the project to develop and expand its online platform for the resale of its branded furniture between individuals, currently being tested in two cities. The Swedish furniture kit giant launched this market called Preowned this summer in Oslo and Madrid. The test is expected to last until December.
“I am personally studying the reactions” and “I am very optimistic” about the possibility of “offering (the platform) in many places, including France,” Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ingka, told reporters.
Ingka groups together most of the IKEA stores worldwide and represents more than 90% of its total turnover. “There are already good platforms in each market,” he said, “but we believe that our platform adds value,” citing in particular the automatic access to furniture dimensions, assembly and disassembly instructions, or even price suggestions.
An additional 15% credit to spend.
In Oslo and Madrid, the service is free of charge and the buyer and seller agree directly on the place of exchange of the product. The seller can choose to receive payment or receive an Ikea voucher with, in this case, an additional 15% credit to spend. “Interest in second-hand goods is growing,” says Jesper Brodin, who, however, says that he does not have a financial goal for this activity at the moment.
According to Ikea, the global market for used furniture is growing rapidly, with an expected annual growth rate of 6.4% by 2024. About 10% of the used furniture market is made up of products from its brand, the group believes. Ikea currently offers to buy back second-hand furniture in its stores to offer it at reduced prices compared to new furniture.
Source: BFM TV
