Success will come to any business if it knows how to focus on exploiting a certain customer group well. The goods and services of the business will be consumed more strongly if they are loved by customers.
However, unlike other companies, Ikea, the world's leading furniture retailer from Sweden, has been even more successful in launching a strategy to conquer multi-generational customers. This strategy contributed to a revenue of 11.3 billion euros in 2003 for the company, which has 180 stores in 30 countries around the world.
This unique idea started in 1996, when Ikea invited many stylists, sociologists... from all over the world to Sweden to study different stages in the life of customers to determine their furniture shopping solutions in each period. Then in 1997, Ikea opened a type of booth called "Ikea for children" with the aim of attracting customers who were about to start a family to come back when they had their first child. This initiative was a great success because Ikea not only provided furniture for families with children aged 3 to 7 but also provided many instructions on how to arrange things in the room. Next, Ikea launched products for young family owners such as desks, audio-visual stands, etc. Ikea also hung posters at the entrance explaining that customers had just purchased a product manufactured using an environmentally friendly process, ensuring sustainable development, and thanks to customers, environmental pollution was reduced. In addition, the most loyal customers also conveyed the ideas of the posters to their grandparents, encouraging them to buy the company's products.
Identifying children as potential customers for the future, Ikea tries every way to please the "little gods". This is very important because more than 50% of Ikea's customers are families with children. When children enter Ikea stores, they can stay in an entertainment area, have dress-up games or art workshops. If children like to follow their parents, Ikea will find ways to bring them maximum access to the company's products. Children can also push a toy shopping cart to choose the items they like without having to ask their parents' opinions like in other regular stores. Children will keep memories of Ikea and Ikea hopes that when they grow up, they will become its customers. In addition, Ikea also focuses on goods that have many uses, can be used in many places and especially have additional functions... toys for children, for example, armchairs that can slide or can play on a seesaw...
Ikea regularly researches customer tastes and releases new designs on time. They regularly hold furniture design competitions among students to find the most unique ideas. Currently, Ikea's main customers are the wealthy class. In the future, they aim to expand their customer base to the lower class.
According to Bwportal
