The IKEA consumer profile - Updated

Introduction

The consumer knows that they want to achieve a stylish, contemporary look for their house but don’t have the total style confidence or budget to implement it. They go to furniture retailers, such as IKEA as a source of inspiration. The apartment-style rooms are laid out with everything purchasable, so if they like the ‘look’ they can buy it! It is accessible for most people to achieve with a low to middle price point.

The three key dimensions of IKEA are therefore: Good FORM and FUNCTION, at a LOW PRICE, which applies to this consumer.

In-store - what the consumer wants

'Our furniture showrooms are designed to give our customers lots of ideas for every area of the home including your kitchen, bedroom and living room,' said Carole Reddish, Ikea's deputy managing director for the UK and Ireland.

Consumers like to 'try before they buy'; stretch out on a bed, see how many people they can fit on a sofa, or let your children choose furniture for their rooms for example. 

All the merchandise is laid out in context: living room, kitchen, dining room so you can see the products where they might be in real life, allowing an achievable look for the customer.

In this report: http://dspace.k.utb.cz/bitstream/handle/10563/9842/%C5%A1tursa_2009_bp.pdf?sequence=1

87% of respondents stated that they could imagine themselves to living in the designed rooms that are presented in the IKEA stores.

This result shows that many people visiting IKEA stores want their home to look like the showrooms. They are not able to design their homes themselves.

Consumer segmentation

There are 2 different types of consumer.....(first more relevant for us)

1. The young couple (25-35 years old) who are moving into their first home together, maybe with their first child living in a flat in the city.

They could be categorised as Generation Y - young with a low-income.

IKEA is their chosen retailer because of its combination of fashionability and competitive pricing. They are inquisitive, diverse, opinionated, and street smart. 

The couple are cautious spenders feeling the pinch in the current economic climate. They also don't want to spend a lot of money, because they don't know their future.

They are willing to work hard and put together their furniture, because they know that the price is reasonable.

(IKEA targets people with a “do it yourself and save money doing it” kind of lifestyle. IKEA focuses on people with this lifestyle because they are the ones that are not going to mind traveling a little bit and assembling the furniture on their own in order to save some money)

http://kevinrjohnson.weebly.com/uploads/5/6/3/7/5637086/marketing_paper.pdf

Tom Cahill, 32 years old married to Lindsay Cahill, 31 years old with a 4 month old baby.

1. When you moved into your new Bristol home, what retailers/shops did you go to buy things for your new house?

John Lewis, Marks and Spencer, Achica, Sainsburys, Lakeland Plastics and some local independents close to our house.

2. Do you like to go to IKEA? What attracts you to it? Do you always go there to buy specific things?

We do go to Ikea but we don't particularly like the experience.  It's always busy but given the variety of furniture that is actually quite well made, we go there as probably our first choice for round the house furniture.  It helps that there's one in Bristol.  We always go there with something in mind. Never just to browse (or to buy meatballs).

3. What fashion brands do you both like to buy?

Diesel, H&M, Gap, Asos, Zara

4. Please describe your interior taste. (colour, look, patterns) 

Our house is pretty neutral: greys, light browns etc with some colourful, generally block colours on cushions etc.  We do have some patterned things in the kitchen and bathroom.  Quite like Orla Kiely patterns.

5. Please name some favourite TV programmes, music and films.

Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Strictly Come Dancing

Kings of Leon, Bic Runga, Drake, Knife Party

The Hangover, Moon, Heat, Alien

2. Middle-age family who are moving house, perhaps the children have left home and the parents (50s) want to change their sterotype way of life

They are possibly with a higher income than the young couple who visit IKEA for new inspiration, but may only decide to choose the more expensive products, because they can afford it.

They want to find new furniture for their new home.