New Planning Studios opening to make IKEA more accessible for more Australians

IKEA Australia is set to open new customer meeting points in Australia called Planning Studios in 2022.

The first IKEA Planning Studio will open in Northwest Melbourne before the end of the year, with an additional location looking to be secured in Newcastle, which will be a first for the NSW city.

Mirja Viinanen, CEO for IKEA Australia says, “The goal for our expansion is simple: we will be where the many people are, offering more people the ability to choose when, where, and how they want to engage with IKEA. Convenience is at the heart of our strategy.

“We will continue to transform and test new formats like the new Planning Studios to be able to meet our customers where it is convenient for them, and we are constantly researching where this need is the greatest to inform our expansion strategy.”

     

Unlike the traditional big blue boxes, a Planning Studio, sized between just 300 – 500m2 in size, is a place where customers can plan and order complex home furnishing products and services such as kitchens, wardrobes, and console units.

Each studio will have a collection point close by where customers can collect their products.

There will be no immediate articles or food on site and the main focus will be in assisting customers to create their dream home furnishing solutions.

The two IKEA Planning Studios for Australia will gather important customer insights and feedback during the initial months of opening.

Based on their success, IKEA Australia will consider opening additional Planning Studios in 2023.

Initially in Melbourne with potential for more across the rest of the country.