IKEA World’s Largest Store in Mall of Asia, Philippines
Pasay City, Philippines – The world’s largest home furnishing retailer, IKEA, has set foot in the Philippines and the Filipinos couldn’t be more excited. The company was founded in Sweden over 75 years ago, and today, its presence is enjoyed all over the globe. Currently, the brand caters to 50 countries with more than 400 stores.
Setting foot in the Philippines
The well-respected brand aims to open its doors to its Filipino market, offering a wide range of well-designed and functional home furnishings at the most affordable prices. The first branch in the Philippines is being constructed to be twice as large as a typical IKEA store. They want their flagship store to measure 65,000 square meters, almost as large as 150 basketball courts.
The construction started in 2018 with a budget of P7 billion. According to George Platzer, IKEA Southeast Asia’s market development manager, some construction amendments have delayed this project. Instead of 2020, their ribbon cutting and opening will be pursued sometime in 2021 instead.
So far, no changes to the initial plans have been communicated. They still aim to build a 5-story complex, which will be the largest IKEA store in the world. Only 2 levels will be for retail, which is pegged to house over 8,000 products. The rest of the levels will serve as a warehouse, a call center, and a home to its e-commerce operations.
Where can you find the flagship store?
The new IKEA store will be located at the SM Mall of Asia, in the Manila Bay area (Mall of Asia Complex, J.W. Diokno Blvd, Pasay, 1300 Metro Manila). Once the construction is completed, IKEA Mall of Asia will be the mall’s biggest tenant.
What can you expect from IKEA, Philippines?
For IKEA Mall of Asia’s grand opening, a minimum of 500 staff will be employed across its operations. Platzer stated that they have expansion plans after accumulating enough learning experience in the Philippine territory.
The brand aims to serve the Filipinos well. In fact, he mentioned Austria, which is home to 8 million people. There are around 7 IKEA stores in this country, and he aims to replicate the same success in the Philippines, which is home to over 120 million people. Platzer is optimistic around their expansion in the Philippines, which he mentions is a very young country.
Their market research reveals that the average age among Filipinos is 24 and that many people in this age bracket love the balance of shopping online and in-store for items that inspire them. Even in this day and age, nothing beats being able to see and feel products during a shopping experience, especially if they will grace your home for a long time.
What can you expect in-store?
IKEA Philippines endeavors to provide Filipino homes with better comfort, sustainability, and organization. When shopping in-store, Filipinos can expect 50 well-designed and creatively styled showrooms. Should you get inspired by these rooms, you can just pick the same items used and take them home–the decision has been made for you. You can also browse through IKEA’s local website for a catalog of what you can expect to see in the store. These catalogs will also contain over 100 design ideas for inspiration.
However, if you have your own style, you will undoubtedly enjoy shopping around. The big yellow shopping bags will come to your aid. Select your preferred items and collect them through these bags. Anything a home needs, you can find in IKEA. Its Market Hall will contain specialty shops that include candles, cookware, towels, and even taps. As long as you need it at home, you can find it in IKEA’s store or website. Since commuting in the Philippines can be painful, IKEA is also investing in e-commerce so you can have your preferred items delivered at your doorstep.
If you are accompanied by your little ones, they can lounge in IKEA’s supervised play area called Smaland. Otherwise, children can shop with you as they test out toys in-store. The store also has dedicated feeding and changing rooms for all nursing mothers.
What if you get hungry, roaming around the World’s Largest IKEA?
A whole day of shopping is fun yet exhausting. IKEA SM Mall of Asia believes that no customers should make decisions on an empty stomach. You can expect delectable Swedish meatballs in-store. They are ensuring that a Swedish Bistro will accommodate your cafe needs too. Here, you can drink a cup of your favorite coffee, or take a break with ice cream. If you like their dishes so much, they have frozen meatballs and seafood you can cook at home. Adults and children will surely love the dining options at IKEA Philippines.
What to expect next?
George Platzer, IKEA Southeast Asia’s market development manager, confirms that the construction of the largest IKEA in the world is going well. With their opening date anticipated sometime next year (2021), you can expect more information later this year. Until then, all we can do is patiently wait and save up for a more stellar-looking home.
FAQ
Is IKEA open in Philippines?
The first IKEA PH store will open in 2021
Where is the biggest IKEA in the world?
Currently, the world’s largest IKEA store at 59,000 m2 (640,000 sq ft) opened near the Gwangmyeong Station, in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on December 18, 2014. Once the new Mall of Asia store opens, it will become the biggest IKEA store in the world.
Sources:
- https://www.ikea.ph/working-with-ikea/
- https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/02/14/20/why-ikea-moved-opening-of-first-philippines-store-to-2021
- https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/21/18/ikeas-challenge-predicting-best-seller-in-philippines
- https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/11/20/18/why-ikea-chose-ph-for-worlds-biggest-store
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