What started as a trickle of shoppers at 10 am, when the store opened, had turned into a steady stream about an hour later
Swedish major Ikea makes its way into India with first store in Hyderabad
Ikea's newest branch in hyderabad will be open to 11 pm - a full three hours later than branches in the chain's home country.
The company's products offering was based on a thorough understanding of the needs and aspirations of Indian households
The 400,000-square-foot showroom contains some 7,500 products, of which about 1,000 will sell for less than 200 rupees ($2.91) apiece
IKEA said it decided to move the date to August 9 from July 19 as it needs some more time to live up to its expected quality
Peter Betzel stated that the company needed some more time to ensure a perfect, safe and inspiring experience to customers and employees when the store is opened
In its maiden campaign for India, Ikea projects itself as a fun brand that can satisfy consumers looking for products across the price spectrum
The Swedish furniture major has postponed the date of opening its first store at Hyderabad to August 9 from July 19
The company has invested Rs 10 bn on its Hyderabad facility
Betzel was heading the IKEA Group's largest market - Germany
Ikea has already committed to invest Rs 75 million over the next 2-3 years in setting up its first distribution centre in Pune
The company has so far hired 100 people for its distribution operations in Pune, and is looking to employ at least 200 more there
Ikea, the world's largest seller of furniture, has its sights set on everyone
Swedish retail giant IKEA has acquired a fourteen acre plot of land on the outskirts of North Bengaluru to set up its third store in the country, which will potentially employ over 2,000 workers in the city. "Karnataka is a highly strategic and important market for IKEA. Along with retail stores, IKEA's Purchasing team will also grow local sourcing and engage with local artisan and communities in many projects," said Juvencio Maeztu, CEO of IKEA India, in a statement. The land, acquired from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) will be located near the Nagasandra metro station, in keeping with IKEA's plan of customers using public transport to get to its stores. The store in Bengaluru will be the third for IKEA in the country after Hyderabad and Mumbai. The store in Bengaluru will create employment opportunities for 500-700 people directly, half of which will be women, and another 1,500 jobs indirectly. IKEA says it will span 4.5 lakh square feet and is expected to have more .
Interview with Juvencio Maeztu, chief executive of IKEA India
Women employees will also have an option of truncated work hours by 50 per cent for another 16 weeks
IKEA India recently purchased 23 acres of land in Navi Mumbai for its first store in Maharashtra
Juvencio Maeztu added that the global furniture retailer has had to face land and labour problems in India