Swedish furniture retailer, IKEA marked its debut in India on Thursday. The company, which has employed 950 people directly and another 1,500 indirectly at its store in Hyderabad, plans to hire 15,000 in the coming years as it expands operations in India. The Swedish furniture retailer is pushing into new countries in South America and Asia as growth slows in its traditional strongholds, including Europe. It is betting on India with its growing middle class, likely aiming to avoid a repeat of the high pricing that initially hit sales in China and Australia.
After Hyderabad, IKEA is planning to open a store in Mumbai, folowed by Bengaluru and Delhi-NCR respectively.
While IKEA informed that it will provide delivery and assembly service to its customers who are not familiar with the DIY (do it yourself) concept. The store has as much as 1000 products under Rs 200.
According to the IKEA's website, various products including soft toys, table lamp, wall clock, cutlery set, cushion covers among others were seen to be priced under Rs 200.
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"http://www.dnaindia.com/business/photo-gallery-in-pics-ikea-opens-first-india-store-in-hyderabad-facts-about-world-s-largest-furniture-provider-2647651/ikea-is-an-acronym-for..-2647672At IKEA, you’ll find our range of well designed, affordable home furnishing solutions – all waiting to be tried out. This way, you can plop down on the sofas, open up the wardrobes and feel the rugs to decide what you like best while you’re in the store,” Ikea said on its website.
IKEA at the launch shared that it has adopted a "non-negotiable" approach to hire 50 per cent women at all levels in India, even "including forklift drivers and assembling co-workers".
"IKEA India, part of the IKEA Group, has been present in India for 30 years, sourcing many different products for IKEA stores worldwide. We work with 48 suppliers in India, engaging 45,000+ direct co-workers and approximately 400,000 coworkers in our extended supply chain. Our suppliers are long term partners who share our vision and values", IKEA mentioned on its website, talking about its relationship with India.
IKEA reportedly had surveyed around 800 homes in India to study the living pattern and the Hyderabad store launch came after 12 vigorous research on the Indian household.
