IKEA to go omnichannel, invest Rs 3,000 Cr in 3 fulfilment centres

Swedish furniture major IKEA is planning to invest over Rs 3,000 crore for upcoming three fulfilment centres in Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi.

After launching in Hyderabad in August, the company had already hinted that it would open the second store in Mumbai during 2019, followed by Bengaluru and Delhi NCR.

According to IKEA deputy country manager Patrik Antony, the company is also planning to open these new centres as an omni-channeling brand with large IKEA stores, city centre stores, and online presence, reports ET.

IKEA will kick-start its online business in Mumbai from 2019.

With its multichannel strategy, the company aims to create 25 customer touchpoints by 2025 and to reach 49 Indian cities with over one million in population by 2030.

During an interview, Antony revealed that the firm has more than 7,000 products all under one roof and it had received more than 700,000 visitors in the Hyderabad store.

Besides, it has more than 55 suppliers, with 45,000 direct employed and about 400,000 in the extended supply chain.

As far as online distribution is concerned, IKEA needs a strong supply chain and it is exploring discussion with delivery partners. For the assembly, the company has its own in-house team and has partnered with UrbanClap.

In India, IKEA is expected to pose tough competition to incumbents including Urban Ladder, Pepperfry, and Walmart-owned Flipkart for larger market share.