IKEA launches online store in Ireland
Lovers of Swedish furniture behemoth IKEA across the country no longer have to plan a trip to Ballymun in Dublin in advance -- they can now shop from the comfort of their own home, writes .
IKEA Ireland has announced the launch of its shop online service and the firm said that from today, consumers from all over Ireland will be able to purchase IKEA products at the click of a button.
It added that the online evolution marks the next phase of growth for the company in Ireland, as it strives to make IKEA products more accessible to people throughout the country.
Consumers will now be able to browse through thousands of IKEA products online, make their purchase and have their products delivered to their homes.
The current layout of the IKEA Ireland website will remain the same, and will now include a purchase button under each product, where items will then be added to an online shopping cart.
The launch of Shop Online in Ireland is the latest development in IKEA’s plan to become the world’s leading multichannel home furnishing retailer, it said.
IKEA said that it recognised that customers’ needs are changing, and that customers want more choice in how they shop.
IKEA Ireland market manager, Claudia Marshall said: “We know accessibility, convenience and value for time are critical factors in meeting our customers’ needs. Shop online gives customers across Ireland another way to shop with IKEA and allows them to choose how and when they want to shop with us.
"This launch will help create a seamless shopping experience from the digital right through to the physical meeting with our customers.”
The company made no reference to a second store in the Republic.
In May, IKEA announced it would create more than 1,300 new jobs in the UK, opening new stores in Sheffield in northern England, Exeter in the south west and Greenwich in London in 2018.
Cork has made a strong pitch to IKEA in recent years as a viable destination for a new store, with business, political and local government figures actively involved in selling the region to the multinational.
Local business groups across the county have stated the case for their various towns, with Mitchelstown, Charleville, Mallow, Fermoy, Ballincollig, Carrigtwohill, and Little Island all mentioned as possible locations.
IKEA held talks with Cork County Council at least twice, including meeting chief executive Tim Lucey.
In September 2016, it opened an order-and-collection point in Carrickmines, adding to its store in Ballymun, which opened in 2009. Before that, it opened a store in east Belfast.
