IKEA’s marketing operations have been rooted in the concept of the 4 Ps. However, being an international retailer in the furniture industry, it is seen that their 4 P’s do differ in various regions.

Firstly, the way it prices its products do differ in different countries. All along, IKEA’s philosophy is that it would price its products at low prices in order to attract more consumers. However, this philosophy was difficult to implement when IKEA expanded into  

China. There was plenty of confusion as their prices were not low enough as compared to their competitors, but were seen by the middle class as too low to be a ‘westernized’ product. As such, IKEA priced its products according to their consumer base and income levels to ensure that they are affordable.

Secondly, the products that it offers varies from place to place. In the US, consumers favored larger beds and bigger wardrobes but in Asian countries, the furniture on sale has to be significantly smaller, due to the smaller sizes of Asian homes. In countries like Singapore, houses are much smaller than those in Sweden and thus accommodations to the local market over there has to be made.

Thirdly, the store locations (place) have usually been in places that are in the suburbs so that rent might be lower. However, they would be situated near the highways so that it is easily accessible by car. This concept worked well in Europe but it failed badly in China as most people commuted by public transport. Thus, IKEA began to set up their stores close to rail and bus networks in order to reach out to their Chinese consumers.

Lastly, IKEA’s product catalogue as a means of promotion posed huge challenges in China as well, as it provided a means for competitors to imitate their products. However, once it began advertising on the Chinese social media and micro blogging website Weibo, its brand awareness surged significantly.

In conclusion, it can be seen that IKEA has adapted well to alter its marketing mix when it entered the Asian markets.