Although marketing is a new subject to me, I feel as though IKEA has one of the most effective marketing teams around. If you have not gone to IKEA or do not know what it is, they sell home furnishing products. All their products are sold individually. For example: if one buys a table, they must buy the tabletop, the legs, and screws for it; and then are required to put it together themselves. I have not seen another company like it. Yet they have been able to persuade their new costumers to quickly become advocates for them.
They have done this with their marketing mix. Their products are simple and functional. IKEA knows what the customer wants before they know. Because everything comes unessembled and many things are very inexpensive, it has also let IKEA create a more expensive line still seem very affordable. They keep the number of stores to a very low level but really promote online and telephone sales. The IKEA magazine was just as anticipated as the Sears Christmas catalog. Their two main promotion tactics are their stores, massive blue and yellow warehouses that are visible from blocks away and their commercials for their bi-yearly sales.
Even with the few purchases I have made from their, I quickly became an advocate for their practical furniture. It also lets you say ” I made it myself.”