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1953 — The furniture
showroom is opened in Älmhult. The IKEA range
focused on home furnishing products in the early
1950s. The opening of the showroom was an important
moment in the development of the IKEA concept.
For the first time customers could see and touch
our furnishings before ordering. This came about
as a solution to a problem. IKEA found itself
in a price war with its main competitor. As both
companies lowered prices, quality came at risk.
By opening the showroom, IKEA could in three dimensions
present its products with function, quality and
low price. And people did just what IKEA had hoped:
they wisely chose the products with the best value
for the money.
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1955 — IKEA begins designing its own furniture. There
were several reasons for IKEA to start designing
its own furniture. But what actually led to this-possibly
our best move ever-was quite ironic. Pressure
from our competitors caused suppliers to boycott
IKEA. This reaction to our early success required
us to begin designing our own furniture, which
in turn became the basis for our future growth.
Ultimately, this would lead to innovative design
and improved function at lower prices. Then, by
lucky inspiration, one early IKEA employee decided
to remove a table's legs so it would fit into
a car, and to avoid transport damage. From that
point on, we began to think in terms of design
for flat packaging. It led to even further reductions
in price for our customers. A pattern had begun
to establish itself at IKEA: turning problems
into opportunities.
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