[gil]

Someone I know in Auckland tells me IKEA is coming to NZ later this year. Does anyone have any details? I couldn't find anything on the net.
Gil

[dawn]

I don't know about them opening a shop in NZ, but I do know that a company in NZ called simply design will import whatever you want from Ikea in Oz and deliver to your door for a fee, I sent my request for a quote off last week!

www.simplydesign.co.nz

[Paul]

Worthwhile opening that site and the Ikea.co.uk site and doing a comparison of prices.
Seems to me that everything is well over twice as expensive (of course it will be more expensive but 250% more in some cases?) - for those still in Uk you could probably do very well buying some stuff and taking it with you in your container!

[StevieD]

Good call Paul! It's a shame that, because Ikea is good value for money in the UK.
Our container will definitely be laden with some Swedish furniture that's for sure...

[Avalon]

Yep - theres another company as well that imports IKEA:
http://www.imports2u.co.nz/

Also pretty overpriced - especially as they are (only) coming in from OZ and not the UK.

Im after an Expedit bookcase £64 or $600 !!!!!!!! Yikes! Id expect it to be going First Class on Singapore Air for that.

[Jaideco]

Sorry to be a geek...
But it might be worth noting that they have registered the domain name Ikea.co.nz but this might be just a tactical move.

If anyone feels like asking the question... here is the address.

Domain Name ikea.co.nz
Status Active
Date Registered 00:30, 23/3/2004
Date Billed Until 00:30, 23/3/2006
Date Last Modified 07:20, 3/3/2005
Include in DNS? yes

Registrant Contact Name Inter IKEA Systems B.V.
Registrant Contact Address1 Olof Palmestraat 1
Registrant Contact City Delft
Registrant Contact Province NL
Registrant Contact Postalcode 0000
Registrant Contact Country NL (NETHERLANDS)
Registrant Contact Phone +32 23 574111
Registrant Contact Fax +32 2 3574498
Registrant Contact Email domainadm@INTER-IKEA.COM

[dawn]

But it was registered 2 years ago :( And only billed until 03/06 Hopefully they'll do something with it soon!

[Jaideco]

These days domains are VERY rarely registered for a fixed term, I would be surprised if this doesn't renew as soon as it it is due for another two years. If it isn't however I think we will have a fair idea what sort of priority this is. :-D

Incidentally I don't know if you heard about Hotmail.co.uk but Microsoft actually lost their claim to the site briefly because they did let it expire, fortunately the person who snapped it up handed it straight back to them.

[Malin]

Hello -
does simplydesign.co.nz still exist? I can't open their website...
Malin

[Singel]

Reported by Gill South, Herald on Sunday, 17 September 2006.

The rumours are all true.

IKEA is set to shake up the furniture retailing market in New Zealand, once they find a space big enough to call home.

"When IKEA comes here it is going to go off like a bomb. There's no competition. The current state of furniture retailing in New Zealand is abysmal." said Tim Morris, retail analyst.

IKEA, the trendy furniture style icon to the masses, is now actively scouring the Auckland market for a site, for its first store in New Zealand. The company has appointed specialist retail company, Retail Consulting Group, to help it find a location for the store. RCG director said that the retailer had finally been attracted here because of the burgeoning apartment market, which it saw as a prime opportunity for business.

IKEA has hesitated over the years about coming to New Zealand because of the size of the population but they are well over that hurdle............... Auckland is a big market and has good apartment market that will continue to grow.

RCG director wouldn't specify what areas the retailer was looking at, although he ruled out Albany.

There were some rumours that the most likely location would be Botany Downs or Mt Wellington, where there are several sites vacant for bulk retailers.

An Auckland IKEA is still a couple of years away as the retailer is yet to decide on a site in the expensive Auckland property market.

YIPEEEEE.......................... :clap :clap :clap :clap

[xanctus]

GREAT NEWSSSSSs thank's Singel for this rather really great news. IKEA definately need to have their store here in NZ. hehehehe
Do u still have the link that you got?

[kiwidebs]

Oh no, that means everyone's interiors will start to resemble mine!! At least my IKEA furnishings look a little different and funky here at the moment. Oh well, I'll give up my individuality for the chance to have a local IKEA:nice1 !


Debs

[KerryS]

Am I the only person who feels despondent about the thought of an impending Ikea store?
I think KiwiDebs has just pinpointed why - the total lack of individuality of those that shop there, being replicated all over the country. How dull and boring.
I like the fact that you can go into someone's home here and not instantly recognise their belongings as being from such and such. (Freedom furniture has that recognition factor amongst some people.)

[Singel]

Do u still have the link that you got?
I can't find the article online but I have scanned the Herald on Sunday ................... :)

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b47/Singel8/ikea1-1.png
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b47/Singel8/ikea2.png
:cheers

[Nienke]

Yahoooooooo!!!!! :raebanana

[K&CS]

Yup, hate Ikea - miss it like you'd miss toothache!! I won't be making the journey, that's for sure!

Kate

[jubjub]

I may go in, but only after a year when the queues have died down and the novelty has worn off, and even then NEVER at a weekend or on a bank holiday......

Mind you I have to say I have not missed it one little bit... and have saved a bomb by now probably....

[Marie P]

I like the market place for candles ,plants and plastic cups for the kids ,and my kids used to like the playrooms .
But I don't think I ever bought any furniture oh yes ...I bought duvet covers from there.

So I'm happy that IKEA is coming ........oooh nice ice creams too ;)

[xanctus]

Singel, that's very kind of you scanned the article and show it to us. Thank's so much...indeed NZ is growing hehehehehe

[Moorf]

We only went there on weekdays and only for their meatballs and chips :D and cheap kitchen accessories! Oh, and DIME BARS!! :raebanana

[Avalon]

Am I the only person who feels despondent about the thought of an impending Ikea store?
I think KiwiDebs has just pinpointed why - the total lack of individuality of those that shop there, being replicated all over the country. How dull and boring.
I like the fact that you can go into someone's home here and not instantly recognise their belongings as being from such and such. (Freedom furniture has that recognition factor amongst some people.)
Kinda both for me actually. Sad in a way - but glad I can get a cheap sofa - and thier bookcases!!!!!

[sarahw]

Ha, Moorf, that was my first thought too - Dime Bars - yum!!

Well I'm for it - happy that they're going to shake up the abysmal (and expensive) furniture market here (although we have bought some nice recycled rimu furniture & a very unusual coffee table - but at a price!)

I'll be able to get the good kids stuff they do & more of the chairs we brought over with us (we need 2 more desperately!), but everyone who comes into my house admired them as being 'different' ha! Nearly every house in Europe, US & Aus & probably a ton of other countries has them!!

Really though - is Ikea going to be so bad? First they are quite responsible with regards to wood from (no FSC furniture out here) well managed forests, which is more than I can say for most retailers in NZ (sorry getting on my Environmental soap box again - if we're gonna ship stuff into the country it may as well be responsible products!). I don't understand what people are complaining about anyway (unless you hate the designs & colours of their products), apart from hand-made furniture (& the stuff we've brought with us), everyone has the same stuff out here anyway! (I can usually go into someone's house & tell them exactly where their stuff has been bought from! - Kerry - I've just seen your post - I obviously spend far too much time in furniture shops!!!), so Ikea are actually adding a bit of choice to the equation, decent prices and trendy stuff to boot with fun colours - hoorah!!!

I went looking for a light for my daughter's bedroom - do you know how many ceiling lights there are for little girls in the shops of Welly/Porirua???? I did go into about 10 shops including 2 lighting warehouses - 2, that's how many!! Talk about free choice! They were both stink (and expensive!) so I shipped one over from Next Directory at a fraction of the price!

Its the same with clothes shops! Everyone ends up with the same clothes - v. embarassing when you're going out for a night out & both the boys of the couples are dressed in the same tops!! Believe me - it has happened to us & not just the once!

[DrPhred]

Cool.

Now I can finally talk my wife into making them move!

[StevieD]

After reading this I fully expect Ikea to be getting totally battered before we go :laugh

Got my eye on a nice bookcase and sofa, so guess there will be a few more little additions too.

[KerryS]

I've been to Ikea in Sydney - and the prices aren't what they are in the UK. No sofas for $300 there. I can't imagine that there will be once they arrive in NZ either...

Anyone who wants some Dime bars PM me - my dairy sells them, along with Dr Pepper and several other things I never see anywhere else.

[jubjub]

Only thing is, I do quite like my house, it looks like no-one elses here.... due to all the pale wood & pine.

But like Kerry said, bet its going to be real pricey over here in comparison to what we are used to.

[Rose]

Yayyyy!!! With Ikea in the country, there will be fewer reasons for my Swedish partner to want to run home again. We will be able to get meatballs and lingon jam in NZ.

Thank you, Ikea.

By the way, it would be great if Ikea gave the NZ retailers a bit of a wakeup call - there's nothing like a bit of competition from well priced, well designed, modern things.

[DebbieC]

Fabby, I have been stocking up on my Ikea bits and bats to put into our container when it leaves in a couple of weeks... so in the future I will only have to go to Auckland - mind you, bit of a trek from the South Island.

[Rose]

Debbie, maybe IKEA will do mail order within NZ or maybe they'll get a South Island agent. I am in the same boat. Share a container load of Ikea stuff down to the South Island in a year? I will get my catalogue out.... :cheers

Rose

[Poppy]

Fingers crossed it really does open, I miss Ikea. Would be nice if they opened one in Christchurch.

[spudulike]

They are definitely coming!! :raebanana :raebanana

This is from the NZ Herald today;
Ikea to arrive in 2008

Monday November 6, 2006
By Richard Inder


Swedish homeware giant Ikea - famed for its cheap and stylish flatpack furniture - plans to open a store in Auckland within the next two years, the Business Herald has learned.

The firm is said to have engaged Auckland consultants RCG to help it find a site for one of its giant stores.

Sources say the company is seeking a site near Albany and hopes to open its doors in 2008.

Ikea in Australia and Sweden and RCG declined requests for comment.

The arrival of the firm will provide stiff competition for retailers such as Harvey Norman and Freedom Furniture. It employs more than 100,000 people in 34 countries, operating out of huge barns selling furniture, bathrooms and kitchens and everything in between. It is thought the firm's demand for such a huge site is one of the factors that have delayed its entry into this market.

Ikea was founded in 1943 in Sweden by Ingvar Kamprad.

Its name comes from Kamprad's initials (I.K.) plus the first letters of Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd, the farm and village where he grew up.

The sleek and simple furniture designs that have made its reputation came only after competitors prohibited the company from using their designs, because they feared Ikea's growing strength.


Louise :)

[willsken]

:raebanana :raebanana :raebanana

[StevieD]

Now that IS good news :clap:clap:clap

[willowshouse]

Are both of those companies who ship from Australia out of business now? I am DESPERATE for some drawers for my girls and Ikea UK do exactly the right ones for £95 .. the closest I have seen over here is $1500 (and they are fantasically well made but, well.. it's $1,500!!)

Incidentally I want white painted wooden or MDF drawers .. I just don't want melamine - anyone any suggestions?

Dawn
(drawerless and desperate)

[KerryS]

Where are you Dawn? Target do both pine and MDF drawers which can be painted. And I'm sure they are a lot less than the $ equivalent of 95 pounds. (I have only just realised that I don't have a pound sign on my keyboard...)

[willowshouse]

Yes, been into Target .. they're not bad actually. Just didn't want to have to paint them myself :exit

Might have to though......... :(

[StevieD]

Dawn
(drawerless and desperate)


Anything else you'd like to tell us Dawn??!! :laugh:laugh:laugh

[willowshouse]

Anything else you'd like to tell us Dawn??!! :laugh:laugh:laugh


nope .............................. that's about sums it up! ;)

[thepiesleys]

Auckland is wide open for a furniture store - what there is here is crap and overpriced, the second hand stuff I would not put in my wood burner.

I've only been here 2 weeks though so maybe there is that elusive store I have not found yet.