Ikea has started an online store in Mumbai ahead of the launch of its physical retail store. The financial capital is the first Indian city where Ikea will deliver online orders. The Swedish furniture giant started its first retail store in Hyderabad last year. Now, it is celebrating the first year in the country, by offering online orders. Like Hyderabad, Mumbai will have access to entire catalogue of Ikea’s products. The company will cover deliveries in the greater Mumbai region, which includes Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane.
In comparison to rivals, Ikea is not offering free delivery at this moment. The Swedish company will charge a minimum of Rs 199 for delivery and costs increase according to weight of the product. Online retailers including Amazon India, Flipkart and local furniture players like Pepperfry and Urban Ladder offer free deliveries. While the Swedish company announced the official start of its operations in Mumbai today, the online order option has been unofficially available for more than a week now. The big change being that Ikea now has a dedicated section for Mumbai residents, offering a curated catalogue of products.
There are also early bird offers listed on the website, that are valid till August 31. In order to avail additional discounts, you can sign up for the free Ikea Family membership. The membership then grants users access to special prices on certain items. It took the company five years to launch its first store in India at HITEC City in Hyderabad. Its second store at the MIDC Turbhe of Navi Mumbai is under construction since 2017. The store is expected to open later this year. Gadgets360 notes that Ikea is using a distribution centre in Pune’s Chakan Industrial Area to service online orders from Mumbai.
The online delivery option marks a new strategy for Ikea, which has been trying to expand its presence in the country. It also plans to set up smaller outlets and pick up centers across Mumbai. Ikea aims to reach 49 Indian cities by 2030. Ikea website is currently accepting online orders for those living in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane. It is, however, not accepting orders via its app for iOS and Android.
