Swedish Ikea studies open shops in Brazil

The largest company in the mobile sector in the world, the Swedish Ikea, informed, for the first time, which considers opening stores in Brazil. Present in 40 countries, the group will make studies on the entry in the Brazilian retail. The news was obtained exclusively by the Broadcast, news service in real time the State Agency.
Still no date for the opening of the first unit, but the company already has one foot in Brazil: an Office works for more than a year in Curitiba and about 20 employees display the first badges of Ikea Brazil. After years of rumors in the furniture sector, the Country finally entered in Ikea's plans to grow in emerging markets. ?The Ikea Group considers Brazil a potential future market and performs preliminary studies about the possibility of entry into this market?, reported the company to the Broadcast. The company emphasizes, however, that the entry in retail? will not come overnight.
Known for selling furniture with design and low prices, the company has looked with increasing attention emerging. As of now, India and Brazil appear as the next two major challenges of the company. The plans for the India are more advanced.
In may, the company received local government permission to start an ambitious plan of opening up to 25 stores. The intention is to invest nearly $ 2 billion in the Indian market.
The project to Brazil are in less advanced stage, but the confirmation of the interest in the domestic market marks a shift in the discourse of the company, which has always denied any plan for the Country. The Latin America has been studied by the group for at least three years, when it opened the first store in the region, in the Dominican Republic. During this period, was also inaugurated a branch in Puerto Rico.
Ikea executives began to bet more chips in emerging countries after the successful experience in Russia and China. Inaugurated in 2000, the Russian affiliate is the fifth best seller in the world and currently accounts for 6% of global revenues from Ikea.
Emerging
China also has lush numbers: Beijing has the most visited Ikea store in the world. Only in 2011, more than six million people have passed through the unit. Three of the five largest Ikea stores in the world are in China. In all, are 14 addresses in the Chinese market and 13 in Russia.
One of the challenges of Ikea in Brazil will be the consumer receptivity to the idea of setting up their own furniture. Worldwide, the store is known for offering items that attempt to combine design, simplicity and low price. To this end, the company offers few perks and virtually everything that is sold-luminaire the sofa must be mounted by the customer himself. In Brazil, however, the furniture sector generally delivery items assembled in the House. This occurs even in stores that can be compared to Ikea, like Tok Stok & and Etna.
The sale of the disassembled furniture is a trademark of Ikea. This offers a great advantage to the company that we just don't spend time and money on the Assembly of products. Ikea was founded in 1947 in Sweden by Ingvar Kamprad, who already was the fourth richest man in the world and retired in June with 87 years. Reports in the Swedish press say that Kamprad was until recently a Volvo year 1993 and only travels economy class.
Curitiba
Ikea chose the city of Curitiba as your first address in South America. In the capital of Paraná, an Office of the Swedish company works for more than a year for the purchase of furniture in the region. Seven suppliers already have signed contract with the company.
For almost five years, began operating a small commercial representation in Curitiba. At first, the few employees just bought raw wood, who was sent directly to stores in North America. Over time, the relationship with suppliers became stronger and started to be purchased items manufactured in Brazil. Thus, the representation was elevated to the status of Office. The partners provide basically furniture produced with pine, but Ikea says that? there is potential for the search of other materials in the country?. The items bought by paranaense are sold mainly in subsidiaries of Ikea in the United States. The information is from the newspaper O Estado de s. Paulo.