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Good news: Ikea coming
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optik404



Joined: 24 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 5:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When did Ikea become quality furniture? Most of their stuff is particle board garbage that's designed well. Some of their more expensive couches are decent but the everyday stuff isn't made to last.

My guess is the low end furniture makers in Korea are putting up a fight. They'll have to lower their prices to compete. The high end shops that sell imported furniture don't see Ikea as a threat.
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atwood



Joined: 26 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dairyairy wrote:
FWIW it seems that Ikea wants to enter the Korean market, later this year, with their first three major stores already approved. This must be for political reasons after seeing how Costco's growth has been limited by the Korean government in the name of protectionism.


http://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2983108&cloc=joongangdaily|home|newslist2

Quote:
A third branch of Sweden’s famous Ikea furniture store could be set up in southeastern Seoul as early as 2017.

Ikea’s first two Korean stores are scheduled to open in Gyeonggi in the second half of this year and in two to three years. According to the Gangdong District government yesterday, Ikea has expressed its intention to buy 13,000 square meters (3.21 acres) of land in Godeuk commercial zone, southeastern Seoul.

The local government is still negotiating with the Swedish company. Even if the local government inks an agreement with Ikea in the first half of this year, final approval from the Seoul City government is required.

Ikea announced it would enter the Korean market in late 2011.

After a six-month negotiation with the local government of Gwangmyeong in western Gyeonggi, south of the Han River, the Swedish company received approval to open its first branch in August. The first store is scheduled to open in the second half of the year on a 78,000-square-meter plot of land next to the Gwangmyeong KTX station.

Four months after that approval, Ikea Korea announced late last month that it had bought a 51,200-square-meter plot of land in Goyang, Gyeonggi, northwest of the Han River, for its second branch.

This was an unusual move because Ikea usually decides on a second branch in a country after monitoring its first branch for two or three years.

While the first two branches are expected to attract customers in the western part of greater Seoul, the third branch, although smaller in size, is expected to attract customers in the eastern Seoul area, including Bundang.

Local governments such as Gangdong expect Ikea to boost their regional economies.

However, approval from the Seoul government is uncertain because it always worries that retail giants like Ikea could have a negative impact on smaller merchants and furniture businesses.


BTW, what Korean companies sell quality furniture in Korea? So who are they "protecting" from Ikea? Sounds like the same tune the government is whistling about Costco and other large companies.

There are a lot of furniture stores in Korea, enough in fact to make you wonder who is buying all the furniture.

Then of course the department stores sell furniture and may have some political clout.
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Old Painless



Joined: 01 Jan 2014

PostPosted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 12:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Swedish utopian lifestyle supplier is one of those places where everything works great until it doesn't and from then on, you are doomed and there is no escaping your doom.
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salutbonjour



Joined: 22 Jan 2013

PostPosted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

optik404 wrote:
When did Ikea become quality furniture? Most of their stuff is particle board garbage that's designed well. Some of their more expensive couches are decent but the everyday stuff isn't made to last.

My guess is the low end furniture makers in Korea are putting up a fight. They'll have to lower their prices to compete. The high end shops that sell imported furniture don't see Ikea as a threat.


Ikea sells crap stuff, but the design is quite good and the price will be acceptable once it opens in Korea (versus "cheap" back home).

What's good about Ikea is that it is in stark contrast to Korean furniture which is bland, tasteless and expensive. Some of it is quality, but it still is bland and expensive.

Ikea has always been about being able to furnish a place in a decent style for cheap and, when you can afford it, you replace piece by piece.
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atwood



Joined: 26 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Wed Jan 08, 2014 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's amazing how many interior designers post on this site.

Thanks for all the great tips!
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dairyairy



Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Thu Jan 09, 2014 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

optik404 wrote:
When did Ikea become quality furniture? Most of their stuff is particle board garbage that's designed well. Some of their more expensive couches are decent but the everyday stuff isn't made to last.

My guess is the low end furniture makers in Korea are putting up a fight. They'll have to lower their prices to compete. The high end shops that sell imported furniture don't see Ikea as a threat.


Wait until it opens and see if you can even get in the store.
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cdninkorea



Joined: 27 Jan 2006
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 6:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.
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Old Painless



Joined: 01 Jan 2014

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cdninkorea wrote:
My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.


Not to mention the rage that will ensue once Koreans realize that when they lose the little 'special tool' that Ikea crap comes with can never be found again.
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Savant



Joined: 25 May 2007

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Old Painless wrote:
cdninkorea wrote:
My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.


Not to mention the rage that will ensue once Koreans realize that when they lose the little 'special tool' that Ikea crap comes with can never be found again.


I'm sure some Korean will create a company that will have mobile DIYers who can travel to people's homes to build their flat pack furniture.
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dairyairy wrote:
optik404 wrote:
When did Ikea become quality furniture? Most of their stuff is particle board garbage that's designed well. Some of their more expensive couches are decent but the everyday stuff isn't made to last.

My guess is the low end furniture makers in Korea are putting up a fight. They'll have to lower their prices to compete. The high end shops that sell imported furniture don't see Ikea as a threat.


Wait until it opens and see if you can even get in the store.


I can only imagine that it will be similar to the ones here in Shanghai. I went to one once....ONCE.
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optik404



Joined: 24 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 5:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cdninkorea wrote:
My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.


I've ordered a lot of furniture on gmarket over the years, it's all DIY and the only tool you need is a screwdriver. I think they can handle it.
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 7:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

optik404 wrote:
cdninkorea wrote:
My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.


I've ordered a lot of furniture on gmarket over the years, it's all DIY and the only tool you need is a screwdriver. I think they can handle it.


LOL at bashing IKEA furniture as garbage and then admitting to this.
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optik404



Joined: 24 Jun 2008

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

byrddogs wrote:
optik404 wrote:
cdninkorea wrote:
My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.


I've ordered a lot of furniture on gmarket over the years, it's all DIY and the only tool you need is a screwdriver. I think they can handle it.


LOL at bashing IKEA furniture as garbage and then admitting to this.


You sure do love following me around on Dave's.

Let me explain this to you like you're five. Ikea and cheap furniture in Korea is garbage. That doesn't mean I won't buy it. Because like most foreigners in Korea, I'm not staying here forever. I also know McDonalds is garbage, but I still eat it.
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byrddogs



Joined: 19 Jun 2009
Location: Shanghai

PostPosted: Fri Jan 10, 2014 11:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

optik404 wrote:
byrddogs wrote:
optik404 wrote:
cdninkorea wrote:
My question: Will Ikea still be DIY when it opens here? Their target market, i.e. middle-class 30-40 something office workers, won't have the equipment or know-how to put together furniture.


I've ordered a lot of furniture on gmarket over the years, it's all DIY and the only tool you need is a screwdriver. I think they can handle it.


LOL at bashing IKEA furniture as garbage and then admitting to this.


You sure do love following me around on Dave's.

Let me explain this to you like you're five. Ikea and cheap furniture in Korea is garbage. That doesn't mean I won't buy it. Because like most foreigners in Korea, I'm not staying here forever. I also know McDonalds is garbage, but I still eat it.


You give yourself too much credit. Following you around? ROFL at you eating and buying garbage.
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littlelisa



Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's already some IKEA stuff on gmarket, though not a huge amount of variety. I got a lamp and a small end table, and both were DIY and decently priced. An actual store opening here will just increase the variety available.
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