Ever been lost in an IKEA store? It's not your fault - turns out the store was actually designed like a maze. Why? Elementary, my dear Watson: it's so you shop more!
The home furnishing chain’s mazy layouts are a psychological weapon to part shoppers from their cash, an expert in store design claims. The theory is that while following a zig-zag trail between displays of minimalist Swedish furniture, a disorientated Ikea customer feels compelled to pick up a few extra impulse purchases.
According to Alan Penn, director of the Virtual Reality Centre for the Built Environment at University College London, Ikea's strategy is similar to that of out-of-town retail parks - keep customers inside for as long as they can.
'In Ikea's case, you have to follow a set path past what is effectively their catalogue in physical form, with furniture placed in different settings which is meant to show you how adaptable it is,' he said. 'By the time you get to the warehouse where you can actually buy the stool or whatever's caught your eye, you're so impressed by how cheap it is that you end up getting it.'
And when I'm in a hurry, I just look for the overhead posted signs indicating the most direct "shortcut" path to the self-serve/warehouse/checkout-tills.
But then, I've only sampled a few IKEA stores in each of a few countries, so I suppose your local one might be radically different.
Its a rat maze for the newbies though.
It's also to expose customers to as much merchandise as possible.
this is what I like to do to make my visits at IKEA fun.
http://samirisalsobored.tumblr.com/post/2586751857/how-to-have-fun-at-ikea
I resent the layout of Ikeas every time I'm in one. It is such a transparent attempt to herd its customers like cattle. I'm here to pick a couple of umlats, goddamit, not take a grand tour of the lerts and fodon sets.
http://cherylbycheryl.blogspot.com
No impulsive buys really... It's nice just to look around.
Actually, we're being experimented on by aliens.
No one is forcing you to follow the arrows on the ground. You don't have to walk through the entire store if you don't want to.
The checkout has never been a problem either. I've been on slow days and on very busy holidays and it's always been relatively quick.
Even though much of their merchandise is completely not my style, I still find it a fascinating place and the items I do like are very well made for the price.
Really? At mine it takes one 'shortcut' (which is just an opening that's not featuring an arrow on the floor.)
That's an oldie.