Ikea tests online second-hand market
The furniture retailer IKEA is testing an online marketplace for used goods. The platform is currently available in Madrid and Oslo.
Since Monday, the "Ikea Preowned" platform has enabled direct trade between customers who want to buy and sell used products from the Swedish group. The test phase in the capital cities of Spain and Norway will run until the end of the year, Ikea CEO Jesper Brodin was announced in the Financial Times (FT) quoted.
If the test is successful, "Ikea Preowned" will be launched worldwide. The platform would compete with online marketplaces such as Ebay or Craigslist.
The project has been "a dream for some time", said the managing director of Ingka, the main operator of the Ikea stores, the FT. Ikea has reached a point "where we can do more advanced and cooler things". There is great confidence in the company's digital development.
Lifespan of Ikea products to be extended
For some time now, it has been possible to sell used furniture at Ikea, which the company then resells in its own stores. The Group is now increasingly focusing on digitalization to promote sustainability.
The aim is to reduce the production of waste and extend the lifespan of the company's own products, emphasized Brodin. With "Ikea Preowned", you can offer a product for sale with your own photos and a price. Ikea adds further information - such as dimensions, new price or advertising images.
The goods must be collected directly from the seller. In Madrid, for example, you could buy a used three-seater Kivik sofa for 332 euros on Monday. That is 217 euros less than the new price of 549 euros in Spain. In total, more than 450 products were for sale on the new platform at the start of the test phase in Madrid. (SDA/swi)
