The Seven Functions of Marketing For IKEA
by Sireen Zayad
1. Examples: IKEA takes current trends and applies them into the rooms and catalogs they make, as well as the furniture. IKEA is international, thus allowing information from everywhere to reach them, mostly from social media. They also have on their website, a "Need Help" tab, where customers can get help from online for anything. In turn, IKEA uses these questions/concerns to improve their store/brand.
1.1. IKEA INFO
1.2. Marking Information Management
2. Distribution
2.1. Examples: Trucks, boats and trains are all needed to move products around. Customers can get their items online and either pick it up at the store or have come to their door with the shipping price "Starting at just $9.00!!". IKEA describes their distribution process as an "Art
3. Promotion
3.1. Examples: Currently, IKEA is having one of their "New Lower Prices" sales on the website. IKEA also has throughout its' website and stores, a "People and Planet Positive" mission that they have been working on since 2003. It is basically IKEA's many ways of helping the planet, by designing jobs for refugees, supporting the IRC (International Rescue Committee), creating better jobs/options for their customers and employees, doing anything for the environment, ect. Recently, the IKEA Foundation started to support more than 20 programs worldwide to help women lead the way. A new grant of €3.5 million to PRADAN is helping women in India form self-help groups so their voices won’t be ignored. Now they can earn a better income and access government funding for schools and healthcare in their communities. IKEA also has memberships the "IKEA FAMILY" membership (members get more), and they have the "IKEA BUSINESS" membership where businesses get deals and help with design/organization/ put together of their stores, ect.
3.1.1. People and Planet Positive
3.1.2. PRADAN
4. Selling
4.1. Example: IKEA sells worldwide in GIANT stores/warehouses. Also, IKEA's mission is to make better ways to "make a safer home", with "smarter organization". In the stores customers can get furniture help from the employees, and if the customer wishes to see a product would look in a room, there's literally computers throughout the store that have a software that the customer uses to design a room with whatever product AND they can print it out THERE (it all takes like, five minutes). IKEA also sells online. On the website customers can order products. Also, every year IKEA sends out catalogs for that year, advertising new products, new home trends, show new ways to use their existing furniture. IKEA LITERALLY puts EVERYTHING on their website, LITERALLY EVERYTHING, should the customer need information on anything.
4.1.1. The IKEA STORE
4.1.1.1. INSIDE
5. Financing
5.1. Example: IKEA is always trying to find ways to make their products cheaper, with this they try to find better, more efficient ways to make their products. Part of this is recycling and reusing wood, plastic, and other eco-friendly material.
5.1.1. Recycling
6. Product Service Managment
6.1. The red border is homage to the original design colors.
6.2. ALEX Drawer Unit
6.2.1. HEMNES Dresser
6.2.1.1. IKEA Chocolate
6.3. Examples: Trends!!! Constantly changing designs to fit the current trend climate. Currently, in 2018,"clutter" based room design was brought back with a hint of modern touches like practicality/simplicity .The most common trend seen in IKEA is modernism/practicality, one of their most iconic products is the Alex drawer unit (really the Alex series in general). Another favorite is the HEMNES 8-drawer chest. IKEA also sells is Swedish Chocolate.
7. Pricing
7.1. Price Tag
7.1.1. Pricing