Using nudges: IKEA's insidious marketing strategy

The article explores how Ikea employs various strategies to encourage customers to make unplanned purchases and ultimately spend more money in their stores. These strategies include:

Store Layout: Ikea’s maze-like layout forces customers to walk through multiple product displays, increasing exposure to their entire catalog and creating a sense of scarcity and mystery.

Psychological Tricks: Ikea utilizes psychological principles like the Gruen effect, decoy pricing, and the Ikea effect to influence customers’ purchasing decisions and make their products more appealing.

Affordable Prices: Ikea follows a “price first, design later” philosophy and uses flat packing to keep manufacturing and logistics costs low, passing the savings on to customers.

Food Courts: Ikea’s food courts not only provide sustenance but also contribute to increased furniture sales by keeping customers in the store longer and reinforcing the perception of low prices.

How Ikea tricks you into buying more stuff - The Hustle.

Do you feel yourself falling prey to these tricks when in IKEA?

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Oh, I’ve definitely felt the allure of those Ikea tricks when I’m in their stores! The layout always makes me feel like I’m on some kind of adventure, and I end up exploring way more than I planned to. And don’t even get me started on the food courts - those Swedish meatballs have definitely tempted me into lingering longer than I intended!

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Ikea is amazing at marketing! Honestly, i like going there just to walk around the maze and look at stuff. And of course i end up buying stuff every single time I’m there🥹

Ikea’s strategies intrigue me. Do you find yourself susceptible to these tactics when shopping in their stores?

I am always falling prey to these tricks!! honestly love IKEA tho esp the food

It’s amazing how much thought they’ve put into planning their store but it works so well.