The Worldwide Success of Ikea Furniture Store

Some companies are so established that their brand is the first thing that comes to mind when a product is heard. In the case of home products, Ikea furniture store is one of the first retailers most consumers think of.Their great reputation as a home products retailer stands the test of time. Their name is widely known in various countries in Europe, North America, Middle East and Asia Pacific.Ikea’s affordable yet quality products are the very reason why they’re one of the primary choices of consumers. They provide not only furniture but also accessories for every room there is in your home and your workspace.While products in the kitchen, living room, bedroom, dining room, bathroom, children’s room, teenager’s room are common, they also provide products that are usually situated in the garage, hallway, attic, basement, foyer and laundry room.This success of Ikea furniture store started in 1943 when 17-year old Ingvar Kamprad founded it in Sweden. Through a Dutch-registered foundation, the Kamprad family controls this home products business.If you’re wondering how the name Ikea was conceived, it was actually an acronym for Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd. While the first two words are the founder’s name, the last two pertain to the farm and home village he grew up in respectively.During the first years of of Ikea, Kamprad retailed wallets, table runners, watches, nylon stockings, jewelry, pens and picture frames. It wasn’t until 1947 when he began to sell furniture. In 1955, Ikea furniture store started designing its own furniture.Today, Ikea furniture store has more than 250 retail outlets in 35 countries and it still continues to expand worldwide. Its popularity is so huge that homeowners from various countries often turn to its selection to get an idea of the latest in the home products industry.While Ikea’s official website features its selection of products, it also reaches through millions of households through the publication of its annual catalog. The very first Ikea catalog started in 1951 and was only published in Swedish. Today, it circulates in 28 countries using 17 different languages.