« Everyone Excels at Something | Main | Regulation by Bureaucracy» Don Boudreaux
August 29, 2005
Ikea
Don Boudreaux
Here are two thoughts inspired by the Swedish furniture retailer Ikea.
First, although each Ikea store is physically as large or larger than the typical Wal-Mart store, why doesn't Ikea attract the same intensity of hostility that Wal-Mart attracts? Both companies are big-box retailers; both put extraordinary competitive pressures on existing, especially smaller, retailers; and neither specializes in selling top-of-the-line items. (My wife, Karol, asked this interesting question recently as we drove along an Interstate highway and noticed an Ikea store.)
Second, according to Forbes, Ikea's owner, Ingvar Kamprad, is the world's sixth-richest person, with a net worth of $23 billion. Take note: this man's wealth is built on retailing -- not exactly a new and pioneering line of work. And he retails (mostly wooden) furniture -- not exactly new, cutting-edge items.
Posted by Don Boudreaux in Current Affairs | Permalink
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» I Love Ikea from Benjamin Tegarden
There was a story over at Cafe Hayek today about how people are more accomodating of Ikea than Walmart. I beg to disagree, based on local experience.
When Ikea wanted to build a store in East Palo Alto (former “murder capital of the United Stat... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 30, 2005 1:06:20 AM
» IKEA vs. Wal-mart from Always Low Prices -- Always
Spurred by Karol Boudreaux's comment, I decided to assemble a post about the lack of IKEA-hatred. Before we get started, let's look at the magnitude of the hatred. Right now, "I hate IKEA" turns up 766 Google hits, while "I... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 31, 2005 11:47:39 AM
» IKEA vs. Wal-mart from Always Low Prices -- Always
Spurred by Karol Boudreaux's comment, I decided to assemble a post about the lack of IKEA-hatred. Before we get started, let's look at the magnitude of the hatred. Right now, "I hate IKEA" turns up 766 Google hits, while "I... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 31, 2005 11:49:39 AM
» IKEA vs. Wal-mart from Always Low Prices -- Always
Spurred by Karol Boudreaux's comment, I decided to assemble a post about the lack of IKEA-hatred. Before we get started, let's look at the magnitude of the hatred. Right now, "I hate IKEA" turns up 766 Google hits, while "I... [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 31, 2005 11:50:38 AM
