IKEA opens first store as booking slots filled until May 6

Swedish furniture giant IKEA has opened its first store in Macau to the public.
The retailer currently limits the number of people it allows into the store as it heeds the government’s call to avoid social gatherings. Residents who have not yet registered for a date to visit the store may only enter after May 6. Until this date, all of the registered slots have already been filled.
IKEA Macau is the company’s first store in Asia that does not set a one-way path through the store. Ideally, IKEA stores are designed with a one-way system, allowing customers to see the store’s entire range of products and services. However, due to the layout of the store located in Nova Grand, the store has two entrances and exits.
Approximately 90,000 square feet in size, the store is divided into three main categories: the bedroom, living room, and kitchen and dining areas.
At a media event yesterday for the soft opening, representatives said that the store has a total of 11 room settings and three real-life homes.
Some of the room settings and the real-life homes were created to emulate the normal home conditions of apartments, for example in Areia Preta.
The company said it visited local residences to assess the average size and layout of the city’s apartments.
“We’ve used a real life situation to reflect the city’s [average] living conditions so they can set it as their reference [in terms of the size and layout],” said a representative.
The room and real-life home settings are geared toward traditional families in Macau who live with their children – whether young or adult.
The samples of the settings also portrayed rooms with a newborn baby, a study room and offices, among others.
IKEA provides home furnishing inspiration for customers in Hong Kong and Macau through showrooms and its website and catalogue. Its product adaptation has been a part of the company’s goal to satisfy local lifestyles and needs.
Currently, IKEA only allows registered customers to enter the store and has set up a website where guests can register. Registrations are already fully booked up until May 6.
IKEA currently has four sessions every day from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., during which incoming guests are required to take precautionary measures such as wearing surgical masks and presenting health declaration forms.
The Times questioned representatives as to how many customers it will accommodate per three-hour time slot, however, company representatives were unable to provide a clear answer yesterday.
It was observed yesterday that from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., there was not more than 100 people shopping in the store at any one time.
During their allocated timeslot, customers are only permitted in the store for a maximum of three hours.
Despite the new two-floor store in Taipa, company representatives said that the pick-up center at the Macau Tower will remain.
Aside from furniture and home necessities, the store also includes the IKEA Bistro, Ikea Café, which can accommodate some 280 customers, and the famous IKEA Swedish Food Market.
Delivery fees start at 150 patacas, while installation fees are 15% of the product price. Self-service checkout for all items is also available.
IKEA Macau employs 120 staff, including delivery personnel.
IKEA is the only store that is open in the Nova Mall of Nova Grand. Other stores including Toys ‘R’ Us, Starbucks Coffee and other retailer brands have yet to open.
The hard launch ceremony for the store has been postponed due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.