The biggest problem now is the lack of maritime transport capacity. “We try to respond to the situation in all possible ways on a global and local level – we also rent boats, buy containers and use alternative transport routes. But even that is not enough to solve the situation, “explains Šašek.
According to Šašek, the problems with deliveries to the Czech Republic, but also to Hungary and Slovakia, concern hundreds of products. The greatest need is directly for the furniture, which is the main selling item.
The situation is all the more challenging for the Swedish chain, as the interest of Czechs in Ikea goods has increased significantly since the beginning of the pandemic. “It is also one of the many factors that contribute to the shortage of some products,” adds Šašek.
When the situation returns to normal, the company cannot predict with certainty yet. “We are doing everything we can to make it happen as soon as possible. We order larger volumes of goods from our suppliers and we are constantly improving logistics, ”describes Šašek.
IKEA: interesting things you didn’t know about the Swedish giant
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Ikea: interesting things you didn’t know about the Swedish giant • VIDEO Videohub
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The pandemic has become a major challenge for the Swedish chain. With the closing of Czech stores, IKEA suddenly had to process over 30,000 online orders per week. Many customers complained to the chain that they had failed.
The situation eventually led the furniture giant to make big changes. Over the next three years, the Swedish company in the Czech Republic will invest one billion crowns in improving its services. At the same time, it will focus significantly on online shopping.
Self-service dispensing boxes have recently started to appear at stores in Prague and Brno, where people can pick up goods purchased on the Internet. Another novelty is the so-called “Ikeatruck”, which has been delivering goods in Moravia and Silesia since the end of April. The customer chooses the goods, orders them on the website and chooses the Click and pick up service for transport.
However, the Scandinavian company digitized even before the covid. Jasper Brodin, the global head of Ingka Group, told Fast Company magazine at the beginning of last year that “IKEA is investing like never before” in its digital platforms. It is a holding company that operates all 445 IKEA stores worldwide with a total value of 39.6 billion euros.
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