The furniture retailer announced that it will shut seven of its stores in China starting Feb 2, according to a statement posted on its official WeChat account on Jan 7.
The closure will affect locations including suburban Shanghai, Guangzhou, and several second-tier cities such as Nantong, Xuzhou and Harbin.
The store shutdowns coincide with Ikea’s strategic pivot in China, as the retailer plans to shift from scale expansion to targeted growth in major markets such as Beijing and Shenzhen, while boosting online sales, Reuters reported.
According to its statement, Ikea currently operates about 40 stores in mainland China and has recently opened five new outlets of varying sizes.
Ikea said it aims to open more than 10 smaller stores across China in the next two years, with new outlets in Dongguan and Beijing slated to launch in the first half of 2026.
Online reactions to the footage were largely critical of the shoppers’ behaviour, though some users made light of the situation.
One user wrote: “You can buy anything on Taobao and Pinduoduo with free shipping.” These firms are online retailers.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/shoppers-clash-furniture-ikea-china-5890741
