Chile will be one of only three countries where IKEA has authorized the sale of its products through an external marketplace.
By the end of this month, IKEA products will begin being sold through Falabella.com. As a result, Chile will become one of only three countries where IKEA has authorized the commercialization of its products through a third-party marketplace. Until now, the Swedish company had only approved this model in two other countries: Indonesia, through Shopee, and China, through Tmall and JD.com.
“The fact that Falabella.com becomes the third platform worldwide and the first outside Asia authorized by IKEA to sell its products is a very significant sign of a global brand’s trust in our platform,” says Francisco Irarrázaval, CEO of Falabella Retail.
The idea of the partnership originated in Chile. Teams from IKEA South America and Grupo Falabella worked together on a model that would allow Falabella.com to become the Swedish brand’s marketplace partner.
“We connect businesses, brands, channels, logistics, technology, data, and talent to simplify the shopping experience, create new growth opportunities, and expand the way IKEA reaches its customers in South America,” says Alejandro Arze, Corporate Home Improvement Manager at Grupo Falabella.
In July of this year, after months of meetings, Alejandro Arze and Francisco Errázuriz, Regional Retail Manager of IKEA Chile, traveled to Sweden to present the proposal at Inter IKEA’s headquarters.
The proposal was well received, and IKEA authorized product sales through the Falabella marketplace. Under the agreement, Falabella.com will serve as the purchasing channel, while IKEA will remain responsible for order preparation, delivery, logistics, and after-sales service.
In addition, customers who purchase through Falabella.com will be able to pick up their orders at stores within Falabella’s network.
Initially, Falabella.com will not offer IKEA’s full assortment. Instead, the first phase will include selected products from categories such as storage, home decoration, dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, desks, and living room furniture. If the initiative proves successful, the companies are evaluating the possibility of replicating the same model in Colombia.
Read the DF Más article here.
