IKEA’s long-awaited arrival in New Zealand hit the ground running on Thursday, with more than 18,000 people visiting the new Sylvia Park store on its first day – and shoppers wasted no time filling their trolleys.
The most purchased item of the day was the retailer’s iconic FRAKTA blue carrier bag, with a total of 4200 snapped up – making the $1 tote the top-selling product among New Zealand shoppers.
Furniture favourites were quick to follow. The white BILLY bookcase, a global IKEA bestseller, was also the first item purchased when the store opened its doors.
Other popular sellers from the Swedish furniture giant included the KALLAX shelving unit, the LACK side table and the GREJIG shoe rack in red and grey.
Accessories from IKEA’s cooking and eating range also proved popular, with BEVARA clips, ISTAD resealable bags, KALAS bowl sets, and the MOPSIG 16-piece cutlery set topping the smaller-item sales list.
Opening day also proved a success for IKEA's famous food, with the Swedish Restaurant and Bistro "packed consistently throughout the day and evening".
More than 1200 IKEA hot dogs were sold, and close to 50,000 meatballs were eaten by Kiwis eager to try the chain’s signature dish.
Online traffic was steady, with IKEA New Zealand reporting around 245,000 website visits. The company also confirmed 120,000 Kiwis had now joined its IKEA Family loyalty programme.
Peak in-store periods were between midday-2pm, and from 7pm-8pm, as thousands of shoppers explored the brand’s first New Zealand location – a major milestone in IKEA’s expansion into the Asia-Pacific region.
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