Ikea hunts direct marketing shop for CRM job

by Ed Kemp, Marketing 01-Jun-06, 07:00

LONDON - Ikea is looking to appoint a direct marketing agency to bolster its customer relationship management through a series of direct mail and online initiatives.

The Swedish DIY chain has taken a number of steps to improve its CRM in the UK, having launched its first loyalty scheme last year.

The agency's brief will include creating direct mail, online and email communications. It is believed that the activity will build on the loyalty scheme and other initiatives developed by Ikea over the past year.

Last year the retailer announced plans to introduce a quarterly magazine, Ikea Family Live to the UK. The customer title is already distributed in nine other European countries and is free to Ikea family members.

The publication replaces Ikea's lifestyle magazine Room, which had a cover price of £10 and was scrapped in the UK in March last year.

Earlier this year Ikea launched an in-store radio station, Ikea Live, in 14 of its UK stores. It also announced plans to open 10 small-format stores. The introduction of the outlets is part of wider expansion plans as it seeks to bring in another 10m customers a year.

Ikea is set to refit its warehouses. This will involve the removal of high shelving and an expansion in the number of entrances to stores, which will open up more room for restaurants and cafés.

It also plans to develop a fully transactional website by 2008, which will enable its UK customers to buy online for the first time.

The retailer began selling furniture in 1947, with its first UK store opening in Warrington 40 years later.

Ikea would not comment on the possible appointment of a direct agency.

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