IKEA Tests New Store Formats, Open-Source Design

IKEA (Stockholm) announced that it is in the process of testing a variety of different store formats, including stores located in the center of a town (rather than in the suburbs, where most of its existing warehouses are situated).

For instance, the retailer has been experimenting with ways to display its full array of products in smaller, downtown spaces and has turned to digital tools, including virtual reality, to aid in those efforts. The latest format the retailer is testing is a kitchen showroom located in Stockholm’s financial district.

The retailer also shared its plans to develop an open-source digital platform, Co-Create IKEA, next year that will allow customers to take part in the development and testing of new products, according to Reuters.