Ikea is stepping into the second-hand market with a new online platform called Preowned, designed to facilitate the sale and purchase of used Ikea furniture.
The Swedish furniture giant is currently testing this marketplace in Madrid, Spain, and Oslo, Norway. The trial period is set to continue until December.
Tolga Öncü, Chief Operating Officer of Ingka Group, which operates the majority of Ikea stores worldwide, confirmed the initiative on Monday.
“We are currently testing a second-hand digital marketplace in Oslo and Madrid to help customers connect, buy, and sell second-hand Ikea products with each other,” Öncü said, echoing reports by the Financial Times and 20 Minutes.
Preowned is a free service aimed at making it easier for Ikea customers to give a second life to their furniture.
Throughout the trial, Ikea will engage with users to better understand their behavior, preferences, and attitudes toward a digital marketplace dedicated to second-hand goods.
“We will check the full impact of this measure, including the economic impact. If a lot of people use the offer to get a discount at Ikea, it’s a good way to reconnect with customers. I’m very curious. I think it’s a good idea from a business perspective,” stated Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ingka Group.
The global market for second-hand furniture is rapidly expanding, with an annual growth rate projected at 6.4% by 2024. Ikea's own products make up about 10% of this market.
Ikea will decide at the end of the year whether to expand the Preowned platform to other regions, depending on the success of the trials in the Spanish and Norwegian capitals.
