Furniture retailers prepare for road ahead as Ikea expands India footprint

Players counting on omni-channel retail, affordable products

The entry of Ikea, the world’s largest furniture retailer, into Mumbai with its second flagship store in the country may force organised players such as HomeTown (from Future group), HomeStop (from Shoppers Stop), and Home Centre (Landmark group) to revamp their offerings.

On Friday, the Navi Mumbai Ikea store opened for registered visitors to prevent crowding at the outlet. But the launch of the flagship store for the Mumbai region has pushed organised players to expand their product portfolios, industry sources said, tapping a wider set of consumers with furniture at affordable price points.

Mumbai is a key consumption centre for organised