Ikea's 2nd Dubai outlet set to open in Q1 2019

Home furnishing Swedish retailer Ikea's second outlet in Dubai is likely to open its doors in the first-quarter of 2019 while Oman operation is slated to begin in late 2019.
Vinod Jayan, Regional General Manager - Ikea UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, said work is going in full swing at the Jebel Ali site and it "should open plus-minus first-quarter of 2019. It's testament to our confidence in the market."
Speaking at the launch of 2018 catalogue, Jayan said Jebel Ali outlet's will be bigger the Festival City's in terms of size and the group is putting a lot of focus on the digital strategy therefore the store will showcase one step further in term of use of digital technology.
Commenting on Oman project, he said: "We are zeroing in on few sites and should come online in late 2019 and early 2020. We'll start up with one outlet in Muscat."
He said the retailer has reduce prices on hundreds of products and witnessed quite a number of repeat visitors.
"We have traditionally always brought down prices and we are continuing with that tradition this year. We have reduced prices on more than 300 products. We have reduced prices across different segments and for some products up to 20 per cent," he noted.
Through its consumer research, Ikea identified the living room as the focus of its Catalogue 2018.
He said contents of the 2018 edition reflect a change in the way people use their living spaces in the wake of urbanisation and new technology.
"The world has seen more change in the home in the last twenty years, than it has in the last 200. Urbanisation and technology have reformed our lives and our homes, creating a huge opportunity to redefine the living room. Regardless of people's living space, 2018 is about enabling you to make more room for the things you love in life and to help you get a few steps closer to your dream home," he added.
Waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com