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IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet Company)

1/24/16       
Matt Member

Hello,

Ikea is coming to my town, wondering how other custom cabinetry shops, deal with ikea next door.

Any comments welcomed!

Thank you.

1/24/16       #2: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Cabmaker

Offer to build custom doors that fit standard Ikea cabinets.

1/25/16       #3: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Dropout Member

Or custom size cabinets and doors that look like IKEA cabinets. If they are (supposedly) saving thousands on an IKEA kitchen but can't get the 27 3/8 cabinet they need to make it all perfect, then the price is secondary.

I've done a few of these.

1/25/16       #4: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
John McGinnis Member

Website: http://www.TGCabinets.com

Matt,

We are dealing with this too. They are actually going to rename the street we are located on Ikea Way. It's going to be the largest Ikea in the U.S. and we will be a block away. I've been thinking of advertising to install Ikea kitchens.

Are you in Burbank too?

1/25/16       #5: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Dropout Member

John, good idea. See if you can get IKEA to recommend you.

Get the install $ and the upcharges for the stuff IKEA can't supply.

Could even reduce your capital cost and improve your cashflow if the client buys the IKEA stuff for you.

1/25/16       #6: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
RobertNH  Member

This too funny not to mention..

I'm sending two guys tomorrow to install an IKEA credenza.

This is a High End Client that we installed his entire new office upfit with Custom built items..

Now we're going back and installing an IKEA credenza in his office..

No doubt we'll be back to give him something good..
I've seen it before and have a feeling it will happen again.

IKEA is a phase they go through.
As was the Big Box Stores when they hit the area.

You'll be replacing that junk shortly!

1/27/16       #7: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
chipbored

What's your target market? If it's not low end DIY people you should be fine.

This is an opportunity to capitalize on the buzz around town when everyone gets excited about doing up the house.

Perhaps you could capitalize on the exposure in a way that channels your desired client to you.

So true what was said about IKEA being a phase people go through. If I had a dollar for every time I had a conversation with someone who said they installed an IKEA kitchen (or had one installed) and would NEVER DO IT AGAIN I would have about $50.

I think aligning with IKEA by doing installs or "add on's" to kitchens will compromise your brand and stagnate your growth. Differentiate from IKEA by highlighting your points of difference. Fully custom, better quality materials, 20-30 year kitchen instead of a 10 year kitchen.

Perhaps you could develop a marketing and sales strategy that respectfully highlights your positives over IKEA, if that still doesn't get someone interested in your product over IKEA then they just aren't the customer for you.

1/27/16       #8: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Matt Member

I agree, I don't think we will offer services for ikea, in regards to installing cabinetry or providing doors and drawers.
I wouldn't want our image tarnished.

Thank you all of your comments, chipboard

We are a high quality custom cabinet shop, which specializes in high end designs.

Since we are new to ikea, I have looked at their site, but i'm not sure what to expect from our local industry.

Such as how big of a price difference, quality difference, etc.

I always like to learn about my competition, as in how people have dealt with people shopping with ikea and their custom cabinetry shop.

Does anyone have any recommendations on selling custom cabinetry next door to ikea?

Chipboards comments make a lot of sense, selling quality cabinets vs ikea , you serve your target customers.

Still more comments welcome!! on this new box store in my local market!

1/30/16       #9: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Harold morantz

Website: http://morantz cabinets.com

We just finished two coffee tables for a new client that has totally renovated her condo. She has great taste. Ultra modern and there is a lot of Treefrog veneer work that has already been done. She also had a beautiful modern kitchen where the basic concept used IKEA high gloss white cabinets augmented by some custom cabinets that blend perfectly with the Stock cabinets. She has done this in several rooms and the look is great. Imammattaching pics of the coffee tables we did. Tree frog veneers with high gloss beige acrylic rolling bridge over one coffee table. Charged 4K and completed the project in under a day.
I have done this before and my best advice is use their advertising ability to push your custom work, but do not knock their cabinetry... The truth is that they offer great designs and the quality has been improving. Use their success to show off your own work and stress that you are delivering a custom product that they do not have to put together themselves, but it never pays to knock any competitor, it only demeans the confidence in the consumer and we all lose. My two cents. Harold.


View higher quality, full size image (1536 X 2048)


View higher quality, full size image (1536 X 2048)


View higher quality, full size image (2048 X 1536)

9/12/19       #10: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Pat Gilbert

I was reading in a book (Choose, Ryan Levesque)

He talked about using Google Trends (albeit for on line business)

He made a point that whatever niche you are considering you didn't want the niche to be too large or too small

This is the chart that includes custom cabinets

I agree with what has been stated, don't fight it look for an opportunity

9/12/19       #11: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Pat Gilbert

Didn't take the photo on last post

9/12/19       #12: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
Pat Gilbert

Funny shows up on preview but not on post

9/12/19       #13: IKEA coming to town (Small cabinet ...
The Staff at WOODWEB

Pat - if you send the image to me, I can try to add it to your listing. Send via email to webmaster@woodweb.com.


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