A IKEA launched its official store on Douyin, ByteDance's Chinese video and e-commerce platform, on October 11. In a statement released on Monday (12), Ingka Group detailed the operation, which brings together more than 6,500 products and offers deliveries in 301 Chinese cities.
The initiative allows consumers to discover decor and furniture products while watching content on the platform, without having to migrate to the retailer's traditional channels. Douyin combines short videos, live streams, and shopping tools in a single environment.
The new store complements IKEA's digital presence in China, which already includes its own website, app, WeChat, and other e-commerce channels, in addition to physical stores.
Catalog of 179 categories will have coverage in 301 cities
The differentiator of the operation lies in the announced commercial structure. The more than 6,500 products are distributed across 179 categories, with deliveries available in 301 cities, according to data presented by Ingka Group.
The coverage allows the company to use Douyin as a sales channel with a defined geographic reach, instead of limiting its presence to product promotion and advertising content.
For Lydia Song, president and interim CEO of IKEA China, the entry onto the platform accompanies a change in how Chinese consumers find inspiration, discover products, and make purchases. The goal is to also reach people who are looking for ideas for their homes, even without an immediate intention to buy.
The operation does not replace existing channels. The group intends to integrate the discovery and shopping experience on Douyin into its strategy for serving customers across different platforms.
Parag Parekh, digital director at IKEA Retail, said that consumer behavior and the results of the experience will be used to improve the Chinese operation and guide similar initiatives in other channels.
The statement did not present revenue targets, order projections, or estimates of Douyin's share of IKEA sales. The figures disclosed refer to the catalog offered and delivery coverage, not to commercial performance already achieved.
