The Six Stages Of Shopping At Ikea

By Abigail Vinas on December 27, 2015

Being in college, trips to Ikea are the norm. Living away from home calls for new furniture and new kitchen supplies, along with anything else you need that you couldn’t bring from home. Whatever’s missing from your dorm or apartment, odds are you’ll end up buying that missing item with a Swedish label on it, purchased from a big, blue and yellow building.

Disneyland may be the happiest place on earth but Ikea is a close second and here’s why: taking a trip to Ikea is actually more of an adventure. It’s the king of all furniture stores. It’s a maze that you wouldn’t mind getting lost in. Ikea causes you to go on an emotional rollercoaster as you walk through each of the store’s departments. The following are the 6 stages of shopping at this retail furniture behemoth:

1. Ascending Excitement

The building is literally so big and you know it’s filled with thousands of things you’ll want to buy. After parking your car, you walk towards the entrance and you can feel the excitement intensifying as you go up the stairs and make your way to the first of the showrooms.

2. Overwhelming Astonishment

There’s just so much stuff that you find yourself thinking, where do you even begin? There are a variety of chairs lined up against the walls, bed sheets of every print and color hanging from the ceiling, and lamps of all shapes and sizes placed back to back. Luckily, the store’s layout is organized in a way such that there is a single, clear pathway for you to take, allowing you to explore all that Ikea has to offer. So grab a bag, get ready, set, go!

3. The Unstoppable Shopper

You originally came in to buy a twin mattress and some cookware but now you find yourself also grabbing a floral shower curtain, two throw pillows, and a three-tiered bookcase. At this point, you probably had to upgrade from a bag to a cart. One of the great things about Ikea is that it helps you discover the things that you didn’t know you needed — like a patterned rug for your bedroom.

4. The Aspiring Parent

Of course, Ikea also has a wide selection of items for children. They have showrooms with adorable displays of bedrooms and playrooms for kids, complete with toy sets, plush animals, and miniature chairs. Walking past the kids’ section, you can’t help but think ahead to the future and imagine the day when you have little youngsters of your own.

5. Shopping-Induced Hunger

All that walking builds up an appetite, I know, and that cart got so heavy from everything you tossed in. Thankfully, there’s a little cafeteria built right in for you so you could take a break and grab some lunch or get yourself a quick snack to reenergize before you continue shopping. Swedish meatballs, please!

6. The Fulfilled and Satisfied Customer

After filling up your stomach, you continue filling up your cart and then finally make it to checkout. Another successful trip to Ikea has been made. Your receipt may be two feet long but you still think, I wish I could buy it all. Now it’s time to go home and assemble everything.

 

 

 

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