IKEA, on a Saturday, the weekend before classes start...

What was I thinking? I mean, really? Going to IKEA in a college town the Saturday before classes start? The parking lot was so packed that I almost turned around immediately. There were 18 year-olds driving UHAUL trucks everywhere. Can you say scary? But I'm so glad I fought for a spot and went in anyway.

I frequently mention IKEA as being the king of merchandising. I really think they have covered just about every base from sophisticated pricing strategy all the way to unique product bundling. I could write a thesis on them. But today I'm going to focus on just one of their admirable techniques.

Product display at IKEA is amazing. Even on this unfortunate Saturday, while I was being swarmed by co-eds and their dazed parents, I could have spent hours admiring the seamless execution of thier strategy. Combining in-context displays with product callouts that are almost completely masked by the design, they inspire shoppers across all demographics. They have turned their showroom in to numerous fully functioning, livable spaces in order to showcase the flexibility of their product. Whether you are moving into a dorm room the size of most people's closets, or furnishing an expansive space, they provide a solution. While it isn't necessarily unique for a furniture retailer to layout the showroom like real rooms, IKEA has taken this to a new level. With the addition of walls that seperate space and products they don't even sell, like books for shelves and TVs on the walls, they've made a real difference. They've also made it easy to navigate what could have become a very cluttered mess with the addition of a wide path that compels the shopper to take a fixed route through the store. And for those who don't love to wander through this area like I do, they've created short cuts that appear hidden, but are actually simple to find.

The transition from the showroom into the marketplace and then on to the warehouse works very well for them. End caps and middle isle violators call out to the customer, resulting in the accumulation of picture frames, and strainers and glassware you didn't even realize you needed. And once you've made it through all of that, you're presented with bins full of additional trinkets that you can't help but pick up just before you checkout.

It's rare that I leave IKEA with just what I went in for. I was so proud of myself this weekend for buying only the picture frames and entertainment center I had on my list when I set out on my trip!