Despite the fact that most who tested the experience were non-gamers (only two out of 1,000) and regardless of the fact that management had expected a 50/50 split between those who would like the experience and those who would be non-committal or dislike it, the project got a 99% thumbs up. “We are exploring virtual reality as one of several digital tools to engage with our customers better,” explains Martin Enthed, IKEA Digital Lab and Development & Operations IT Manager.Ī pilot project tested the technology with a sample set of 1,000 IKEA co-workers, all of whom went through a 15-minute VR experience in a bespoke kitchen from the brand’s catalogue. The latest manifestation of that vision is the IKEA VR experience, starting with a VR Kitchen Visualiser created by building an IKEA kitchen room set in the Unreal Engine games engine, which launched in summer 2016. With a business that attracts almost one billion visits to over 400 stores worldwide and generates over 38 billion euros in retail sales, IKEA says its vision is to “create a better everyday life for many people”. Where meatballs meet technology: IKEA in the VR world
