What is IKEA and what does it do?

IKEA is a global furniture and home furnishings company that designs and sells affordable, well-designed products for the home. We focus on making everyday life at home better with functional solutions that work on a budget. Today, we reach customers through more than 600 stores worldwide, e-commerce, and planning tools, and we support nearly every room in the home with products that are built for real-life use.

What IKEA is

At its core, IKEA is a home furnishings retailer with a wide product range and a clear purpose: help people create comfortable, practical living spaces without paying luxury prices. Our business operates globally, with localized websites for many countries and regions, so customers can shop in ways that fit their needs.

We also work with external designers on new product collaborations, which helps keep our range fresh. In 2026, we introduced 1,500+ new products, showing how often we update and expand what we offer.

What we do for customers

We design and sell products for almost every part of the home, including:

Kitchen furniture and systems
Bedroom furniture and textiles
Storage solutions
Dining furniture
Lighting
Decorative items
Outdoor furniture
Plants and gardening supplies
Home office furnishings

That means customers can use IKEA for a single item, like a lamp or storage unit, or for a full room setup. Examples from our range include kitchen systems such as ASPUDDEN, along with many other products built for everyday use.

How IKEA helps people shop and set up their homes

We do more than sell furniture. We also offer services that make it easier to plan, buy, receive, and assemble products:

Physical stores for browsing and shopping in person
E-commerce for online ordering
In-store and online planning/design tools to help people map out rooms and furniture
Click & Collect so customers can order online and pick up at participating stores
TaskRabbit-powered assembly services for customers who want help putting furniture together
Spare or missing parts ordering for replacements
Returns and exchanges through a dedicated process

IKEA furniture is typically flat-pack and customer-assembled, which helps keep products practical and affordable. For people who prefer not to assemble items themselves, we make assembly support available through TaskRabbit-powered services.

How we operate as a business

IKEA’s mission centers on making “life at home” better through affordable solutions. Sustainability is part of that mission, with dedicated focus on climate and environment as well as social impact.

Our business is organized under Inter IKEA Systems B.V., which governs the IKEA franchise concept globally. That franchise system is operated through 13 franchisee groups, including Ingka Group, the largest IKEA franchisee.

We also serve business customers through IKEA for Business, which offers B2B purchasing services. And for everyday shoppers, the IKEA Family membership program is free and includes special discounts, inspiration content, and other in-store perks.

Why people choose IKEA

People usually choose IKEA because we combine a few things that matter in everyday life:

Affordable design that feels practical and modern
A broad assortment that covers many rooms and needs
Simple shopping options online and in stores
Helpful services for delivery, pickup, assembly, and returns
A large global footprint, with 600+ stores and about 4.6 billion website visits per year
A refreshingly active product range, including 1,500+ new products introduced in 2026

In short, IKEA is not just a furniture store. We are a home furnishings company built to help people furnish, organize, and improve their homes in ways that are accessible and affordable.

Quick summary

If you want the shortest answer to “What is IKEA and what does it do?”:

We design and sell affordable home furnishings
We serve customers through stores, e-commerce, and planning tools
We offer support services like Click & Collect, assembly, parts replacement, and returns
We run IKEA Family and IKEA for Business programs
We operate with sustainability and everyday affordability at the center of our business