See the locations for new IKEA showrooms launching inside Best Buy stores
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In a strategic move that blends technology and home design retail, Best Buy and IKEA are introducing a new in-store showroom concept within select Best Buy locations in the United States. The pilot program will launch in fall 2025 across 10 stores in Florida and Texas. This initiative marks the first time IKEA has made its products and services available through another US retailer.
Each showroom will feature a 1,000-square-foot planning studio, designed as fully built-out kitchen and laundry room displays. These spaces will combine IKEA’s home furnishings and layout expertise with Best Buy’s connected home technology and appliance offerings. Customers can engage with IKEA specialists for design advice, while Best Buy associates provide guidance on appliances and smart home integrations. The combined experience is intended to simplify the home improvement process by centralizing planning, product selection, and consultation in a single setting.
The logic behind joining forces: what IKEA and Best Buy gain
For IKEA, the collaboration offers a way to expand its reach in the US market without relying solely on large-format stores. By placing its planning studios inside Best Buy locations, IKEA can enter new geographic areas, reach customers earlier in their home upgrade journey, and leverage the foot traffic already present in Best Buy stores. This approach also helps IKEA sidestep the infrastructure costs of opening full stores while still maintaining direct consumer engagement.
From Best Buy’s perspective, the partnership strengthens its positioning in the home category at a time when the company is working to reverse declining in-store sales. Appliances remain a key revenue driver, accounting for roughly 12 percent of the company’s most recent fiscal-year revenue of $41.5 billion. By adding IKEA’s design services and home planning tools, Best Buy aims to offer a more comprehensive experience that begins with inspiration and continues through to purchase and installation.
What the in-store experience looks like for customers
Inside the selected pilot locations, IKEA’s presence will take the form of realistic home vignettes. These spaces are intended to resemble actual kitchen and laundry setups, complete with furniture, cabinetry, lighting, and appliances. Customers will be able to see how different elements interact within a defined space, making it easier to visualize changes in their own homes.
Each showroom will be staffed by both IKEA and Best Buy team members. IKEA specialists will offer design consultations, help customers use 3D planning tools, and guide product selection. Best Buy employees will assist with appliance features, connectivity options, and the logistics of installation and delivery. The staffing structure ensures that customers receive expert assistance on both aesthetic and technical decisions without needing to visit multiple stores.
Additionally, two pilot locations, Lakeland in Florida and Alamo Ranch in Texas, will serve as pickup hubs for IKEA online orders. This integration allows for free, in-person pickup of purchases, adding an extra layer of convenience for customers who prefer to shop online but value a physical pickup option. For shoppers, the appeal lies in efficiency. The ability to plan, consult, select, and schedule delivery all in one visit reduces friction in the home improvement process and offers a level of service that online-only retail cannot replicate.
An industry trend toward immersive, cross-brand retail spaces
This pilot reflects a broader movement across the retail sector toward immersive, multi-brand experiences that go beyond traditional merchandising. Similar partnerships, such as Sephora inside Kohl’s and Ulta inside Target, have demonstrated the value of combining expertise and brand equity within a shared retail footprint. These models not only increase customer engagement but also extend the dwell time and purchase potential within each visit.
Retailers today are competing not just on product availability but on the quality of the experience they provide. Best Buy and IKEA, by joining forces, aim to create a space where inspiration meets execution. Design ideas and smart technologies are no longer being sold separately but instead are presented as complementary components of a single home transformation.
From an operational perspective, the concept is also scalable. A 1,000-square-foot studio represents a relatively low-cost investment for IKEA compared to full-size stores. For Best Buy, the addition of a non-competitive brand offering home design services strengthens its value proposition without requiring changes to its existing inventory systems. The result is a model that may be easier to replicate or expand than traditional store-within-a-store formats that rely heavily on product overlap.
While it remains to be seen whether the pilot program will expand beyond its initial footprint, the structure and timing of the rollout suggest that both companies are prepared to scale quickly if early results are positive. Key metrics such as customer satisfaction, transaction size, and attachment rates between furniture and appliances will likely inform any future decisions about broader deployment.
Regardless of the outcome, the Best Buy–IKEA collaboration presents a compelling case for rethinking the physical store’s role in modern retail. As companies look to build deeper relationships with consumers and provide integrated solutions, partnerships that combine different categories and expertise may become more common.
Retailers that once operated in adjacent spaces are now finding shared value in working together, particularly when their offerings serve overlapping customer needs. The future of physical retail may increasingly depend on this type of strategic alignment, where square footage is used not just for selling but for planning, education, and cross-category engagement.
Sources:
USA Today