Hacker News Reader

Obviously IKEA needs to open a factory there.

Obviously IKEA needs to charge an admission fee :)

When I first went to the IKEA Shanghai a few years ago, I was frustrated at how difficult it was to shop there. IKEA is setup to make you walk through the entire store. There is not shortcut to get to the checkout.

This problem becomes enormous when 90% of customers (lots; imagine christmas time mobs of people) are walking around as if they've just arrived at Disney World. Your trying to shop. They're casually strolling about getting in the way. Its a painful and slow shopping experience.

In IKEAs I have visited in Germany there are usually a few shortcuts. I wonder why there are no shortcuts in Shanghai.

Because IKEA is a global brand, they need to maintain safety and pay standards that wouldn't scandalize their Western customers, which is why their Chinese factories can't produce for the same prices as local competitors.

Why couldn't China maintain a higher HR standard?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com