IKEA and Carousell unveil showroom using second hand goods from SG influencers

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IKEA Singapore has partnered with Southeast Asian classified marketplace Carousell to launch a Secondhand Showroom at IKEA Tampines in celebration of Earth Day. The month-long physical showroom in IKEA Tampines features preloved IKEA items from influencers such as singer-songwriter Nathan Hartono, Tiong Jia En, Munah Bagharib and even Carousell co-founder Marcus Tan from 21 April to 30 June 2022. They will each share a personal IKEA item to be featured at the Secondhand Showroom.

The showroom will display these items and their stories, to showcase how secondhand items can be desirable, inspiring and aspirational, IKEA said in a statement. These items will also be listed on Carousell from until 8 May 2022, where users can stand a chance to win these items by sharing their best reasons for why they will make a good next owner for the product on the listing's comments. The partnership will also have an incentivised programme rewarding customers for buying and selling secondhand items, and aims to make a sustainable and zero-waste lifestyle more accessible to consumers. According to a statement, the move comes as part of IKEA's commitment to being "circular" and climate positive by 2030.

As part of the incentive programme, buyers and sellers will receive a Carousell Protection voucher worth SG$5 and 500 IKEA Family points (worth SG$5) respectively, for up to three successful transactions of secondhand IKEA items on the Carousell platform per month. The incentive programme will run alongside the showroom until 30 June and Carousell users will also have to create or have an existing IKEA Family membership account.

Tariq Oumarkatar, country sales manager, IKEA Singapore said that it is always exploring new ways to make circularity convenient and accessible to the many people. "By using durable, quality materials and giving products a longer life through reusing, recycling and reselling, IKEA is focusing on the elimination of waste and encouraging the continual use of resources," he added.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to IKEA for additional comment.

Separately, IKEA has also embarked in two other initiatives to become more "people and planet positive" by 2030. It plans to use only renewable or recycled materials by 2030 to allow customers to find affordable and sustainable home furnishings with ease. Currenly, 100 of all cotton used in IKEA products is either recycled or grown with less water and pesticides, while increasing profits for local cotton farmers. As of last year, 73% of all material sourced for IKEA's range was renewable of recycled. IKEA also plans to increase the portion of plant-based meals in its restaurants at IKEA Tampines, IKEA Alexandra and IKEA Jurong, offering 50% of its main meals as plant-based by 2025. According to IKEA, this move aims to make healthier and more sustainable living part of everyday life.

Meanwhile, Carousell recently launched a sustainability campaign titled “Choose Secondhand” to encourage consumers to reduce waste by buying and selling secondhand items. The campaign features video ads which show tonnes of clothing along with the texts "1.1 Sale", "2.2 Sale", "3.3 Sale" and so on, followed by a short clip of people buying secondhand items with the caption "Be part of the solution". Done in collaboration with Bread Butter Bacon, the ads are being run the digital ads on Facebook and TikTok, as well as through DOOH ads at various bus stops with high foot traffic areas around Singapore and near shopping districts.

In response to MARKTEING-INTERACTIVE, Carousell's spokesperson said then that it does not have the intention of taking a jab at eCommerce platforms holding these mega sales, but rather, its campaign highlights the current state of the environment and the progression of eCommerce as a whole. "The campaign simply aims to highlight the escalating cycle of consumption and raise top of mind awareness that opting for secondhand, both buying and selling, allows everyone to be a part of the solution," a spokesperson said.

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