IKEA doesn’t just sell flat-pack furniture. They’ve engineered a retail and brand experience so emotionally sticky that customers fall in love with both the products and the brand itself. It’s psychology-backed, masterfully designed and wildly effective.

And the best part? You don’t need a 300,000-square-foot warehouse to borrow their strategy. Here’s exactly how IKEA instils customer obsession — and how to steal the playbook for your own business, no matter your size.

How to curate the IKEA Effect:

1. Build-to-love

The IKEA Effect is a well-researched bias where people value products they've assembled themselves significantly more. In one Harvard study, consumers were willing to pay 63 % more for furniture they built themselves versus pre-assembled ones.

Why it works? Effort = Ownership: When people build something — even poorly — they attach pride, identity, and value to it. They don’t just own the product; they feel like a part of it.

It also curates perceived control: People attribute additional value to the outcome when they feel involved.

How to apply it:

Even if your business is small, you can let customers “assemble” success:

Let customers customise elements of the product (colour, shape, packaging).
Offer kits or bundles that require minor assembly or mixing.
Ask for reviews, unboxings, or user-generated content — co-creation builds loyalty.
For digital products? Let users “build” their version (think: custom Notion templates, editable slides, or choose-your-own-path flows).

2. Maze-like store design: Let the Gruen Effect do the selling

IKEA’s store layout isn’t designed for efficiency - it’s designed to slow you down. The one-way, counter-clockwise layout sprinkled with immersive room displays is no accident. Shoppers get lost in the experience - and forget what they originally came for.

The psychology behind it?

The Gruen Effect (or Gruen Transfer) - the moment a shopper enters a space and loses track of their original intent, becoming open to impulse discovery.

IKEA add a visual waypoint on the ground through the addition of downlights shining illuminating arrows on the path to guide the customer's direction and ensure the customer is going the correct way.

Visual waypoints are important for very large buildings, especially when there is a sensory removal of typical natural waypoints such as the sun - IKEA warehouses do not have windows and create a disillusionment of how long a customer has been in the store and how much time has passed.

How to apply it:

On your website, don’t just link products — guide visitors. Use breadcrumbs, “next up” recommendations, and staggered storytelling.
If you run a space (store, café, studio), build intentional pathways and pauses — dividers, textures, signage, and focal points that shape how people move.
Sequence experiences in a way that leads customers to discover new value.

3. Curate, don’t sell: Smart pairing that feels effortless

Walk through any IKEA room and notice how every item is placed with intent. A lamp sits naturally next to a desk. Throw pillows match the couch. Accessories are grouped by vibe, not just category.

This “visual merchandising” triggers cross-category purchases and feelings of completeness, reducing mental friction and boosting cart size.

Small-business tweaks:

Package related offers together (e.g., skincare trio, starter toolkit, course + workbook).
Group items visually or digitally to solve a full problem, not just part of one.
Online? Use recommendations or related products to suggest or upsell complementary products.
For service businesses: show your process. “Here’s what happens after the consult.” Link each phase like chapters in a journey.
What services pair or sequence naturally to the next eg consultation → guide → online course or program

4. Sensory immersion: It’s not just furniture

You might come for a desk, but you leave with a full stomach, a candle, and probably a plant. IKEA's Swedish café isn’t about profit margins. It’s about sensory immersion. The cafe isn’t just a snack stop - it keeps shoppers in-store, gives them a break and subtly weaves the brand deeper into the experience.

Plus, the scent of meatballs and cinnamon buns is sensory branding of the Swedish culture at work. Adding food items that are suitable for both adults and kids builds an affinity of lifestyle into the brand and grows it beyond just being a furniture store.

If you ask your kids what they want for lunch and they say ‘meatball’, a trip to Ikea ensues and a van-load of smiles.

How you can use it:

Use scent, texture or sound in your space (or packaging) to create brand memory.
For digital spaces? Think ambient soundtracks, distinct visual cues, even the tone of your copy.
Host casual pop-ups, samplings, or virtual “lunch and learn” events to build intimacy.

5. Wearable affinity: Turn your brand into a badge

IKEA’s iconic blue FRAKTA bag isn’t just functional - it's a mobile billboard. Shoppers carry their haul and the brand, becoming walking advertisements.

People don’t just carry IKEA. They show they’ve been to IKEA.

The yellow bag is kept for store-use only, and the blue bag can be purchased and taken home. Having to use the yellow bag in store forces the shopper to ‘learn’ how to use the product and creates a sense of ‘need’ or reliance on the product without actually needing one. It’s a simple gateway product at about 99c that already has a positive association with helpfulness and utility that keeps the brand top of mind every day.

Your twist on this:

Create useful swag that aligns with your brand—think tote bags, mugs or even sticker packs.
Aim for utility - and let your brand travel with your customer.
For digital brands? Consider templates, wallpapers, browser extensions — brand touchpoints that become part of daily workflows.

Apply Ikea strategies to your own business

You don’t need a football-field-sized warehouse to create obsession. You need layered design thinking.

Here’s the takeaway:

DIY & customisation: Add an element of co-creation. Self-assembly, even simple input, deepens attachment.
Guided journeys: Whether through your site or shop, choreograph the experience.
Pair visual merchandising: Place complementary solutions visibly together.
Host sensory touchpoints: Tasting events, workshops, ambient audio… bring people into your world.
Brand that travels: Provide functional giveaways that carry your brand into customers' everyday lives.

IKEA's genius lies in thoughtful layering: Make people work a little, feel competent, wander intentionally, sense emotionally, and carry your brand forward. You don’t need a warehouse the size of a football field - just a blueprint that weaves these psychology-backed steps into every touchpoint. Every element - from easy DIY, to labyrinthine journeys, immersive senses, smart pairing, break zones and carried-off merch - folds into a psychological funnel. Customers don’t just shop - they live the brand.