<p>Imagine browsing IKEA furniture, as you perch comfortably on your IKEA Vimle sofa, sipping tea from your white IKEA mug. Finally satisfied with your cart, you hit "checkout", and watch as everything empties neatly into cyberspace, with a confirmation email that your purchases are now on their way. A new haul of minimalistic Swedish homeware reaches you in mere days—and you didn’t even have to go down to Tampines or Queenstown to get it.</p>
<p>Our dreams are officially becoming reality. According to <a href="http://www.marketing-interactive.com/ikea-e-commerce-store-soon-to-launc… target="_blank"><strong><em>Marketing Interactive</em></strong></a>, furniture and lifestyle retailer IKEA has announced an e-commerce site for both its Singapore and Malaysia markets. While shoppers could previously browse existing collections on the IKEA website, there was no option to purchase them online. The new e-commerce service will launch in Singapore within the next month or so, though it is still in the testing stage to "provide a quality experience to customers", a spokesperson from IKEA Singapore said.</p>
<p>Just last month, IKEA China launched a pilot program for its e-commerce business in Shanghai, with plans to expand across the country if the trial run is a success; and it seems Singapore is next in line to be privy to their exclusive online shopping services. With holiday season just around the corner, this couldn't come at a better time.</p>
