Eco-modernism gets a mention in the N&O Business section on Ikea. [where:27603]

EcoMod gets a nod in connection W/ IKEA® Charlotte on New Raleigh

Green grow the options

In 2005, IKEA® and Zipcar® teamed up in Boston to make it greener to get to IKEA® in Stoughton for non car-owning folks in the Boston area. UNC Chapel Hill has had Zipcars® since 2004, and Zipcar® has now arrived on campus at Duke, with two Toyota Prius and two Toyota Matrix models available.

Where am I going with this?

Hypothetical case: say you’re in Durham and want to get some products from the IKEA® Charlotte store.To use the Zipcar® service, here’s what it would cost (Note: we’re using Atlanta rates b/c we don’t have access to Durham rates right now):

• $25 application fee (if 1st time user)
• $50 annual fee (if 1st time user)
• $70+/- if hourly rate, assuming 6 hour driving, 2 hours shopping or
• $66 if daily rate
• $54 +/- extra mileage fee (180 miles are free, out of 300 round trip, so fee is additional$0.45 x 120 miles)
• Total Zipcar® IKEA® run scenario: $124. That’s if you’re already a Zipcar member. Add another $75 to that if you’re a 1st time user.

It’s Do-able, but is it Optimal?

The above scenario assumes you can get everything you want into a Prius or Matrix. And if you’ve never been to an IKEA® store, you can very easily spend 4 hours or more there on a first trip. The store is 365,000 square feet! And all the creature comforts are there:

• a place for kids to play while you shop
• a restaurant
• bathrooms

Meanwhile, the Zipcar® clock is ticking, especially if you go hourly.

When is Ecomod a better option?

• if you already know what you want from IKEA® Charlotte &
• if you don’t have time or desire to go get it
• if you are over the initial magic that is IKEA® shopping
• if you’re ordering bulky products like furniture
• if you want things that are unavailable for online purchase
• if you want to minimize your shipping and handling costs.

IKEA® Charlotte opens next month. We’re ready. Are you?

Your time is valuable. So is the planet. We pick up multiple orders on a single run, which is certainly better than multiple cars making individual trips. We’re friendly, we offer a convenient service, and we’re insured. We can even assemble and install for you if you like.

What’s not to love?

[where:27603]

Fresh off the wires!

We just got word that the IKEA® store in Charlotte will open February 18 at 9:00am. We may be more ecstatic than anyone else, since those trips to DC & back in a day were getting very long, especially with our increased order volume and kitchen design service requests.  We will announce our run dates for 2009 soon, so stay tuned!

The Charlotte location will shave 2 hours off our runner trips, so we can bring it back to Raleigh quicker.  Here are some store stats:

• 365,000 SF on 25 acre site off I-85 & City Boulevard ( Exit 54, if I remember correctly)
• 400-employee store will be Ikea’s first in the Carolinas and 36th in the United States
• it will stock 10,000 items
• it will have 49 room settings
• 350 seat restaurant, and more!