Integrated to Win: IKEA China’s Omnichannel Launch on Tmall

This project marks a historic milestone for IKEA: the launch of its first-ever third-party eCommerce store globally, exclusively on Alibaba’s Tmall platform. Spearheaded by Tiantian Shao, a non-executive leader within IKEA China, this initiative redefined how a legacy retail brand can digitally evolve and localize its operations in one of the most dynamic consumer markets in the world.

Facing internal resistance, legacy system limitations, and external market uncertainties during the COVID-19 recovery period, Tiantian Shao led the end-to-end strategy and execution. The project encompassed platform negotiations, full back-end system integration, synchronized IKEA app development, a new content and membership strategy, and the formation of a cross-functional eCommerce team from scratch.

What made the campaign exceptional was its deeply localized and user-centric approach. The team leveraged innovative content formats—such as cloud signing livestreams, celebrity endorsements, and platform-native storytelling—to drive exponential engagement. Within just two weeks, the Tmall store amassed over 2 million followers, setting a record in the home furnishing category and exceeding IKEA’s digital benchmarks in both daily active users (DAU) and GMV.

Moreover, Tiantian Shao led the successful integration of membership systems between Tmall and IKEA’s private app, enabling synchronized customer benefits and data sharing—a global first for the IKEA group. This strategic move bridged public and private domains, allowing long-term customer relationship management beyond the transaction.

The project has since been recognized by IKEA Global as a replicable digital commerce model. It stands as a shining example of how thoughtful platform collaboration, cross-team alignment, and visionary leadership can turn a traditional retail brand into a digital-first powerhouse. Tiantian Shao’s achievement not only elevated IKEA’s market position in China but also set a new global standard for omnichannel retail transformation.