We have enormous respect for the Japanese consumer. Usually she is very quality-oriented and has enormous expectations for service and attention.

227

We are meeting the most demanding customers in the world, used to high quality and high service levels. Anyone operating in this market has to satisfy these demands.

188

Small-space living will be a characteristic throughout the entire store. We have visited hundreds of homes, and really gone through in detail how the Japanese live, how they cook, how they sleep.

168

We just were not ready to handle the very demanding Japanese market, and the Japanese customer was not ready for IKEA, and to drive things home and put it together themselves. It was a failure, no doubt about it.

120