IKEA

The Sweden-based Inter IKEA Systems BV (IKEA) is the world's largest furniture retailer that specializes in ..... but inexpensive Scandinavian designed furniture.

In addition to furniture, IKEA also sells ..... items such as utensils, hooks, clips, stands, etc.

IKEA's founder, Ingvar Kamprad, has built an international furniture chain of 226 stores in Europe, Africa, Asia and the US; it has been successful in almost all countries, because of public ..... of the IKEA brand.

IKEA is far more than a furniture merchant; it sells a lifestyle that customers around the world embrace as a signal that they've ....., that they have good taste and recognize value.

The British design magazine Icon said, "If it wasn't for IKEA, most people would have no access to ..... contemporary design."

The magazine also voted Kamprad as the most influential ..... in the world.

Kamprad established IKEA in 1943 at the age of seventeen; he came ..... with the name IKEA by combining the first letters of his name (Ingvar Kamprad), followed by the first letters of the farm and village he grew up in (Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd).

Kamprad started his business by buying pens, Christmas cards, matches, cigarette lighters, nylon stockings and other items in .....; he sold these items to the residents of Smaland at a reasonable price, but still made healthy profits.

To save more money, Kamprad would ..... his packages on the trucks that delivered milk.

IKEA soon started making money, and in 1945, Kamprad started promoting business through mail ..... catalogues, as conducting individual sales calls became impossible.