On October 7, 2006, IKEA furniture store was opened in Yekaterinburg. The grand opening ceremony was attended, among others, by the store top-management, the city administration and the mass media representatives.

The free buses hired by the company to deliver the visitors to the store were overcrowded and yet unable to transport all the people willing to attend the opening ceremony.

As the store is located by the Moskovsky highway, the cars of the people driving to the store caused a huge traffic jam there.

According to the customers’ reports, the premises were overcrowded as well, which caused a lot of difficulties in moving within the store and viewing the range of goods provided. Besides the goods available to all customers, IKEA offers some special conditions to the members of IKEA Family club. As the club can be joined by any person, the crowds of people willing to apply for membership in the club caused additional queues on the overcrowded premises.

The customers were offered big bags with the trademark logos to carry their purchases instead of more usual baskets. The customers have found the bags rather inconvenient for the goods offered, since the company provides a wide range of glass and porcelain goods.