At IKEA, blue arrows lead shoppers past sofas before the cutlery.
The route feels like a house tour, not a shopping aisle. IKEA calls this floor plan a “long natural way,” designed to expose more rooms and products.
That matters because a bedroom display can sell the lamp beside the bed. Shortcuts exist, but doors and staircases make them easy to miss.
The path ends at IKEA’s warehouse, where flat-pack boxes turn browsing into a purchase. IKEA isn’t hiding the exit; the detour is part of the catalogue.