2024-05-20T00:46:01-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150231944/as-homes-transform-into-offices-and-classrooms-ikea-s-online-sales-increase Sean Joyner 2020-10-08T12:30:00-04:00 >2020-10-18T03:16:05-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/c3/c35ec770a7d859773ea0c9b7c2753ee5.png?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Ikea's online sales got a big boost during the pandemic as millions of people turned their homes into makeshift schools and offices. The company said in a statement on Tuesday that online sales surged 45% over the 12 months to August, driven by 4 billion visits to its website. Outdoor furniture was the retailer's fastest-growing category, with sales of office furniture also performing strongly, a spokesperson told CNN Business.</p></em><br /><br /><p>Sales of household items in the United States were up more than a quarter in the three months to August versus the prior year, according to market research firm NPD Group.,&nbsp;<em>CNN&nbsp;</em>reports. Moreover, according to <em>CNN,&nbsp;</em>even though online sales have surged, IKEA has recently opened 33 new stores in Moscow, Seoul, Shanghai, and Macau, with plans to expand into Mexico and the Philippines.</p>