Ikea, Aldi & Zara: Big brands keeping Kiwis waiting

爱国爱港

Topshop was certainly a popular addition to Auckland's retail offering. So should more international brands be hitting our streets?

TAO LIN
Last updated 11:07, October 13 2015

Big brands like Tiffany & Co and H&M announced this year they would be joining a growing list of in-demand international companies setting up shop in New Zealand.

IKEA
There have been rumours for years that Swedish company Ikea could be coming to New Zealand but it continues to disappoint Kiwi furniture lovers.

The Scandinavian furniture company is famous for its low cost trendy designs, do-it-yourself assembly and forever keeping Kiwis on their toes as to when they may be opening here.

Rumours about Ikea setting up a physical store in New Zealand have been floating around for years, with the latest being an announcement at the end of last year that the company may start taking internet orders and ship to New Zealand.

It was understood then that Ikea had looked at several locations for a store but were having trouble finding the right one as it needed to be both large and have good links to transport.

A Facebook fanpage dedicated to bringing Ikea to New Zealand expressed disappointment that the new NorthWest Shopping Centre in Auckland did not come with an Ikea.

Many of the page's more than 17,700 followers took to their keyboards to lament "Why oh why" Ikea was not coming and telling the company to "hurry up and come to NZ!!"

It is a different story across the ditch, with Ikea Australia country manager David Hood unveiling a plan in July to increase store numbers from eight to about 22 over the next few years.

For now, Kiwi furniture lovers plagued with FOMO (fear of missing out) will just have to buy Ikea products from My Flat Pack, Zoomly and some other furniture retailers

ALDI
German-based discount supermarket Aldi shook up the Australian grocery market when it opened there in 2005 but that will not be happening anytime soon in New Zealand.

The company announced a chief executive for Australasia in November 2014, giving a glimmer of hope that the retailer would be expanding here.

But a company spokeswoman said there were "no immediate plans to enter the New Zealand market".

For Kiwi fans, Aldi's arrival could not come soon enough if comments on previous Stuff stories are anything to go by: "I love Aldi. Please come here sooner rather than later", "Come to Christchurch!", and "Aldi and Lidl, they can do to our mafioso supermarkets here what they have done to Tesco's, Sainsbury etc in the UK."

ZARA
In July this year, Spanish clothing retailer Zara agreed to provide stock to a shop in Auckland, answering the pleas of fashion-conscious Kiwis craving immediate access to big international clothing brands.

But that still has not eventuated, with The Shop in Milford Centre failing to deliver on its promise of offering a wide range of Zara clothing from the beginning of August.

MARKS & SPENCER
Anyone who has been to the United Kingdom will have noticed Marks & Spencer, or "Marks and Sparks" as it is known by the locals.

The 131-year-old retailer announced two years ago that it was looking for suitable spaces in Australia and it also appointed two new directors of private company Marks & Spencer (Australia) Pty.

But it has turned out to be a bit of an anti-climax, with the Marks & Spencer website remaining the only direct link that its Australian and New Zealand customers have.

COMING SOON
While these big overseas players are discounting the New Zealand market for now, there are plenty of others who have arrived, particularly in more recent years.

The announcement of Swedish fashion retailer H&M's arrival in 2016 followed the highly anticipated opening of British clothing store TopShop in Auckland earlier this year.

More Auckland TopShop stores and a nationwide rollout were on the cards.

Victoria's Secret, known for its glamorous runway lingerie fashion shows and Victoria's Secret Angels, opened its first New Zealand store at Auckland Airport without the usual fanfare.

Luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co, announced in August that it would be opening its first New Zealand store in Auckland's Britomart later this year.

French perfume and fashion brand Chanel is also reportedly moving into Britomart soon, adding to high-end brands Gucci, Christian Dior, Prada and Louis Vuitton which already breathe glamour and opulence into lower Queen St.

What international companies and brands do you want to see in New Zealand?

- Stuff