Report IKEA Goes Cashless at Key Thai Stores Amid Mixed Reactions

[impulse]

7 minutes ago, Dakhar said:

I dont like the idea of my money or my spending habits being recorded. In my opinion, it's an opportunity for a govt over reach situation.

 

After seeing what happened to the Canadian truckers, I don't want to see cashless adopted at all.  Imagine if they can prevent you from buying anything if they don't like what you say online.

 

Edit:  To be clear, I'm against mandatory cashless.

 

[Tropicalevo]

21 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

No KFC for you then

and Pizza Co are moving in that direction.

 

I have not eaten in those places since I came to Thailand back when Noah wore short trousers.

And I do not shop in IKEA - terrible quality.

Several villas that we look after are furnished with Ikea Krap.

Needs replacing on a regular basis.

[BritManToo]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

We've already read on this forum from numerous boomers who refuse to shop anywhere that does not permit cash payment...   so IKEA would lose those customers too.

I doubt many Thai retail establishments care if foreigners shop there or not.

I see KFC doing away with cashiers as a positive move, the machine has a English language option.

[impulse]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I doubt many Thai retail establishments care if foreigners shop there or not.

I see KFC doing away with cashiers as a positive move, the machine has a English language option.

 

I don't know about KFC, but I used the Burger King kiosk at Swampy and I just couldn't figure out how to order 2 burgers without the fries and drink.  I wanted one to eat in the departure area and one to put in my carry on for the flight.  It took an attendee to walk me back about 3 or 4 steps in the menu.  Had she not been there, they would have lost out on the $20 for the 2 small burgers.

 

[Sydebolle]

I do not really understand the commotion; at Makro 4 out of 5 "sa-caen" the screen for cashless payment which, in my opinion, takes longer to clear the bill than with cash. Given the instability of the internet (it still happens on and off) you wonder how all those scan-customers will grind the entire operation to a screeching halt. 

Cash is the customer's last anonymous choice; in a modern tax environment (like Central Europe) the customer will have to explain one day, how (s)he could buy all that stuff with what kind of money. The (taxable) income is one thing, the proven spending another - mark my words as Big Brother is watching you 😉 

[Ben Zioner]

1 hour ago, redwood1 said:

Great we can spend hours in line as people screw around with their smart phones...

And even greater to be tracked every time we go buy size 49 condoms.

[new2here]

14 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Does it matter ?... Its still a flawed business model to potentially turn anyone away.

 

We've already read on this forum from numerous boomers who refuse to shop anywhere that does not permit cash payment...   so IKEA would lose those customers too.

 

I'm not against digital payments - I'm quite pro-digital payments and find the arguments of some against 'digital payment' to be highly flawed.

 

I'm 'pro-options' and believe its better for the consumer to be offered as many options as possible.

 

Its not big deal of course, this won't impact me in the slightest - but I have an opinion on such business behavior thats all.

 I tend to agree.. While I think socio-economic demographics of an IKEA customer probably overwhelmingly support a move away from cash payment and towards e-payments, QR and the like, I DO think that having some reasonable mechanism to accept cash is still a smart move 

Maybe it’s a “cash this register only” or the like.. but some way for cash paying customers to shop.

[SchuetzRob]

14 hours ago, Ralf001 said:

 

I prefer their chicken balls, Good value at Bt.650 a kg.

Too much Information... Does it really matter what they stick up their....... 

[Denim]

Our local Dunkin Donuts recently went cashless  , for ' everyones convenience ' .  An employee friend of my wife says they will soon be going profitless too.  Might work in big cities but in rural areas not a good idea.

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

 

Yeah I love waiting behind someone finding/playing with their phone for 5 minutes to pay for a bar of chocolate. 

 

Especially when they have to tell the cashier their phone number 3 times. 

Always the same tired argument. It's always the "cash is king" paranoid / old fashioned brigade who are so unlucky at check out counters!

You never ever, of course, get stuck behind people fumbling in their wallets for their money, then waiting while the cashier counts it a couple of times, then watching and waiting as they ring it up and then count the change three times before handing it back to the customer to then put back in their wallet before finally moving on. That happens to me literally every single time I go shopping anywhere and it takes a minimum of 15 minutes per person, just like your made up person has to tell their phone number three times and take five extraordinary minutes to pay for a bar of chocolate.  And then I have to put that filthy sweaty grubby money away with my nice clean hands.

Personally I much prefer cashless but I do think shops should keep both options. I just wish we had Apple pay and the like here as it is even quicker.

[chrissables]

16 hours ago, BritManToo said:

You think people without smartphones shop at IKEA?

I have a smart phone and have no app to pay online. It suits me. If it does not suit a shop i can move on.

[impulse]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

Always the same tired argument. It's always the "cash is king" paranoid / old fashioned brigade who are so unlucky at check out counters!

That happens to me literally every single time I go shopping anywhere and it takes a minimum of 15 minutes per person,

 

Boy, talk about unlucky at check out counters.  I've never seen it take 15 minutes per person.  It may feel that way, but it's more like 45 seconds.

 

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, impulse said:

 

Boy, talk about unlucky at check out counters.  I've never seen it take 15 minutes per person.  It may feel that way, but it's more like 45 seconds.

 

I was using hyperbole. Of course it takes nothing like 15 minutes, just as it doesn't take someone five minutes to pay for a bar of chocolate electronically, just as people don't have to tell their phone number three times etc.

There's very little difference in time between cash and no cash, just the "cash is king" brigade always use these ridiculous exaggerations to justify their position.

 

[KhunLA]

Won't be shopping there, or any vendor that requires cashless vs cash.

 

Cash = Freedom.   Once they go all cashless, you WILL lose any remaining freedoms you think you have.

[Dmitry2222]

18 hours ago, BritManToo said:

You think people without smartphones shop at IKEA?

I face payment problems with QR codes or cards every month, even at some BTS stations. So, it's not a smart solution to ask customers to wait until they fix their payment system. Cash always works like a sharm.

[Scouse123]

Slightly off-topic,

 

They are forcing us into this cashless society on the pretence that customer habits and preferences are changing.

 

My Barclays bank branch in the UK, in a busy town centre high street, introduced a number of cash paying-in and withdrawal machines in the foyer.

 

As customers entered, they were directed to these machines rather than counter service. They even had a designated staff member assisting them in their use.

 

Three months later, they closed the branch and said people's choices and preferences had changed, and customers were now more focused on doing their banking online.

 

The nearest branch now is in another town and is eight miles away.

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

 

Please think it through and keep the Ikea customer demographic in mind.

The customer base for Ikea is already using digital payments which includes debit and credit cards in addition to telephone apps.

The company most likely  looked at its transactions in detail and realized that  very few if any were paying with cash at the branches where the change will occur.  The dinosaur brigade that you refer to who refuse to use debit cards or payment apps, are not likely to be customers, let alone have the  intelligence or ability to assemble Ikea furniture anyway, so no need to worry about whether or not they agree.  

 

Ikea  sells low cost disposable furniture. The customer base is well documented IKEA's target market primarily consists of the global middle-class group, particularly individuals aged 20-34.

In the USA  The credit and financing company Earnest recently analyzed a dataset of more than 10,000 American shoppers’ spending habits to address a pertinent question: When do consumers ditch Ikea? The answer: at approximately the age of 34.

 

 

 

 

I'd argue the Ikea Thailand  customer demographic is different than the USA and the ages are a lot older...  I see a lot of older people walking around IKEA..

 

That said, I do get your point - someone going to Ikea, even in Thailand is likely to be very familiar with digital payments - especially when we see them being used very commonly at wet markets etc, PromptPay its a ubiquitous payment method in thailand.

 

I do agree with your comment that its likely  'The dinosaur brigade I refer to who refuse to use debit cards or payment apps, are not likely to be customers'...   

 

... However, my point is 'why put a system in place that locks out 'anyone' ??? 

 

I guess there could be a scenario whereby maintaining 'cash on premises' is more costly that any business secured with cash payment - but thats difficult to imagine.

 

Additionally - this is not a 'city wide' policy, but only at 3 stores - so I'm wondering why they are setting different rules for different locations.

 

 

[richard_smith237]

38 minutes ago, Scouse123 said:

Slightly off-topic,

 

They are forcing us into this cashless society on the pretence that customer habits and preferences are changing.

 

My Barclays bank branch in the UK, in a busy town centre high street, introduced a number of cash paying-in and withdrawal machines in the foyer.

 

As customers entered, they were directed to these machines rather than counter service. They even had a designated staff member assisting them in their use.

 

Three months later, they closed the branch and said people's choices and preferences had changed, and customers were now more focused on doing their banking online.

 

The nearest branch now is in another town and is eight miles away.

 

Exactly the same in my branch in the UK...  

 

But really, with the onset of internet banking and Mobile Banking, I never need to go into Branch anyway...  So I wasn't bothered - but my Parents who are quite 'Analogue' were annoyed by this removal of what they considered to be a basic service. 

 

When I was a child I remember we had two banks in our village, now my nearest branch is 20 miles (32 km away). I can see the case for removing a high-street bank from a village or small town due to the costs of rent and staff vs amount of customers who actually 'go in' to the Bank... 

 

Its different for businesses though who'd I'd assume would have it as policy not to turn away a single customer.....  perhaps IKEA can afford to lose the 'tiny' non-digital customer base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peterphuket]

7 hours ago, NoMoonLogistics said:

And the parasitic bankers are one step closer to taking a cut on 100% of the world's financial transactions. And with EVERYthing fully documented and duely recorded.

 

And all you pussies fold. 

 

Another reason to not step inside this pseudo stylish, cheap charlie's, faux furniture fashion dumpster truck - the other reason being that their prices are 100s of % more expensive in Thailand than in Ikea stores in eg, Australia.

Regarding driving up prices, that is correct, from the beginning when Ikea started in Thailand the prices were reasonable and in line with Thailand's pricing policy.
After 2 or 3 years when they were assured of sales and revenue, prices went up by 20% on average for no reason.
Due to the fact that their head office is in the Netherlands, I complained about this, but arrogantly I was referred back to Thailand.

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Won't be shopping there, or any vendor that requires cashless vs cash.

 

Thats been my point - perhaps you are not there target customer anyway - but why would they put a policy in place that deliberately ostracises 'possible' customers such as yourself ?

 

 

The question would then be asked - IF you 'needed' something from IKEA, would you know how to make a digital payment - in which case you are just being stubborn - as going to an ATM and withdrawing cash, then paying with cash involves more hassle than a QR transfer or debit / credit card payment.

 

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

Cash = Freedom.   Once they go all cashless, you WILL lose any remaining freedoms you think you have.

 

Agreed - which is why I think its important to keep cash...  for as soon as we don't have cash as an option, I'm sure the cost of Digital payment will increase... 

 

i.e. MasterCard / Visa already charge 3%... PromptPay is currently free... But when cashless is the only option, will a charge be added to that ? at which point we become stuck with minimum payments ?

 

I don't think cash will disappear in our life times, particularly for 'small' daily payments... But for shopping, malls, supermarkets etc... we might see a move to digital only.

 

Realistically - we're already 99% digital payment - the only time I pay with cash now is a flag-fall taxi and the odd 'beer-bar'...

 

 

 

 

[Patong2021]

7 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

I'd argue the Ikea Thailand  customer demographic is different than the USA and the ages are a lot older...  I see a lot of older people walking around IKEA..

 

That said, I do get your point - someone going to Ikea, even in Thailand is likely to be very familiar with digital payments - especially when we see them being used very commonly at wet markets etc, PromptPay its a ubiquitous payment method in thailand.

 

I do agree with your comment that its likely  'The dinosaur brigade I refer to who refuse to use debit cards or payment apps, are not likely to be customers'...   

 

... However, my point is 'why put a system in place that locks out 'anyone' ??? 

 

I guess there could be a scenario whereby maintaining 'cash on premises' is more costly that any business secured with cash payment - but thats difficult to imagine.

 

Additionally - this is not a 'city wide' policy, but only at 3 stores - so I'm wondering why they are setting different rules for different locations.

 

 

 

IKEA has a Point of Sale data system that can  turn out detailed reports on the volume of customers who transact use electronic means, and the value of each transaction. If the consumer is a member of Ikea Family discount program, then Ikea has  demographic data  like age, type of dwelling, and location of the customer. Customers can pay with  Visa, Mastercard, PromptPay, True Money Wallet Pay  and Line Pay.   However, Ikea  is not using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung's  version.

All this to say, they have a good idea where they can go to electronic payments without a problem and where they need to keep the  cash registers.   Going electronic will reduce physical  crime like holdup and  direct theft of cash by  employees. It will also   facilitate administration and I can see  a few  jobs in cash accounting being eliminated.

 

 

 

[Tubulat]

6 hours ago, Zaphod Priest said:

 

It's in the name:  chicken balls.  Only made from parts of male chickens which are a.k.a. cocks.

Ah, in Spain they eat bull's balls.
It happened to me once about 40 years ago we were on holiday in Spain, in a restaurant there was a buffet, and took the opportunity to eat these without knowing what they were.
Liked them, and when I told my partner I would go again she asked me if I knew what it was, to which I replied that I didn't care...crazy those next balls tasted considerably less and never ate them again after that.

 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

Regarding driving up prices, that is correct, from the beginning when Ikea started in Thailand the prices were reasonable and in line with Thailand's pricing policy.
After 2 or 3 years when they were assured of sales and revenue, prices went up by 20% on average for no reason.
Due to the fact that their head office is in the Netherlands, I complained about this, but arrogantly I was referred back to Thailand.

 

 

IKEA Thailand actually slashed many of its prices by 25% under its "More Value, Less Spend" strategy...

https://thereporter.asia/eng/2025/02/ikea-thailand-strategy

 

 

 

 

[Peterphuket]

5 hours ago, MadAtMatrix said:

Nothing wrong with pork

 

 

As long as you are not a Muslim.

[Peterphuket]

1 minute ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

IKEA Thailand actually slashed many of its prices by 25% under its "More Value, Less Spend" strategy...

https://thereporter.asia/eng/2025/02/ikea-thailand-strategy

 

 

 

 

That does not change my experience I have with that company.

There arre better ones....

[Burma Bill]

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

cash payments will no longer be accepted at three prominent branches:

 

Easy - load up a trolley with furniture kits and wheel to the check-out.

Offer cash and when refused, walk away leaving all the kits stacked at the checkout point.

IKEA will soon get the message!

[richard_smith237]

13 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

 

IKEA has a Point of Sale data system that can  turn out detailed reports on the volume of customers who transact use electronic means, and the value of each transaction. If the consumer is a member of Ikea Family discount program, then Ikea has  demographic data  like age, type of dwelling, and location of the customer. Customers can pay with  Visa, Mastercard, PromptPay, True Money Wallet Pay  and Line Pay.   However, Ikea  is not using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung's  version.

All this to say, they have a good idea where they can go to electronic payments without a problem and where they need to keep the  cash registers.   Going electronic will reduce physical  crime like holdup and  direct theft of cash by  employees. It will also   facilitate administration and I can see  a few  jobs in cash accounting being eliminated.

 

 

Understood and agree with all of that... 

 

Though those metrics often overlook the 'personal touch' some will feel ostracised - and that alone I think is poor business practice. 

 

IKEA obviously know what they are doing, I can't argue with that logic: However, I would like to see businesses 'showing they care'... 

 

... But as you say, perhaps they don't care about losing customers such as Khun LA and others who will avoid a place that excludes cash-payment - were they ever going to shop at IKEA in the first place anyway ?

 

 

[richard_smith237]

7 minutes ago, Peterphuket said:

That does not change my experience I have with that company.

There arre better ones....

 

Which ones...     Given cost vs quality - IKEA were an excellent option when we built our kitchen... 

 

Other options were homePro, Index, Boonthavorn...    IKEA was better (IMO of course) - though we used Boonthavorn for our countertop as IKEA sourced from them anyway and added their markup.

 

 

I understand opinions and experiences vary, but also understand we 'see what we want to see' i.e. you are under the impression all the prices have increased by 20%.. I have not seen that, but will admit I'm not a regular IKEA shopper anyway... so unless we are there every month, how will we notice the change of prices ?

 

I suspect its something of a more 'impression' and 'bias' based rather than factually based opinion.

 

[richard_smith237]

12 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Easy - load up a trolley with furniture kits and wheel to the check-out.

Offer cash and when refused, walk away leaving all the kits stacked at the checkout point.

IKEA will soon get the message!

 

Some people live in a world of utter delusion !!...  

 

You would do all of that just to make a point that no one will take notice of anyway.

 

As Patong2021 wrote - IKEA are already listening to the market, and while I disagree with the business practice they are employing, your 'one man protest' would be extremely juvenile. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peterphuket]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Which ones...     Given cost vs quality - IKEA were an excellent option when we built our kitchen... 

 

Other options were homePro, Index, Boonthavorn...    IKEA was better (IMO of course) - though we used Boonthavorn for our countertop as IKEA sourced from them anyway and added their markup.

 

 

I understand opinions and experiences vary, but also understand we 'see what we want to see' i.e. you are under the impression all the prices have increased by 20%.. I have not seen that, but will admit I'm not a regular IKEA shopper anyway... so unless we are there every month, how will we notice the change of prices ?

 

I suspect its something of a more 'impression' and 'bias' based rather than factually based opinion.

 

I admit, it becomes searching and have bought stuff there regularly but since that higher price experience, I don't come there anymore.
Recently I was surprised again, needed a new mattress and knew from about 2 years ago that they had a latex mattress for the price of 20000 Thb, now that same mattress has doubled in price and costs 40000 THB.