IKEA is a Swedish home furnishings company founded in 1943 by Ingvar Kamprad. The company aims to create affordable, functional home furnishings and make everyday life easier through democratic design. IKEA reaches customers through catering to local tastes, quirky marketing campaigns, innovative print ads, and creating brand awareness. The company earns profits by bulk buying, controlling the supply chain, using solar panels, and lighter packaging materials to save on costs. Major competitors of IKEA include Walmart, Amazon, Costco, and Rooms to Go.