# small‑format stores

IKEA Clearance Turned Crowd Frenzy Lays Bare the Decline of China’s Big‑Box Home Retail

A massive clearance sale at seven closing IKEA stores in China drew chaotic crowds and highlighted a larger shift away from suburban, big‑box home furnishing malls. Declining occupancy, rising bankruptcies and the rapid rise of small‑format and online‑born domestic brands suggest the industry is being reshaped by new consumer habits and retail economics.