“HYPEBEAST”: UX OF WAITING IN LINE
When a line drops that you just have to cop
This past Friday 11/01/19 something peculiar happened, especially if you were out of the loop. Millennials and GenZers lined up at 7AM around their local IKEA big box retailers. Why? It was the launch of its latest collection, MARKERAD. This launch was the latest in its series of designer collaborations. The designer Virgil Abloh is the man behind the hype this collection created. Part of the hype is the limited number of pieces available too.
“It’s about elevating the anonymous, everyday icons that we use without noticing. When we put a doorstop on one of the legs of an ordinary chair we create something unexpected — an interruption.”
- Virgil Abloh
The collaboration was announced last year with multiple pop-drops since then. With a high demand for anything Virgil Abloh not much info was released around the drop date or pricing.
MARKERAD, a limited collection by IKEA and Virgil Abloh. Available November 1 in stores only.
On Friday, November 1, customers may line up at IKEA stores for wristbands beginning at 7am local time. First come, first served. Sales begin at 10am local time. Each wristband permits purchase of a maximum of one unit of each MARKERAD product style, as available. Wristband does not guarantee product availability or purchase. While supplies last.*
“Planing To Wait”
With Halloween the night before I did not get up early to wait in line. I had high hopes that Ikea was smart enough to scale the collection and knowing the Denver metro area is not as big of a Hype scene. The only item I really wanted was the “TEMPORARY” clock shown above.
“Walk The Line”
Getting to Ikea after 10:45 was cutting it close I admit. I had looked online and scoial media in hopes of influencers posting live updates on the situation. Not much info was shared so I was going in blind. Not a great way to make sales on Ikea’s part. After parking and riding up the escalator I encounter a black rope line 20 or so people deep. The collection display is roped off with five Ikea “Co-Workers” laptops in hand helping customers one at a time. I ended up behind two early 20s dudes both wearing Supreme and Off-White. Behind me another dude wear a neiman marcus hat and suspenders. I felt a little out of place but had my eye on the prize (capitalism at its best).
“Community”
Know a little about a subculture can go a long way. As a designer I have to learn about endusers and their needs and wants. Sometimes I fall into the subculture but if I am ding it right I remove myself. After commenting on a t-shirt I was in. The two guys in front of me had been there since five am. This was there third time in line. I asked them how the morning went and what they had copped.
- Wrist bands were handed out which in reality meant nothing
- The line wrapped up and down the stirs
- Once the line got moving moral went up
- Issue with the checkout process
The Co-workers were essential creating an online shopping form that the wear house would get ready after the customer purchase the items.
- The first 10 or so people were given shopping list not checkout bar codes. When the went down to the register the cashier had no way to ring them up
- The sold-out items had signage placed next to it stating so.
“Cut in line”
After bonding over the release the two dudes let me in front of them. It was finally my turn. My co-worker was friendly and smiled and was very knowledgeable with my questions. This for me is not usually the case. It is one area physical retail should excel but often does not. Best of all I got my clock.
