Ikea gives workers free bikes
12-15-10, 08:34 PM
#76
cowboy, steel horse, etc
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I'd say the news coverage has certainly been some great free advertising if they're a total tax write off. Even if they had to pay half a million dollars for the bikes, the advertising generated has been a pretty good bargain.
12-16-10, 10:11 AM
#77
Senior Member
On the one hand giving any cheap bike, even a decent cheap bike is a much better gift than most big corporations give their employees. For example one year I was working for an ISP that had been bought out by earthlink. We were all getting laid off in February. What do you think we got for Christmas bonuses? Earthlink travel alarm clocks and T-shirts. WTF? were they just trying to rub it in?
On the other hand, even if those bikes were a bit nicer, I'm guessing more than 60% of their employees already have a nicer bike, even if most of them already don't get ridden. It does seem like a huge waste. I think it could have been a lot better if they had offered emplouyees an option, like a shiny new bike, or if you already have a bike you like howsabout some limited edition MAtching IKEA rack and fenders so you;re moire likely to ride it to work? Also I bet Ikea could have sourced some really nice branded panniers cheaply, and that also would do a lot more to help employees bike to work.
I don't hate IKEA. In a world flooded with cheap crapy products, their cheap crappy products are of a much higher quality than most. I've experienced all sorts of cheap fiber board furniture that falls apart. Ikea's by contrast is built to last even if it's built from inexpensive materials, and that makes a huge difference. My apartment is largely furnished with Ikea furniture, and it's held up much better than anything else in the price range. THey are a huge corporation, and I much prefer to shop locally, and buy hand crafted items. Still all in all, even though I want to love this, I can't help but hate that bike, and think Ikea could have done much MUCH better by their employees for the same money, AND made a better promotion out of it by giving their employees something that doesn't make every knowledgeable bicycle in the world simultaneously wretch.
On the other hand, even if those bikes were a bit nicer, I'm guessing more than 60% of their employees already have a nicer bike, even if most of them already don't get ridden. It does seem like a huge waste. I think it could have been a lot better if they had offered emplouyees an option, like a shiny new bike, or if you already have a bike you like howsabout some limited edition MAtching IKEA rack and fenders so you;re moire likely to ride it to work? Also I bet Ikea could have sourced some really nice branded panniers cheaply, and that also would do a lot more to help employees bike to work.
I don't hate IKEA. In a world flooded with cheap crapy products, their cheap crappy products are of a much higher quality than most. I've experienced all sorts of cheap fiber board furniture that falls apart. Ikea's by contrast is built to last even if it's built from inexpensive materials, and that makes a huge difference. My apartment is largely furnished with Ikea furniture, and it's held up much better than anything else in the price range. THey are a huge corporation, and I much prefer to shop locally, and buy hand crafted items. Still all in all, even though I want to love this, I can't help but hate that bike, and think Ikea could have done much MUCH better by their employees for the same money, AND made a better promotion out of it by giving their employees something that doesn't make every knowledgeable bicycle in the world simultaneously wretch.
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