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IKEA introduces Mänland to score more business

By Nadine Bells | Shine from Yahoo! Canada – Thu, 22 Sep, 2011 12:53 PM EDT

Ever try to shop for household accessories with a disinterested boyfriend or husband?

A Sydney IKEA store recently introduced a novel concept to address their misery: Mänland.

Mänland is the grown-up version of the brilliant Småland Play Area. Instead of dropping off your little ones, you leave your other half in a man-friendly play space, complete with arcade machines, a foosball table, Xbox consoles and free hot dogs.

A four-day trial of the male-only play zone was launched over Australia’s Father’s Day weekend.

"Despite most men dreading a trip to the shops, we still attract a high proportion of male customers,” publicity manager Jude Leon said. “So we’re expecting the scheme to be a real success with both sexes.”

Mänland isn’t supervised, but does request that women return within a half hour to collect their men. Afraid you’ll get caught up in the deals and forget about your man? A complimentary buzzer will remind you to pick him up.

Reaction online has been mixed. Some critics accuse Mänland of reinforcing patriarchal stereotypes, setting back gender equality.

Other critics address the more practical loophole: Who can successfully navigate IKEA in under 30 minutes?

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All Comments

70 comments

cher • 3 months ago
men are little babies so of course they need a play land too....
GoOdLuCk • 7 months ago
Kind of lame. Why would I want to drag my husband and three kids to Ikea and put them all in 30 min daycare. lmao. Here's and idea: don't bring them.
A Yahoo! User • 7 months ago
no women allowed?!?! that sucks... WTF?
songster • 7 months ago
I don't get it. Women take their guys shopping just to drop them off at a playland??? Ladies....leave your fellas at home. They don't want to be there, they don't have any opinions on the colour of the bed skirt and if for no other reason....they don't need to know how much we've spent.
- just_my_opinion 7 months ago
  How much I spend is not my husbands business, unless I want him to know because he angered me and I was punishing him in his pocket book. for example the shoes that were $600 on sale! but that wouldn't be at IKEA
CancelledComment • 7 months ago
I love the idea-would happily drop my man off if he'd go rather than controlling my every thot and move and challenging every decision!!! lol
LeRoy M • 7 months ago
Gender equality is a myth. Until men routinely get pregnant and carry a child to term, the sexes will never be equal.
ImmortalDistress • 7 months ago
Hahaha! What a great idea. My current boyfriend would want to come with me, but I've had past ones who would have preferred to stay in Manland. Patriarchal stereotypes? Whatever. I can guarantee there will be a few women in Manland while the men do the shopping.
Eric • 7 months ago
this is probably a new method to have customers stay longer in their stores and in turn to potentially get more sales.
- A Yahoo! User 7 months ago
  I think you nailed it in one.
- Big Big L 7 months ago
  I think most of their customers tend to stay longer than 30 minutes so I'm not sure this is the tactic they are trying to employ here. I think they realize that some men like to accompany their better half to Ikea but can't stand the 3 hour shopping process that is navigating a retail lobster trap.
Carl G. • 7 months ago
Finally-a store that understand that most guys are bored shopping!!!
LeRoy M • 7 months ago
Forget the Xbox consoles and arcade games - a few big screen TVs with live sports would work wonders.
A Yahoo! User • 7 months ago
If shopping for the couch you're going to be lying around on during your down time or other furniture you're going to be using, why wouldn't you want to be involved in testing it out to see if it meets your needs? Women enjoy IKEA about as much as men do but they also recognize that if you're going to be dropping three figures on a piece of furniture, it's going to be sticking around for a while so it better be comfortable and meet your needs. Suck it up and pick out what you like or else don't complain about it later.
- Lee 7 months ago
  nothing much at Ikea sticks around for a while
Jody • 7 months ago
Ladies ladies...nowhere did they say they replaced the kitchen area with man zon e. there's still stuff for you to do!
Marina • 7 months ago
If he is not gonna help me making a decision than why is he coming in the first place?
- cobbler's kid 7 months ago
  to do the heavy lifting. Oops you look like a body builder, so I guess you really don't need him for that.
ZeroOne • 7 months ago
Good idea! women drop the men off then they go shopping and ikea knows that women love to buy a lot of things a guy would say no to. So now they can blow all the money while her other half is playing video games. Well at least when he see's the receipt and starts complaining she can blame him for not helping instead of playing Xbox. Yeah I don't think it's as innocent as it seems in the end they're out to make money.
- Symux 7 months ago
  I know few women who would do that. Most of us would just leave the guys at home if we wanted to shop without a hassle, and the only time we drag you with us is when making big ticket item purchases where we'd like to get your input. I may love that floral couch, but if my hubby gripes about it every day for the next ten years ...
cobbler's kid • 7 months ago
it's not so much the men dreading the shopping, it's assembling the thousand pieces later that they hate!
A Yahoo! User • 7 months ago
you would have to a fool to buy Ikea crap, made in China, from recycled panda bare droppings, the wood is bambooo. drop of your moron man.get him doctored too.
DAWN • 7 months ago
Unless it is a big ticket item I leave my husband at home. If something does come up, where I have a question, I have a cell phone. More over a 30 minute timeline is impossible.
Chilly • 7 months ago
Uh, why would you bring your guy in the first place if they're not going to give you any imput? A grown man ought to be able to look after himself at home..
DLP • 7 months ago
My husband LOVES Ikea...almost more than me! we go once a year to Coquitlam Ikea and spend about 5 hours there(cheap lunch ofcourse),he always looking forward to the next time we get to go! :o)
Ron • 7 months ago
YES: YES YES. My wife loves Ikea, I really don't like shopping, but this sounds like a great idea. I really hope they bring it to our area reeeeeeeaaaaaalllllllllll soooooon.