IKEA announces Roblox store with actual employees & it pays surprisingly well

IKEA have announced that they’re opening a store in Roblox, one that’ll offer actual pay for players and will have a formal interview process to determine the best candidates for the job.

It’s not the first time a company has attempted to create a virtual shopping experience. Roblox is already being used as a marketplace for companies like Walmart who have made it possible to purchase items in-game and have them shipped to you directly.

However, IKEA’s taking things a step further and offering paid roles for workers in their Roblox store. It isn’t yet clear what exactly players will be doing to get paid other than vague descriptions that mirror what an employee would do at an actual IKEA store.

“The virtual store will give people a chance to immerse themselves in the working world of IKEA. With a limited number of paid, virtual co-worker roles available in the game,” IKEA’s press release states.

The company claims it’ll have 10 job openings for their Roblox store, and that people working there will be able to get promoted to other roles or move to different departments “just like in the real world”.

IKEA

Here’s a quote from IKEA’s Culture Manager in the UK and Ireland about why the company is giving this a shot in the first place:

“We’re excited to be the first brand to launch paid work on Roblox to showcase how we do careers differently, bringing our unique careers philosophy to life.

“At IKEA, there is no set route to career progression. Our co-workers are able to change roles, switch departments, and grow in any direction they choose, both in the game or in the real world. There are many ways to learn and grow at IKEA, and that’s what IKEA on Roblox is all about.”

Again, it’s not clear what skills this job demands from moment to moment, and the questions on their job application don’t help much. Other than basic info about yourself, there are only three questions on there. They read as follows:

• “How do you feel about being turned into pixels?”
• “If you were a pixelated IKEA furniture, which one would you be and why?”
• “What would you do if we ran out of pixelated hot dogs in our bistro?”

Employees will make minimum $16.81 USD an hour, the same that an IKEA worker in London would get paid. Considering the nature of the work, this is a pretty strong selling point, and it’s likely why they’re only taking 10 applicants.

Job applications are open until June 16, 2024, with the Roblox IKEA store opening on June 24, 2024. If you’d like to throw your hat in the ring and apply, check out our guide.