Some people are struggling to find employment opportunities out there, but if you are happy with a job where you get to serve meatballs without actually serving meatballs, then maybe Ikea's new job listing is perfect for you.
Serving Digital Meatballs In Your Nearest Roblox Ikea Store
We never thought the day would come, but even digital stores for in-game items now need real people to man them. Roblox, which is a multi-platform multiplayer game, has been in several collaborations with tech giants, and the Swedish furniture store is among them.
With the partnership, players can shop for digital items offered by Ikea, including its famous Swedish meatballs. You won't be served by a virtual vendor or some other player who is willing to play the role. Instead, you can buy from an actual paid employee.
Ikea is looking for 10 "lucky candidates" who would work at the virtual store, although there are requirements to be met first. For starters, the applicant has to be 18 years of age or older, and they will have to be based in the UK.
When hired, the employee will be paid an hourly rate of $16.82, although it would only be a limited contract, as reported by Kotaku. Just to put that into perspective, actual service workers in the fast food industry only make half of that per hour.
The hired employees will be working on different sections of the digital store as they help players find furniture, serve meatballs, and get the chance to win exclusive content. With a job this "unique," the questions you have to answer are also a bit unusual.
Your response to the questions like how you feel about being turned into pixels or what you would do if Ikea ran out of pixelated hot dogs would determine your employment. And yes, this is the reality we live in now.
Roblox's Walmart Discovered
Ikea is not the only retail giant that wants to expand its business into the digital space of games. Walmart is also joining in on the fun, but unlike Ikea, the US-based retail store is selling actual items through its Roblox shop.
As long as the player is over 13 years old, they can browse and purchase items from the virtual store. It also allows players to discover new Roblox games, buy emotes, and customize their own Walmart cart, as reported by PC Gamer.
Roblox Vice President of Economy Enrico D'Angelo said: "Shopping for virtual items is already an important element of how people engage and express themselves on Roblox daily, so our goal is to gather feedback, test the technology, and learn what resonates with Gen Z customers the most."
There's not a lot of items to buy for now. Real-world products that can be purchased include a player-designed No Boundaries festival hobo bag, a TAL stainless steel tumbler, and Onn wireless headphones. If all goes well, Walmart might lean more into the project and sell more items that can be delivered to players.
