I moved multiple times with my IKEA furniture, including disassembling some. They’ve lasted fine these past five years+. Not sure why people think IKEA furniture is “disposable” and do not last.
IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
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Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#32IKEA furniture quality has dropped severely in recent years. Even their solid wood pine furniture has dropped in quality. You can find better quality furniture at Walmart these days. IKEA was never top quality, but used to be good enough for the price. But prices have gone up and quality down to the point it's no longer worth it.
The problem with most IKEA furniture is that it's just not meant to last or be disassembled and reassembled for resale, otherwise it just falls apart. It fits with the disposable lifestyle of young urbanites who move in the big cities rentals and want to buy modern looking furniture on the cheap.
IKEA sells a lot of furniture that is not modern looking at all, even reviving some retro lines recently. I'd describe it as a healthy mix.
I moved around ten times with a lot of IKEA furniture, changing countries even and the IKEA furniture definitely did not fall aparart. There are specific products, like the back of a wardrobe, that never fit properly - a move won't help there, but also isn't the deciding factor.
That is also why a second hand market for IKEA furniture is such a good idea. That stuff is sold second hand repeatedly anyway, can't hurt to add a bit of structure to that.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#33It's been my experience that a lot of Ikea things barely survive the first owner and rarely survive a move. This looks like it solves the worst of those two problems. On that note; I've found that if you add glue or contact-cement to the joints of the bookcases when you assemble them, the resulting bookcases are substantially more durable.
I have always used a generous amount of wood glue to the joints of any self-assembly furniture with the result being the furniture stays in one piece long after the finishing material has become worn and shabby.
The fixings supplied and the material construction are just not capable of providing a solid, permanent result otherwise.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#34I moved multiple times with my IKEA furniture, including disassembling some. They’ve lasted fine these past five years+. Not sure why people think IKEA furniture is “disposable” and do not last.
Depends on what you get, and how you build it to boot. Some people will just use a drill or force the screws in too much. I did botch my current desk, but I just kept it, it's still sturdy. I too have kept plenty of Ikea products. When I bought my house they left some Ikea stuff, so it's at least 5 years or older and still sturdy.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#35Earlier quoted context omitted.
What is an example of an item you consider excellent?
All the stuff I've brought from Ikea has been pretty good, quality-wise. I've got a set of billy bookcases, a metal-framed desk from their 'desks for office' range, two double beds with mattresses, and a 5-seater sofa. It's all lasted fine. Of course, as a veteran DIYer and woodworker, my furniture has the benefit of being assembled right and treated with respect. And nobody in my household weighs over 150 lbs, which…
Billy are great and easy to customise to fit- I made a wall of black shelving in a bedroom and shelves for a built in closet with them (before IKEA started doing closet furntiure). I've found that they don't re-assemble well, they're never as tight after that.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#36IKEA furniture quality has dropped severely in recent years. Even their solid wood pine furniture has dropped in quality. You can find better quality furniture at Walmart these days. IKEA was never top quality, but used to be good enough for the price. But prices have gone up and quality down to the point it's no longer worth it.
In my experience it's been very hit and miss with their furniture. As an example my parents bought me a Markus chair and a desk when I was in middle school. The desk broke when I slammed my math book on it one time and as for the chair, I'm still using it to this day (I'm 30)
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#37I'm all for the concept. I'd be interested to see how it pans out. There are a few key things that I'm skeptical, but hopeful for. 1. The scope being limited to Ikea feels like it would decrease the user base notably enough where it wouldn't be worth it for users to sell or buy, ending in a downward spiral. 2. Maybe this is just me, but dealing with any potential liability of P2P sales sounds like a real PITA. Not su…
Giving ikea furniture resale value also increases people’s willingness to buy new. The second hand market may be worth propping up because of the core business.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#38I moved multiple times with my IKEA furniture, including disassembling some. They’ve lasted fine these past five years+. Not sure why people think IKEA furniture is “disposable” and do not last.
There are few different levels of Ikea furniture quality.
If you buy the lowest quality, it is composed of "particle board" (AKA pressed sawdust) and "corrugated cardboard" (https://youtu.be/24F5JlKkxR4?t=76). This furniture is incredibly easy to break and it will often not support being screwed together twice.
If you buy the higher quality furniture, which is often soft wood like pine (which is still incredibly low quality compared to traditional hard wood-based furniture), it will stand up a little better. It still scratches easily, because it is soft wood, but at least you can reassemble it after it has been disassembled.
Does Ikea sell any traditional hardwood furniture that is made out of things like maple, oak? I think not. Did they ever? I think they might have early one, but I could be wrong.
To be honest, it is likely a net environmental win that Ikea uses these cheap and low quality woods and sawdust and cardboard. Pine grows so much faster than hardwood, and reusing sawdust and cardboard is really low impact on the environment. I guess you have to balance that against the shorter lifespan of its furniture.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#39IKEA furniture quality has dropped severely in recent years. Even their solid wood pine furniture has dropped in quality. You can find better quality furniture at Walmart these days. IKEA was never top quality, but used to be good enough for the price. But prices have gone up and quality down to the point it's no longer worth it.
The problem with most IKEA furniture is that it's just not meant to last or be disassembled and reassembled for resale, otherwise it just falls apart. It fits with the disposable lifestyle of young urbanites who move in the big cities rentals and want to buy modern looking furniture on the cheap.
Most of it is not meant to be disassembled at all, e.g. bookshelves with those circular cams and screws into particle board. Flat pack assembly is just a cheaper way of getting the furniture to you, if you move or sell it, keep it whole. I bought some fancier Crate & Barrel bookshelves recently that were being discontinued and the things arrived whole in wood reinforced heavy duty cardboard. They wanted C$300 or something for shipping and 2 bookshelves filled a 6.5' truck bed.
Re: IKEA launches secondhand marketplace to compete with eBay
#40Earlier quoted context omitted.
There’s evolutionary pressure here. IKEA quality ranges from cardboard to excellent and the stuff that self destructs won’t be resold
What is an example of an item you consider excellent?
Slightly off topic answer, but - I’ve been sleeping on a king sized IKEA mattress for about ten years now and I have absolutely no complaints. No moving parts or assembly required obviously, but nonetheless never had a bad nights sleep on account of this mattress.