Customers and competitors are feeling IKEA’s presence in the low-budget market.
When it comes to affordability, not many brands can match IKEA. But the question is, how long does furniture from IKEA last?
Regardless of the price point, buyers want their furniture to last. Shopping takes time and can be somewhat tedious.
No one would like the idea of buying the same thing now and then. So, quality matters a great deal when purchasing a piece of furniture.
Now let’s be sincere. IKEA has suffered criticisms of the quality of some of its products. But then, even the most expensive have had such experiences.
Now, let’s go straight to the question.
How long does IKEA furniture last?
IKEA is famous for its range of furniture. And generally, the company provides quality pieces that can compete with other top brands on durability, affordability, and appeal.
IKEA has made several recalls since its inception, but that doesn’t translate to poor quality. Top brands also make recalls.
Over half a billion shoppers visit IKEA yearly, indicating that the company is doing something right.
If the multinational company’s furniture weren’t good quality, they wouldn’t enjoy such huge patronages.
Again, keep in mind that several factors can determine furniture’s lifespan.
So that’s the answer about IKEA furniture’s lifespan. But we have more in store for you on this topic. Keep reading.
4 Possible Challenges You Might Face With IKEA Furniture
There are challenges with IKEA that could force you to question your decision to choose the company over others.
So, before it gets to that point, let’s explain some of the possible challenges you might experience with IKEA and why they are so.
Again, most people will not experience these so-called challenges. But it’s better to prepare your mind for the good and bad.
So, before you buy IKEA furniture, prepare your mind for the following challenges.
1. IKEA furniture assembling:
Most companies instruct their delivery people to assemble furniture upon delivery, making the job easier for customers. And this saves time, energy and ensures you don’t damage the furniture while trying to assemble it.
Unfortunately, IKEA doesn’t offer such. Customers are left to sort things out themselves. That is, you need to fix every screw, washer, and nut in your furniture. IKEA’s role is to deliver the product to your doorsteps if you paid for home delivery.
Well, it’s easier to blame IKEA for allowing customers to go through such challenges. But then, the price of their furniture should make up for these challenges. The fact that they allow customers to assemble their furniture by themselves is partly why their products are budget-friendly.
Furthermore, IKEA is a Danish company. Therefore, guides come in Danish and then translated to English. But that’s where some of the meaning gets lost. It’s safe to say the Danish translation is more robust than the English one.
Nonetheless, the company still provides picture guides to help customers assemble the furniture themselves.
The best way to avoid the challenge of assembling IKEA furniture is to purchase the needed tools and then seek help. Two heads are better than one. So, ask your friend to come over and give you a hand.
A Handy Tip: If you can’t find your instruction manual, don’t panic. IKEA has made provision for customers to download the needed manuals online. Gone are the days where people had to wait for manuals shipped from companies to get to them.
2. Deliver more parts than required:
IKEA has a penchant for sending customers more parts than needed. They claim the parts are for future replacements, but most customers take it the wrong way.
The easy way to find out if you’re assembling a product right is when there are no more parts left on the floor. It gives you that sense of accomplishment, and you will not be so confused about the process.
If you’re buying IKEA furniture, prepare your mind to deal with the issue of leftover parts. The best thing to do is to avoid anxiety and focus squarely on the instruction manual.
A Handy Tip: Before you start assembling your IKEA furniture, take an inventory of all the parts. Then go through the instructional manual and start gathering all the parts you need to assemble the furniture.
3. Possibility of a recall:
IKEA is no stranger in the area of product recalls. It has had several products recalled since its inception.
But then, the constant recalls aren’t good for business. It sends a wrong signal about a company’s production line, including the quality control team.
However, IKEA isn’t the only multinational company that has had products recalled over the years. And one thing customers need to know is that such recalls for good reasons. They do it to avert accidents that may occur.
4. Returning purchased furniture:
IKEA has one of the most attractive return policies. You can return unopened furniture within 365 days and opened ones within 180 days.
However, the problem with IKEA’s return policy is that they don’t accept every product. IKEA can choose to reject any product it deemed fit. And consequently, you won’t get a refund.
The company only accepts returned products that are well-packed, resellable, and usable. Products with stains, dirt, or any form of damages, get rejected.
Furthermore, if you’re returning an item to IKEA, you can decide to take it via your car or contact the IKEA pickup service. But bear in mind that this service isn’t free. The pickup cost the same as delivery.
Things To Consider Before Buying Furniture From IKEA
There are some terrible reviews directed at IKEA. Most customers have expressed their displeasure at some of the company’s products. And more will.
The truth is IKEA offers a ton of products, ranging from furniture, home improvement products to frozen foods. So there would likely be a few bad ones among the tons of options.
However, you can avoid being one of the unfortunate IKEA customers by paying attention to a couple of things. Let’s discuss them quickly.
Research about the product:
It would interest you to know that most IKEA furniture doesn’t last long due to human error.
Manufacturers’ errors are also part of the reasons. If a piece of furniture has a factory mistake, you can’t assemble it correctly no matter how you try. Even if you manage to assemble it, you might not use it for long.
So, research about the furniture before buying. If there are more complaints from people about a piece of furniture, think twice before splashing the cash on such products. But if you insist on buying it, check if the problem isn’t going to affect the product’s usability.
Your focus should be to find unbiased reviews on IKEA furniture. You can also narrow it down to the specific IKEA furniture you’re planning to acquire.
There are tons of reviews on furniture from IKEA out there. You can check the company’s official website, PINTEREST, Instagram, YouTube, and other reputable platforms for reviews.
Learn more about the product:
Every product is made of a combination of materials. Therefore, if you’re gauging a product’s lifespan, you need to consider the individual materials used in making the product.
The furniture you’re buying from IKEA might be a new product and design on the brand’s store. But regardless of how new, you’ll still find information on the materials used.
If you know the materials used in making your furniture, such as type of wood, finish, and others, you would have an idea of the product’s quality.
So, research the individual products used in making your IKEA furniture. Get information on their lifespan and what condition they thrive in.
Know the products you should avoid:
IKEA has a reputation for recalling their products whenever they deem fit. They don’t broadcast such because of how damaging it can be to their reputation.
So, if you find information on what’s no longer safe on IKEA, avoid the product. Even if you find them in other stores, don’t waste your money on such products.
Conclusion
There’s no perfect company on planet earth. Avoid any company that says otherwise. IKEA isn’t perfect. Since its inception, they have had a couple of negative reviews, but even the world’s top brands had such at some point.
The question, how long IKEA furniture lasts depends on a range of factors. But in general, IKEA’s products are great for the price.
Again, make sure you assemble the furniture correctly before use. That’s the first thing that determines furniture’s longevity.
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