Think Online Ordering From IKEA Is Too Expensive?

Is there a less expensive way to buy from IKEA online?

First let me say I am a HUGE IKEA Fan! I love all things IKEA, but for me, getting to my nearest IKEA is difficult, not to mention trying to transport my purchases home! I’ve learned a few things (being the thrifty shopper that I am!) and thought I’d share them with you.

Just because you don’t live near an IKEA doesn’t mean you can’t afford to buy IKEA products, and, you may even get a deal on shipping!

Options for buying IKEA products include:

• Ordering from the online catalog at IKEA.com
• Searching for IKEA products on eBay
• Looking on Craigslist for used IKEA products
• Ordering from an IKEA store directly *Best option*

Let’s start with the first and most obvious option which is ordering from IKEA’s online web site.
There are two main downsides of ordering from IKEA.com. The first being the fact that only select merchandise is available for purchase. The majority of IKEA products that you can purchase online are mostly the larger, more expensive products like furniture.

Second, the shipping fees are astronomical! Here is an example. If you click here (link will open in a new window) and type in your zip code, you will get an estimate of IKEA’s shipping fees. For instance, my zip code is 98311 and these are the estimated prices for shipping an order to me.

Estimated Shipping Fees for Orders That Weigh Less Than 503 lbs:

• For orders that total between $150.00 -$ 350.00, the shipping fees are $292.00
• For orders that total between $350.01 -$ 500.00, the shipping fees are $310.00
• For orders that total between $500.01 -$ 800.00, the shipping fees are $346.00
• For orders that total between $800.01 -$ 1000.00, the shipping fees are $370.00
• For orders that total between $1000.01 -$ 2000.00, the shipping fees are $490.00

As you can see, those shipping prices combined with the small selection of products available for purchase online turn many potential shoppers away. The whole idea of IKEA is to offer great looking, functional furniture that everyday consumers can afford right? (most of the time!) Now, let’s look at the next option which is eBay.

IKEA on eBay

When you buy an IKEA product on eBay, you are most certainly going to pay for it. The upside is that you may be able to find smaller items there that you cannot order from IKEA directly online. The keyword there is “may”. You are limited to what you can find and if you are looking for a good deal, chances are you won’t find it there.

For example: I recently needed to buy IKEA Rajtan Spice Jars which I use to store scrapbooking embellishments. They are priced at $2.99 for a set of four jars. Unfortunately, they are not available to purchase online through IKEA.com and I am not driving all the way to my closest IKEA for them so I checked eBay. The price on eBay was $5.99 plus $8.95 for shipping! So to order from them, you’d pay $14.94 compared to $2.99 at an IKEA store! You can try it yourself by clicking here to see the current search results on ebay for “IKEA Rajtan Spice Jars”.

IKEA on Craigslist

This may be a good solution for you provided that:

• You don’t mind buying used
• You can find what you are looking for, when you are looking for it
• The product you find is in good condition
• The price is right
• You have a solution for transporting the item to your home

I have found some great deals on Craigslist in the past but they are sporadic and because I live on a peninsula, it’s not easy to find items for sale in my local area. I have found IKEA products at thrift stores locally but only by chance and not usually what I’m looking for. That being said, it never hurts if you are a thrift store shopper to keep your eyes open for IKEA products while at Goodwill!

I saved the best option for last!

Ordering Directly From an IKEA Store

*You will need to check with your closest IKEA stores to see if they offer the same service. Click here for a list of locations.

If you live in Washington, Oregon or Alaska and are too far away from an IKEA store, or do not have a way to transport your purchases, don’t fret because you are in luck! You can order from the Seattle IKEA store by phone! This not only saves you money on shipping and delivery, but you can order anything and everything they have in stock!

Things to Know about IKEA in Seattle, San Diego and Houston

IKEA Houston, IKEA San Diego and IKEA Seattle are owned by a franchise and may have different prices, services, sales, etc. For the purpose of this post, I’m sharing what I know about the Seattle location.
IKEA Seattle

This is what the IKEA’s Seattle store web site says about their delivery service:

“Taking things with you saves you money, but if you need help getting things home we can help you arrange home delivery by an independent company. We even have same-day delivery to select locations. Ask at the store for the rates and schedule to your neighborhood.”

Specific details found on their web site regarding Seattle IKEA’s home delivery service include:

Running short on time? Can’t make it to the store? Use the IKEA Seattle Phone Orders department!

IKEA Seattle can provide Phone Orders for in-stock items (no back orders) for delivery in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. We offer 3 methods for shipping – Home Delivery, UPS or freight. Your representative will determine the best way to send your order.

Delivery and handling fees

All Phone Orders are subject to handling fees and delivery charges. Delivery rates are based on zip code and piece count.

Handling fees:

• Orders with up to 30 pieces – $15
• Orders with 30 pieces or more – 3% of total order (min. $15)
• UPS shipped orders (non-breakable/non-furniture items) – $7 plus shipping charges.

So, get your shopping list ready, pick up the phone and give us a call at 425.656.2980, option 3, or 1.800.570.IKEA – option 3. They can also be contacted by fax at 425.251.1702. Enjoy the time-saving benefits of using our Phone Orders department!

That’s more like it! It’s still more than you would pay if you were to go to the store itself but if you can’t make it, you have a more affordable option that offers you a larger selection of products to choose from.

Getting to Seattle IKEA from Bremerton

If I drive I have to take into account the fact that even though any map search online will tell you that Seattle is only about 12 miles from me, that’s not entirely true. If I were to swim straight over to Seattle, it is probably about 12 miles to IKEA. However, if I drive, you can see from the map below, I have to drive around the water which according to Mapquest is 66.58 miles and takes 1 hour 19 minutes to drive (one way).

My other option is to drive onto the ferry which is much easier on both me and my vehicle but it’s not cheap. Here is an example of the fees I pay to take the ferry. (I get a discount because of my disability parking permit but you can check the Washington State ferry schedule and fares by clicking here)

On my latest trip to Seattle IKEA I took my 16 year old son with me. I paid $8.95 from Bremerton to Seattle and was not charged for my son. On the way home however, I had to pay another $8.95 for me and $5.40 for my son (he’s 16 so he’s discounted too). The total ferry fees for this trip cost me $23.30 and that’s with two discounts.

The drive from the ferry terminal to IKEA is very short so it’s not much in gas (if you know how to get there!) but fitting my purchases in my vehicle and trying to load and unload them are a totally different story!

Other than getting lost several times because we had other stops to make, listening to my teenage son complain the entire trip, abandon me in IKEA while he SLEPT on the couches in front of the As-Is section (where he was supposed to sit and monitor so he could call me when something new was brought in LOL), and not being able to buy everything I wanted because it wouldn’t fit in my vehicle, it was a good trip and I’m pleased with what I bought. To see what I bought the deals I found, click here.

I hope this helps. Remember to check with your closest IKEA store to see what their services include because they may be different than these.

Happy shopping to all my fellow IKEA fans!