IKEA is a leading furniture retail cooperation globally, recording about $44.6 billion, and that is just a scratch of the surface.
It’s a cooperation of companies – developed in Sweden that trades items like kitchenware, furniture, and home appliances.
IKEA is the most significant furniture cooperation that holds more than 400 stores trading various goods to more than billions of people globally.
Why is IKEA shipping so expensive?
The shipping cost for IKEA is expensive when buying one piece of furniture at a time, but it becomes less expensive if you buy multiple pieces at once.
IKEA is a company that has become synonymous with affordable home furnishings.
But recently, customers have noticed unexpected charges on their credit card statements for IKEA shipping costs.
With the average charge at $25-$30 per shipment, it’s no wonder so many people are asking “Why is IKEA shipping so expensive?“
But before we answer this question, let’s take a look at how IKEA got to where they are today.
IKEA is a leading furniture retail cooperation globally, recording about $44.6 billion, and that is just a scratch of the surface.
IKEA is a cooperation of companies – developed in Sweden that trades items like kitchenware, furniture, and home appliances.
IKEA is the most significant furniture cooperation that holds more than 400 stores trading various goods to more than billions of people globally.
Ikea was founded in 1943 by Ingvard, who was situated in Alhamut Sweden, Ingvard was about 17 years of age when he founded the IKEA company.
Currently, IKEA opened a branch in India to establish its global aim.
IKEA aims to establish Nordic-inspired furniture for users all over the world. It also contains big restaurants that can accommodate almost 1,000 people at a go.
The main IKEA store is located in Hitech City, covering over 13-acres of land in the outskirts of Hyderabad.
IKEA’s Hyderabad aims to contain about a store range of 7500 goods to sell to customers all time.
All these will amount to 1000 goods sold at an affordable price of $192.
The cooperation aims to open about 25 of the same stores all around the U.S by the year 2025.
Purchasing goods at IKEA physical stores can be hectic and forceful to many people who consider purchasing household goods online.
However, almost everybody can say IKEA provides quite good pieces of furniture but has high shipping prices.
Shopping online presents large pricing on shipping cost on checkout, and all this might be because of the following reasons.`
Why is IKEA shipping so expensive?
Here are some reasons that make IKEA shipping feel very expensive:
Quality standard delivery Techniques
Whether you will be purchasing at the comfort of your home or where you operate from, IKEA can deliver the goods without causing a fuss.
Whether you are shopping from the comfort of your home or in the office, IKEA offers furniture without hustle.
This is among the reasons many customers around the world love IKEA.
It’s no secret that quality and timely delivery are vital in selling items, but the only disadvantage is it comes at a high price.
Most IKEA goods are fragile, which means some glass products require special attention when being delivered.
This requires the delivery personnel to utilize padding material, or bubble wraps to decrease the shock gained by goods during delivery.
Vast assemblies of most dining goods and master beds are delivered via long hauling trailers, which will carry more orders.
Small packages are transported via small vehicles.
After buying any good from IKEA, the customer is issued a tracking number that can assist the customer in tracking goods on IKEA’s website.
IKEA can use customer order numbers, mobile numbers, or use the associated emails to get customers tracking details.
The process of transporting starts once the customer orders status and gets a “picking order.”
The following stage is “preparing delivery which includes packaging, among other things.
When packaging, IKEA workers can confirm, the goods fit matching orders.
IKEA personnel then check to see if there are fractures or defects before delivering the goods to the customer to avoid facing return charges due to defective goods.
After this process, another IKEA personnel wraps the goods with a bubble wrap and places it into a carton to ensure it does not sustain any damage during delivery.
Forklifts are utilized to haul heavier goods to other delivery vehicles.
On the other hand, lighter materials are carried by workers by hand to the back of delivery.
If the customer orders the goods to be packaged into one bundle, then IKEA workers package and wrap everything into a single bundle.
When this happens, the IKEA workers package and wrap everything the customer ordered in a single package.
The specific packaging procedure ensures that little space is consumed in the warehouse, during transportation, and in warehouse reserve racks.
This will enable various items to be shipped globally all at a go.
IKEA provides detailed care of goods from the stages of packaging to delivery to ensure that customers receive their packages in a timely manner and in a quality state.
From the discussion above, it’s clear that a lot of manpower and machine assistant is required to accomplish the whole process.
All these factors stated above play a role in ensuring customers receive their orders that don’t come cheap.
For IKEA to cover the cost, they have to cover the costs incurred.
The shipping system is made for high orders
For other e-commerce or retail businesses, IKEA charges the shipping price per order but not per goods.
This makes IKEA goods to be more expensive as the customer checks out compared to alternative sellers.
IKEA’s flat delivery price of about $ 5 for more miniature goods such as storage baskets, bottles, or lamps increases the charges.
Also, the charge can be increased depending on the weight of the goods you order.
For more oversized items like couches, sofas, shelves, cabinets, beds, and tables, IKEA charges a flat rate of $49.
This favors customers who order more oversized items compared to those who request one thing.
Goods do not include shipping costs
The most common market strategy for most e-commerce sites is utilizing the delivery fee to earn better profit.
However, IKEA provides a flat rate that can only be adjusted regarding the distance from the warehouse.
But it’s common knowledge that businesses that claim they don’t add delivery fees don’t do so.
They add the fee of shipment services on the original price of the goods, making it more expensive than the original sum plus the shipment fee; the same case applies to shopping in IKEA stores.
IKEA makes the charge of the goods high to cover the price they incur when delivering, including other potential costs.
Also, when you factor in the cost for drivers and lifters, the cost seems to increase.
To cover the extra costs, IKEA increases the price of product goods.
The distance between the delivery point and production point
Firstly, IKEA delivers everywhere in the USA, even the most remote areas, which is rare in most e-commerce stores.
This implies that when the store is close to the customer, it does not mean that the price will be high.
Customers can use the shipping cost calculator to notify them of the charges they will incur for shipping.
Using the cost calculator allows customers to determine if they can meet the shipping charges.
Dimensions and Weight of The Products
It is another significant factor that impacts IKEA shipping to be highly expensive.
Some are very large, heavy, and mighty.
Since IKEA shipping includes different types of accessories, larger goods take abundant space on the vehicle.
That is why suppliers are unable to keep sufficient items in a single-vehicle that they wish to keep.
As a result, they have to hire more vehicles for large goods that can carry ordered accessories.
In addition to the size of the products, weight is another factor to consider.
It is seen that some products are very weighty to carry. So, it is laborious to transfer these products from one place to another.
For this reason, so many laborers are required to accomplish the task.
What is more, vehicles are less unable to carry weighty products than average products.
It also creates trouble because a vehicle can not carry sufficient products if they are weighty.
All of these factors matter in increasing the cost of shipping.
Because the brand has to maintain these issues and spend a huge amount of money.
Therefore, a hefty cost is applied for shipping to meet up expenses.
Careful Shipping
IKEA is always careful and very sincere to bring out its transportation jobs without damage and loss.
That is why enough laborers and workers are engaged in shipping activities.
As various weighty sofas can not be shipped haphazardly, IKEA ensures the safety of the products so that no damage can be seen. When products are delivered, the concerned people are well instructed to avoid any damages.
They are advised to turn away uneven roads.
It is also instructed that drivers should not drive recklessly rather maintain a specific speed in order to keep the products precise.
Before delivery, IKEA examines all the products and checks whether they are perfect to deliver or not.
It is very cautious so that goods that are partly spotted or damaged can not be delivered.
Besides, the number of ordered products is also carefully organized as no products are missed.
Aside from these, IKEA is heedful to reach the products within time.
If you want to return or replace any product, you can call its customer service number within 48 hours.
And it will take initiatives according to the situation.
Thus, IKEA is very earnest in executing its services and duties.
That is why it demands an extravagant cost to back up the services.
A Psychological Tactic
It is a very fascinating tactic that has been taken by IKEA for demanding a hefty coat for shipping.
Actually, it is psychological and a mind-game.
As IKEA has multiple showrooms throughout the world, more than 50 of them are located in the USA, according to a report.
Generally, IKEA demands an exorbitant shipping cost so that people show little interest in online shopping.
Due to the high cost, they will avoid it and be encouraged in-person shopping in the stores.
As a result, people will frequently visit the stores and consequently, the reputation of the stores will be spread more widely.
What is more, most of the people buy additional products beyond plan according to instant choice when they do shopping from stores.
This brilliant mind-reading ability of IKEA has encouraged it to impose an expensive price tag for shipping.
Using Expensive Third-party
IKEA delivers its products by a third party for which it has to spend a large sum of money.
In order to meet up the expenses, IKEA claims a lavish shipping cost in return.
Basically, most of the IKEA shipping is done via FedEx along with Dolly, UPS, and several other companies.
Cost-Per-Touch Strategy
It is an innovative technique of IKEA to increase the cost of delivery. Consequently, it is seen that the shipping cost is more than average.
Broadly speaking, it needs a lot of procedures to ship a product to its consumer.
To execute the delivery successfully, there are a good number of workers engaged with these efforts.
As an illustration, when a customer orders a sofa set, IKEA must select the item from its store.
Then, the product is transferred to the vehicle into the warehouse by some laborers.
After that, suppliers reach the product.
And finally, it is shipped to the customer and they also need some workers.
After all, whenever the product is loaded, moved, carried, and shipped, it requires a number of laborers.
And the laborers demand a certain amount of cost in return.
Therefore, it is lenient to understand that this additional cost influences to impose an exorbitant shipping cost.
Tax And Custom Charges
Tax and Customs charges are one of the important reasons responsible for the high cost.
Because of the significant tax and the customs charge applied by the government, IKEA takes a hefty cost.
It is seen that IKEA, at present, delivers its accessories 60% via roads, 20% by sea freight, 20% via train, and 1% by air.
And there are a certain amount of tax and custom charges of the government on every option of transportation.
Moreover, some states of America demand a particular amount of delivery charges that must be paid by the company when it is delivered by personal vehicles of the company.
In particular, when products are delivered to other countries, IKEA must pay a good amount of customs duty.
And overall, these charges are thoroughly reflected in the shipping cost of the company.
Brand Reputation
And lastly, it is the brand value of IKEA that overwhelms the company to look for a ridiculous shipping cost.
It has a wide reputation because of its quality products and promising services.
Indisputably, IKEA is one of the most dominant industries in furniture retail.
With the advancement of services, IKEA is successful to retain its position among the various companies.
Over time, the demand for the brand is simply increasing.
Particularly, IKEA is now a large industry with a huge net worth of $44.6 billion.
It has more than 400 stores and outlets globally.
And it opens new stores day by day to expand its activities.
For this reason, IKEA charges a good sum of the cost for shipping its products.
Other factors
There are a couple of reasons IKEA shipping is more expensive, ranging from the shipping fee to the urge for you to shop more.
While the cost of shipping can go higher than 49 dollars, many find buying more could cost less.
When people live in a town far away from the huge warehouse, the IKEA shopping experience mostly comes down to shipping.
After having to cater for the high shipping fee, customers feel drained, but the thought of acquiring some of the most stylish home accessories and furniture for quite a symbolic price makes it worthwhile.
The mega shipping store calculates the shipping cost per order; hence, no matter the number of items you buy from the store, the shipping cost remains the same.
This is a good way of rewarding those who buy more.
IKEA tends to be far away from largely populated areas, making it tough to provide a cost-efficient delivery, which affects the price.
In addition to that, their high standard delivery means reflect on the price paid for shipping.
Moreover, different regions have different custom charges. This translates to the shipping fee to meet customer demand.
IKEA merchandise is 65% transported via road, around 25% by sea, 10% via train, and air.
For those goods to cross a few borders, the company has to pay for the customs duty.
Some other companies/businesses offer free delivery services, yet they add the shipment fee to the price.
The resultant to be paid can be way high; IKEA does the contrary.
It gives a direct shipping fee which is frankly high; due to the recent pandemic, there has been an increase in online shopping that has led to delayed deliveries which has had a direct impact on the shipping fee.
Is IKEA shipping worth it?
Whether IKEA shipping is worth it or not totally depends on the customer’s order.
Since IKEA has so many household appliances to sell and deliver, customers should consider some factors before ordering.
The shipping charge of small items takes $5 and of larger items $49. For a number of larger items, the charge will be the same.
So, if you order more than one item the charge will be the same as $49. Hence, it is obviously worth it when you buy the various items at a time.
Overall, the services of IKEA are really satisfactory because it ensures quality products, safe transportation, customer service, etc.
How To Save On IKEA Shipping?
IKEA shipping is undoubtedly expensive and beyond affordable.
So, people look to reduce costs on IKEA shipping to save money. Here, a few steps are mentioned that can be accepted by consumers to save money.
1.
Already pointed out that IKEA shipping is the same for a number of items.
That means if you order more than one item, specifically two, three, or five, your shipping cost is the same as $49.
Therefore, a consumer should select the products if he is going to order so many things.
After checking all items, he should order at the same time.
For example, if a customer orders an item once, he has to pay $49 for delivery.
Then, after a few days, he orders another item, at that time he also has to pay $49 for shipping.
Similarly, every particular time, he orders particular items, he has to pay particularly. On the other hand, if he orders all the items together, he has to pay just $49.
Thus, it is a great means to save money on IKEA shipping by ordering several things at a time.
2.
IKEA Click and Collect Service is another principal policy to save money.
This service enables you to collect your item from a certain IKEA store according to your convenience since it has various stores throughout the world.
You can select this Click and Collect Service on its website and then add your desired products to carts.
Then, IKEA will inform you of all the relevant matters.
Eventually, you can collect the item from a nearby store.
3.
Not only IKEA but also every brand offers different types of holiday discounts and offers.
For example, Black Friday is a very common one. Moreover, IKEA occasionally provides free coupons and promotional codes for free shipping.
Thus, consumers should grab this opportunity for minimizing cost.
4.
Amazon is a great option to save money on IKEA shipping.
Customers should check Amazon before ordering on IKEA.
Sometimes, Amazon offers the same item with a less price and shipping cost than IKEA itself.
Besides, if you have a premium membership on Amazon you can get free shipping at all.
IKEA Delivery: What to Know Before You Order
IKEA, the world’s one of the most top industries, has a huge area of work. It is specifically known for its unique household and kitchen appliances.
It costs a lavish amount for shipping.
That is why one should know some matters before ordering on IKEA.
1.
At the very first of the order, one must know the cost of IKEA shipping.
Since its shipping cost is expensive, it is a crucial fact to consider.
It has already been said that the shipping cost of IKEA is $5 for small items and $49 for big items.
Whether you order one or multiple big items at the same time, the cost will be exactly $49.
2.
After knowing the cost of shipping, if you are not willing to purchase anything with this hefty shipping cost, one should know whether IKEA has any alternative.
Yes, IKEA has a Click and Collect service that enables one to collect ordered items from stores.
3.
If you live near a city, it is a great advantage for you.
As IKEA has several stores around the world, one store may be near you.
Therefore, if you have any store nearby, you can shop from the store.
4.
Before ordering, one should check the IKEA website to know the discounts.
IKEA often participates in sales as well as offers codes, coupons, and discounts for free shipping.
If you notice any of these options, you should order at that time.
How to get an Ikea free shipping code?
IKEA occasionally offers free shipping codes on its website.
If you visit the website, you will find several options that enable you to get shipping at a mere cost.
Using these codes, users can get a certain amount of money or a specific discount for delivery.
Does IKEA text before delivery?
When it comes to booking in-store at a home delivery text, IKEA dispatch and delivery personnel send a text message to customers a day before delivery is due.
The message contains a link to track the order on its way to the customer.
You will also receive a message showing the driver’s time to the delivery point on the delivery day.
For orders placed online, there are two separate deliveries if your order is split.
Parcel deliveries: a day before the delivery date, customers receive a text message or email from DPD.
The message gives customers alternatives of delivery recipients, i.e., neighbors, if the customer is not around to pick their parcel.
On the date of delivery, customers receive a tracking number containing a one-hour time slot.
Larger deliveries: If you provide your telephone number, a text message will be issued 24 hours before delivery.
On the delivery date, you will be issued a personal tracking link via text message.
If you did not provide a mobile number, tracking information would be sent to you via your email address 24 hours before delivery.
Does IKEA send coupons?
Even if you are shopping for furniture or their famous Swedish meatballs, IKEA occasionally releases coupons.
You can find coupons, promo codes, or offers on the IKEA web page.
The service is priced at $5, and customers can receive a $5 IKEA gift card once they collect the order in-store.
IKEA shipping cost is higher, but you can still save money if you employ the tactics below.
A single shipment of orders
IKEA provides customers with two types of deliveries: large orders and small orders. The cost of large orders starts at $5.99, depending on order size and product availability.
On the other hand, small orders begin at $49, depending on distance or demand.
So if you want to save some money on shipping costs, it’s advisable to consolidate multiple orders into one single shipment.
Time discounts and offers
One special day that presents reasonable offers is the IKEA black Friday sale, where customers can get good deals.
That’s not all; during the Black Friday sales, customers can also use the click and collect service for free, saving you on shipping charges.
Purchase IKEA goods on amazon
By searching IKEA on the amazon search bar, you can find goods on amazon produced by IKEA.
If you are a prime member of Amazon, you can get the two-day free shipping offer.
If you don’t have Prime membership, customers can sign up for a free 30-day trial that offers benefits like free shipping and more.
Target coupons and promo codes
Ensure you always check your online IKEA store for free shipping coupon codes, including different sales and offers
Using click & collect service
This service enables customers to order goods online and collect them at their convenience.
Customers can add goods to their cart and select click and collect at checkout to get a participating IKEA store close by.
They then will be notified via email when the goods are ready for collection.
Cheaper alternatives to IKEA
If you are not comfortable with the IKEA pricing range, there are a few other alternatives to consider.
Amazon: Customers can shop at Amazon, which offers great offers and good benefits like discussed above.
You can also decide to grab items from the IKEA store through amazon.
Burrows: This is a great alternative that is considerably cheaper compared to IKEA.
They offer modular furniture and customization opportunities.
Floyd: The founders dictated that their furniture should be made with modern living in mind.
They offer quality furniture at affordable prices and contain great offers.
These are the cheapest alternatives to IKEA that offer next to the same quality.
However, you can consider a few other stores like Albany Park, Article, All form, and Allmodern.
You don’t like to face expensive shipping costs from IKEA to get a desirable piece of furniture.
The options provided above are great alternatives you can consider.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How does IKEA shipping work?
IKEA shipping requires a lot of manpower.
Basically, it divides the shipping system between two.
One is the cost for small items and another is for the big items.
For small items, IKEA accounts for $5. On the other hand, the shipping cost of big items starts from $49.
At the very beginning, IKEA selects the products very carefully.
Then, it boxes up this with a fair wrap.
After that, the products are brought to vehicles and sent to destinations via carriers like FedEx.
Generally, it accomplishes the shipping jobs by a third-party service.
Besides, IKEA delivers the product to your home according to your order system.
Moreover, IKEA has partnered with TaskRabbit for assembly services by which one can have a specialist with products who will organize the decoration of the products.
How long does Ikea shipping take?
IKEA is familiar with fast delivery.
If you order any item from IKEA, you will indeed get your parcel delivered within three working days.
Typically, it takes one to three days for shipping. Large items are also delivered within this period.
What is more, if you want to get your item earlier than this time, you can order it online but collect it from your neighboring store.
Final Thoughts:
IKEA is doing everything they can to make sure your order arrives in perfect condition.
They are using the best quality delivery methods, so their system is made for high orders. They include all the costs related to shipping when they calculate prices on goods sold.
It’s understandable why it would be frustrating if you’re expecting a much lower price but don’t take into account how expensive freight companies might charge them per mile traveled or weight of the package (or what distance must be travelled).
About Dawson Kutch
Dawson Kutch is a born and raised Alaskan who loves the outdoors and everything it has to offer. Kutch has been an avid hunter and fisher his entire life, and takes great pride in providing for himself and his family. While he enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, Kutch also has a passion for fashion and loves to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. In his free time, Kutch enjoys spending time with his wife and one young daughter. He is always looking to learn more and better himself, both as a writer and as a person.
