IKEA expanded their furniture buy back program to West Sacramento and other locations across the U.S. (via Fox 40). But what exactly do they buy back, and is it worth it?
When you first look at the list of things they DON'T buy back, it's difficult to fully grasp exactly what they DO buy back. I took one look at that list and initially though, there's absolutely nothing I own that they'll ever want back...because that list includes literally everything I've bought, and my whole apartment is IKEA...lololol.
Here's what they WILL NOT accept from anyone in their buy back program: non-IKEA products, home furnishing accessories including lighting and textiles, add on units and componentry, products that have been used outside including outdoor furniture, mattresses & bed textiles (like blankets and mattress toppers), kitchens, modular wardrobes and accessories, electrical appliances/products, chests of drawers, "hacked" or modified/painted products, non-assembled products, market hall products (like small kitchen goods, art, rugs, picture frames, or that weird wooden person figure that bends into weird positions), upholstered or leather products, sofas or armchairs, plants, items containing glass (including mirrors), children's and baby products, and beds & bedframes.
Surprisingly, they actually do accept quite a few pieces of furniture.
I did some digging around and walked through the motions of getting a quote for my BESTA shelving, which they do happen to include in their buy back program. Essentially, you tell IKEA if your furniture falls under one of four categories (bedroom, dining, living room, or office furniture), and then they have you select a subcategory from there.
I have a pretty large BESTA that I use to store books and clothes, and while I can't remember its exact dimensions, I selected the one on the screen that I thought matched. If the BESTA is brand new with no scratches, I could get a whopping $46 back. Mine has several scratches, so the quote drops down to $18 for that condition.
Keep in mind, your furniture has to be fully assembled. Also, I'm pretty sure I spent like $300+ on my BESTA to customize it how I wanted, which includes not only the framework but also drawers, drawer covers, shelves, and other parts.
So here's where I ask myself, is IKEA's buy back program even worth it? On one hand, you're getting SOMETHING out of it rather than dumping it off at Goodwill or the dumpster for free. You're also contributing to a more sustainable environment, which is IKEA's goal with this program (beside marking up your furniture to resell it). But then, factor in having to borrow someone's truck to load the furniture on, pay for gas to get there with a heavy item in the bed of a biga** truck, taking time to bring it to the store...and is it REALLY worth $18?
Personally, this running around and getting barely any kind of payment sounds like my personal hell. So for me personally, I don't think it's worth it, especially given the condition of my BESTA. (It's not BAD, but I know I'm not getting $46 for it!)
If you want to get a quote and see how much you might get back for your IKEA furniture (if they'll even take it, jeez), go here.
