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IKEA help -- outrageous shipping costs

rogersmj

rogersmj

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 10, 2006
2,169
36
Indianapolis, IN
I had my heart set on a simple, inexpensive, sleek black desk from Ikea. There is no Ikea store less than 3 hours from me, so obviously I was planning to order online. However, when I added the $60 desk to my cart, the shipping charges came to $287!!!! I've had large CRT televisions shipped for less than a third of that. How do so many people order stuff from Ikea if their shipping rates are so crazy? Does everyone just go to the store directly?

I don't know what to do now. Our local furniture selection is pretty limited -- pretty much just Staples and Office Depot plus regular furniture stores whose stuff is too traditional -- and there's definitely nothing like the modern minimalist style Ikea has.
 
I just go to the store. Its about 2 hours away, but still worth the trip. Make a day trip out of it, it will be fun. Although it is a bit of a trek for a $60 item.
 
I may just have to. Of course I'll save it until I'm ready to grab a few more items, to be sure. My next issue, after driving all the way up there, will be whether or not the box will fit it my car. Going to need to do some measuring, I think.

Damn that's really disappointing. I don't get it. I know it is somewhat heavy, but NOTHING costs that much to ship. That's just ridiculous.
 
Koodauw said:
I just go to the store. Its about 2 hours away, but still worth the trip. Make a day trip out of it, it will be fun. Although it is a bit of a trek for a $60 item.
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Yeah, my fiance and I are planning on upgrading our desks this month, but the closest Ikea is in Atlanta (2 hours from us). It's still worth the trip, though, because shipping would cost as much as a third desk..!

I'd say just go to the store.. take a couple of friends, check the city out.. whatever makes it worth it. $287 for a $60 desk just doesn't make sense.
 
Koodauw said:
I just go to the store. Its about 2 hours away, but still worth the trip. Make a day trip out of it, it will be fun. Although it is a bit of a trek for a $60 item.
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Haha 2 hours... I laugh at that number. Last summer me and my parents went up to our hose in washington and Furnished the entire place. We spent around 10000 dollars on IKEA stuff... and to go there to make one run (we made about six throught the summer, spending around 1,500 each time) it took the entire day. Leaving at 10:30, we were home at 8:00.

Save your money and pick up the stuff. Our shipping costs came out to about 600 dollars, so just pick it up. I gotta say that is really steep for such a cheap item.
 
mrogers said:
I may just have to. Of course I'll save it until I'm ready to grab a few more items, to be sure. My next issue, after driving all the way up there, will be whether or not the box will fit it my car. Going to need to do some measuring, I think.

Damn that's really disappointing. I don't get it. I know it is somewhat heavy, but NOTHING costs that much to ship. That's just ridiculous.
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If you've never been there, you'll find that you're missing out on a lot of goodies that don't make it to the catalogue and you're also missing the cafe and the lingonberries. :)
 
Ok, so at this point it begs the question: are there other furniture stores locally that could offer you a cool desk? Staples, Office Depot maybe?

$60 is a good price for a desk, but if it involves a day trip, one wonders if it's really worth it.
 
I have looked at my local stores, and nothing appeals to me. I just want a large, plain, contemporary desk. I want the Ikea Mikael desk. I'll probably wind up going to the Ikea store because my fiance and I are periodically up in the Chicago area anyway, so it won't be like we're making the whole trip just for a desk. I'll just have to wait longer to get it, I suppose.
 
mrogers said:
I have looked at my local stores, and nothing appeals to me. I just want a large, plain, contemporary desk. I want the Ikea Mikael desk. I'll probably wind up going to the Ikea store because my fiance and I are periodically up in the Chicago area anyway, so it won't be like we're making the whole trip just for a desk. I'll just have to wait longer to get it, I suppose.
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Chicago??? Why didn't you say so?? Wait til spring and make it a weekend!! What I wouldn't give for a weekend in Chicago right now...I think the Ikea is in, I don't know, Schaumburg or somewhere though, so make sure you get into the city...see the Cubs...Navy Pier...a show in Bucktown or Rogers Park...a pizza at Gino's East or Giordano's...aaaaaaaaaaaaccccckkkk I miss great American cities!!!

OK sorry back to practical matters: make sure you measure the exact box dimensions:). That would be a drag...you could always rent a bigger car for the weekend too, especially if you want to potentially buy some unseen goodies as bousozoku suggests; Ikeas are wonderful mazes of affordable stuff, and lingenberries do rule :cool: .
 
shikimo said:
I think the Ikea is in, I don't know, Schaumburg or somewhere though, so make sure you get into the city...see the Cubs...Navy Pier...a show in Bucktown or Rogers Park...a pizza at Gino's East or Giordano's...aaaaaaaaaaaaccccckkkk I miss great American cities!!!
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Yep, it's in Schaumburg, right near Woodfield Mall. I remember when they built that Ikea (ok, I used to live in Chicago). It's a pretty sweet store. Three huge levels of Ikea goodness. Definitely worth the trip.
 
It's far too much to pay for postage. You could probably get something made locally to your spec for that much. Better quality too. I suppose, though, unless they're delivering a lot of things in your direction, that's a whole days work for their delivery lorry.

. . . just make sure they've got it in before you go. :rolleyes:
 
Ish said:
It's far too much to pay for postage. You could probably get something made locally to your spec for that much. Better quality too. I suppose, though, unless they're delivering a lot of things in your direction, that's a whole days work for their delivery lorry.

. . . just make sure they've got it in before you go. :rolleyes:
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good point, Ish...my experiences with Ikea are full of dashed hopes and spoiled dreams, smashed upon the rocks of "out of stock," or the somehow more insulting "pas de stock" at the store here in Lyon.
 
check out target or walmart. my roomie picked up an expensive-looking dark wood desk at target for $80.

mrogers said:
I had my heart set on a simple, inexpensive, sleek black desk from Ikea. There is no Ikea store less than 3 hours from me, so obviously I was planning to order online. However, when I added the $60 desk to my cart, the shipping charges came to $287!!!! I've had large CRT televisions shipped for less than a third of that. How do so many people order stuff from Ikea if their shipping rates are so crazy? Does everyone just go to the store directly?

I don't know what to do now. Our local furniture selection is pretty limited -- pretty much just Staples and Office Depot plus regular furniture stores whose stuff is too traditional -- and there's definitely nothing like the modern minimalist style Ikea has.
Click to expand...
 
shikimo said:
good point, Ish...my experiences with Ikea are full of dashed hopes and spoiled dreams, smashed upon the rocks of "out of stock," or the somehow more insulting "pas de stock" at the store here in Lyon.
Click to expand...

I've only been once. It was a mistake because I was already tired from walking when I got there. All I remember now is walking round and round looking for the way out . . .

Some of my friends have some nice blinds and floor lights from there, though. Cheap too.
 
I'm guessing they charge so much because their business model isn't based on online sales; their website is basically an advert for the stores. In the UK they don't even offer delivery.

They'd rather get you in the shop so that you can see other things and spend more...
 
I'd go for the 99 cent breakfast and lingonberries. If you get a desk consider it a bonus!
 
shikimo said:
Chicago??? Why didn't you say so?? Wait til spring and make it a weekend!! What I wouldn't give for a weekend in Chicago right now...
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Sure, come on over where it's 30 degrees below zero with the wind and 10 below without. WHAT A GREAT IDEA FOR A WEEKEND VACATION!!! :(
 
They shipped my Ikea gallant desk for $30. I caught them though, they tried to charge me 120$ and I said "Well it says packages under (blah pounds, forgot what the actual number is) than it can be shipped usps ground". The person said oh yeah thats right and charge me $30
 
Ish said:
I've only been once. It was a mistake because I was already tired from walking when I got there. All I remember now is walking round and round looking for the way out . . .

Some of my friends have some nice blinds and floor lights from there, though. Cheap too.
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I hated going to Ikea. I wont go there again. It's just too complicated and too tiresome.

Mr. DG said:
In the UK they don't even offer delivery.
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Actually, a friend of mine got his stuff delivered by Ikea last year.
 
shikimo said:
...my experiences with Ikea are full of dashed hopes and spoiled dreams, smashed upon the rocks of "out of stock," or the somehow more insulting "pas de stock" at the store here in Lyon.
Click to expand...

i feel your pain...

three years ago, when i had my own apartment, i took a special day trip to the closest ikea, which was also the newest at the time and almost 3 hours away. i had a list...a huge list, full of desks and chairs and kitchen doodads and textiles and organizational things...

i kid you not, i left that store with a flipping pot holder and a blanket. i was so angry. :mad:

i haven't been back since.

moral of the story...if you have your heart set on something, call ahead and make sure they have a few in stock. they should be able to tell you that before you make the trip.
 
ezzie1029 said:
i kid you not, i left that store with a flipping pot holder and a blanket. i was so angry. :mad:
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I guess I'm lucky that I live within about a 10 minute drive of the IKEA here in Ottawa. I routinely pop in just to see what's new in their "As Is" room. :)

I'm moving into a new place in late May, so I've been telling my friends and family to give me gift cards for Christmas, birthday, etc. Then I just need to find someone with a pickup and I'll be all set for a day of flat-packed construction goodness!

... and meatballs for dinner, woohoo!
 
MovieCutter said:
Sure, come on over where it's 30 degrees below zero with the wind and 10 below without. WHAT A GREAT IDEA FOR A WEEKEND VACATION!!! :(
Click to expand...

LOL, I do live in the same climate so I suppose I'm used to it. I grew up in South Bend, IN (where Notre Dame is), and spent many weekends in Chicago since it was only about 90 minutes away. Now I live near Indianapolis, and it's been below zero here all week too. We got 6 inches of snow in about 3 hours the other day. That was real cool. I almost didn't make it home from work.

To all of you, thank you for the input. I've been doing some serious thinking about this. I have an idea that may allow me to cut Ikea out of this altogether. I'm going to a local store later today to ask some questions and I'll report back once I'm sure my idea is feasible. Worst case though, I'll probably head to the Ikea store in Chicago in a few weeks when I'll be there anyway.

CEAbiscuit said:
Look on Craig's list for IKEA stuff. Tons of it, and it may be local for you. For example, here's one in Chicago for $40 bucks - the exact model you are looking for:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/fur/273557265.html
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Thanks, I'll take a look. That's not the model I'm looking for though. That's the Mikael Computer Workstation, although people always list it just as "desk". I can't use that, I've got multiple monitors. This is what I'm going for (in black).
 
They just opened up an IKEA like literally 500 feet from my front door. I think it sucks because now there's a bunch of stupid traffic and people from Ohio that don't know how to drive. But their cinnamon buns are the shizzle.
 
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