Wtf is this? They inflated their prices throughout COVID and are now "pulling them back"?
this post was submitted on 02 May 2024
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Not to completely spring to IKEAs defense here, but I heard they really were affected by production and shipping problems during covid. It's reasonable prices would go up, and at least good that they are going down again.
Yes at least they bring them back down. Most companies just said fuck it, let’s keep the price jacked! Greedy Capitalism at its second worst. First worst is how they destroy the environment.
Lumber was especially affected during covid. Prices soared and demand was peak.
If 99% of the "wood" they used was lumber and not laminated compressed sawdust and cardboard, that would make sense
Actually IKEA does sell a lot of solid wood products.
It's a trick. It has to be. Some way, some how...
The trick is to draw people from buying furniture from the big box store to their store and still more to the growing population that is now price conscious.
Thank you Ingemar. Edit: if you remember the Ingemar from Ikea ads, you may be old.
Dudes dead, it's a holding company now
Still a better company for consumers than most.
I'm saying consumers because it certainly isn't great for the forests.
For sure, though my family members that have worked for them for a long time say the company is changing in some pretty shitty ways internally
Yeah, I don't know much about the inside of the company. I've got some friends who've worked there and had a positive experience, but I'm in Sweden and I've no idea how things are internationally.
Edit: clarified what the thing was.
I still have a blast walking around and the build quality from most collections has been up to par if not improved on past pieces.
Definitely. The end product is getting better and better, and they're easier to build too.
Show me it surviving a moving truck ONCE and I'm sold. So VERY little Ikea gear can make it. Hemnes, Brimnes, Early Billy, Efectiv, etc.
Pine grows fast in managed forests. It's actually renewable. Bring back Pine if we can't have anything better.
The MALM line is the only one I can really vouche for. Solid stained pine queen bedframe with rolling drawers/ book shelves, TV stand, end table and a bookshelf have made it 3 houses and a few pieces are coming with me across the country in a move this month.
All together it was close to 1600$ in 2015 if I recall correctly, so not bad durability for price.
What do you think IKEA furniture is made of? Wood!
The cheap furniture is obviously made with cheap wood but that's a given.
And they don’t pay taxes, apparently. So yeah we’re getting cheap furniture but I do wonder if the net benefit to society would be better if they paid tax.
Which type of taxes? Income? Property? Payroll? Something else?
If I remember correctly, all their designs are owned by a non-profit charity (that they own), and the for-profit business pays royalties to the charity. Charities aren't taxed as much as businesses, if at all.
Similarly, parts of Ikea that are in countries with high tax rates funnel their revenue to subsidiaries thay are in countries with low tax rates, as royalty payments, business expenses, etc. to shift the tax burden to the favorable country.
I should mention this link is from a tax firm almost glorifying the way that ikea has structured themselves. It’s a very charitable reading of the situation.
Just google IKEA tax, there’s tons of sources on their alleged tax evasion, including it seems claims by the EU that the Netherlands facilitates it.
I see this as corporate greed pure and simple. There is no reason people should be starving and unhoused while IKEA dodges taxes.
Pretty much everyone here in NL who is aware that would agree with you.
I see - this is kinda what I was thinking too. I remember reading about it a while back.
from a tax firm almost glorifying the way that ikea has structured themselves. It’s a very charitable reading of the situation.
The thing is that it's likely that everything Ikea is doing is legal, so tax firms would be taking notes (after all, their goal is to ensure their customers pay as little tax as is legally allowed)
RIP Ingemar
The way they set IKEA up as a tax shelter so his kids wouldn't have to pay and inheritance tax is super cool... Good Job Ingvaar
You don't have to be rich, just smart.
Let me know when they bring back wood. Not even real wood - I'd do beaver chow - but enough of this cheap-ass disposable paper-and-air single-use crap that can't survive a house move for the same price as its former wood self.
Ikea has plenty of "premium" alternatives
I don't understand how you people move stuff. Are Swedes just better at moving or what?