Mother pockets $319 by returning her decade-old IKEA dining table to the store after discovering a little-known company policy
- Australian mum sold her old furniture to IKEA through their ‘buy-back’ scheme
- After failing to sell the items online for $250, the woman turned to IKEA for help
- She received a reaping reward of $319 for her dining table and six chairs
- Other IKEA customers were shocked and excited to hear about the program
An Australian mum has revealed how she made $319 on her pre-owned IKEA furniture after discovering a little-known policy.
The Perth mother-of-two said she attempted to sell her nine-year-old dining table and six chairs on Gumtree for $250 – but had failed to attract any buyer.
But the woman stumbled across IKEA’s ‘buy back scheme’, which allows shoppers to return their old items in exchange for store credit.
She ended up getting $319 back after she turned to the Swedish furniture store.
Posting to the IKEA Mums Australia Facebook group, the Perth mother-of-two managed to return a dining table with six chairs (pictured above) and reaped a $319 benefit
‘We’ve twice taken items back for IKEA to “buy back” and it’s awesome,’ she said in the IKEA Mums Australia Facebook group.
‘Such a great idea. We took back these table and chairs yesterday and ended up getting a $319 store credit! We couldn’t sell these on marketplace/Gumtree for $250.’
Despite the woman having a dining table that’s nearly a decade old and the four-year-old sets of chairs, the store still accepted the second hand pieces.
The news surprised other IKEA customers who didn’t know the concept existed.
‘How have I not heard about this before?’ one said.
‘I loved it as well! We were trying to sell one of the rocking chairs for $70. Took it to Ikea and they gave us a $90 store credit!’ another added.
Even though the woman had the dining table for nine years and the chairs for four, the popular Swedish furniture store accepted the home pieces
IKEA introduced this ‘buy-back and re-sell in store’ system in October last year with the incentive to provide further affordable options to customers while also helping the planet.
Though the scheme policy states in order to sell back pieces of furniture it must an IKEA product and excludes certain items such as electronic appliances, outdoor furniture and kitchens.
The initiative launched after a year trial at Sydney’s Tempe store where 1,600 furniture items were brought back.
IKEA Sales Manager, David Hawthorn, said, ‘The reception for the buy-back scheme in Tempe has been so positive. To see this service now being offered to IKEA customers nationally, and maybe one day all around the world, is incredible and beyond what I could have imagined.’
The buy-back service is part of IKEA’s goal to have 100 per cent climate positive operations by 2030
Through this new concept, IKEA expects that 15,000 pieces of furniture will be saved from landfills.
IKEA’s Renea Robson said: ‘This initiative is actually about IKEA trying to work with our customers to tackle the problem we have with unsustainable consumption.’
Refund cards are only usable for three years and items are inspected in store before being accepted by IKEA.
IKEA’s terms and conditions for the scheme states: ‘The final offer price given by the IKEA co-worker is final and not open to negotiation.’
The service is part of IKEA’s goal to have 100 per cent climate positive operations by 2030.