How to save money with IKEA Buy Back & other tips

Moving home? Starting university? Redecorating? IKEA remains a popular place to stock up on home essentials and furniture without overspending. 

But if you’ve noticed things aren’t quite as affordable as they used to be, you’re not the only one. On average, the price of IKEA furniture has increased about 30% in the last five years. That KLEPPSTAD 2-Door Wardrobe you bought for £60 in 2019 is now priced at £79 (and has been £99 at its highest price).

So if you’re looking for ways to save at IKEA, we’ve got you. The IKEA Buy Back scheme is a great place to start, so you can trade in your IKEA furniture for money. We’ve gone a bit further in our guide, with lots of other money-saving tips, from Family card discounts and seasonal sales to getting a bargain with IKEA second hand pieces.

IKEA Buy Back & Resell 

The IKEA Buy Back scheme was launched in 2021 as a way for customers to trade in furniture they no longer need. You can get up to 50% of the original value back in gift cards, depending on the condition. 

As part of their sustainability efforts, IKEA Buy Back means pieces like chairs, shelves, and chests of drawers are given a new lease of life and saved from landfill.

It’s ideal for students moving out or moving on, for re-decorating a space, updating furniture, moving into a new home, or if you’ve simply no use for a product anymore.

What do they take?

Of course, they don’t take everything. There’s a list of the select products they will and won’t take within their scheme. In a nutshell, it’s usually storage pieces, indoor dining furniture, small tables, and children’s products.

Your item must also be clean and functional, fully assembled, unmodified, and in a resalable condition. Use their Buy Back estimator tool to see if yours is eligible for a trade-in.

What do you get?

 As new – no scratches: 50% of the original price

Very good – minor scratches: 40% of the original price

Well-used – several scratches: 30% of the original price  

Your trade-in gets you a gift card for IKEA store credit to spend in store or online on everything except food – and they never expire.

What if my item isn’t accepted?

If your piece doesn’t qualify for the Buy Back scheme, there’s a chance for a full refund if it’s on the recalled product list. Check out our tip down below.

Re-shop & Re-use

So what happens to the items that you trade in with IKEA Buy Back? These pre-loved furniture pieces find a home via the IKEA Re-shop & Re-use scheme.

Previously known as Circular Hub, this scheme features trade-in pieces from their Buy Back programme, ex-display items from the showroom, discontinued products, and items with minor flaws.

You’ll find a mix of second hand furniture as well as brand-new pieces and those with minor damage. Availability depends on location; each store will have different pieces available and you’ll need to physically collect from the store within 48 hours of reserving.

These all come at pretty big discounts, from 30% to as much as 70% off. Take a look at the examples we found below.

Get an IKEA Family card

It’s free to join the IKEA Family membership scheme and once you do you’ll get special discounts and personalised offers. Member prices are indicated in blue so you can see how much you’re saving.

As of 27th August 2024, IKEA Family members can now collect points and earn rewards. You'll get one point for every £5 you spend online or in store. Other point-collecting activities include setting up an IKEA Family profile (5 points), creating a wish list (2 points), and attending events and workshops (20 points).

Once you've collected enough points, you can reap the rewards. Rewards can be used towards delivery costs, restaurant items, and basket discounts. Here are just a few examples:

• 22 points: get a Daim cake for 10p
• 68 points: get a 9-piece breakfast for 50p
• 100 points: get £10 off delivery
• 125 points: save £10 when you spend £11 or more
• 200 points: get £20 off delivery
• 500 points: save £40 when you spend £41 or more

There are a few other benefits to membership, particularly if you’re shopping in store. Get free hot drinks in store on weekdays and free insurance on furniture for the journey home.

You can also get discounts and special prices on food offers in store.

Keep track of IKEA sales

Like most retailers, IKEA have sales throughout the year that offer big discounts. You don’t have to get lucky to make the most of these sales – just know your dates.

Firstly, sign up to their newsletter to stay informed about the latest offers and upcoming sales. You might even get early access or exclusive discounts as a subscriber.

Generally, IKEA sales take place twice a year, in summer and in winter. Last year’s summer sale ran from June 5th until July 9th and their winter sale from December 11th to January 7th. 

Unlike lots of other retailers, IKEA has no Black Friday sale, but their bi-annual seasonal sales can feature discounts of up to 50%.

Browse offers online & in-app

Some offers can’t be predicted, so the best way to find them is to visit the site regularly. IKEA offers can include limited-time promotions, last chance, and reduced to clear items. Usually, Family members will have more generous deals to take advantage of.

When we looked, we found an app-only discount for Family members that meant £20 off when you spent £100.

While there is no specific IKEA student discount, there are occasional offers for students. These are often during the summertime, to coincide with those preparing for university housing in September. If this is you, start looking early; we found a month-long offer of 20% off in June 2024.

Delivery, click & collect, or van hire? 

There are lots of different and affordable options to get your IKEA order back home, even for those who don’t have transport. We’ve done the comparisons for you on home delivery, click & collect, and van hire to figure out which option is best for your order.

Quick tips for pinching pennies

That’s not all! We’ve got a few last tips on other ways to make the most of your IKEA trip, save money, and avoid extra costs.

Get free spare parts

Missing or lost a piece? Order small parts like screws and knobs online for free. Sometimes you can even get larger parts like chair legs if your local store has one floating about.

Return recalls for a refund 

Got an item that doesn’t qualify for the Buy Back scheme? Check out the IKEA Product Recalls page and you might be able to get a full refund instead. 

Ask for a discount in store

This tip comes from staff member Abbie who scored a 40% discount on a speaker:

Get cheap brekky in store

There are some great deals in store at breakfast time, although there are no longer discounts for IKEA Family members. Sausage and bacon rolls are £1.50 each and you can get a cooked breakfast between £2.50 (small, veggie) and £3.75 (regular, with meat). Children’s 3-piece breakfasts cost £1.50 and individual items like toast, black pudding, and hash browns are just 75p.

Free childcare for one hour while you shop

The Småland supervised play area is right by the entrance of stores so you can drop off your little one and crack on with your shop. It’s available for kids between the ages of three and 10 and the childcare ratio is usually one supervisor per eight children.

* Smålands are available in main stores except Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, and Croydon, which are expected to open in 2025.

Bring your own bags

Retailers are legally required to charge for carrier bags, and the iconic blue IKEA bags are now priced at 50p for medium and 75p for large. Cut out this cost by bringing your own bags.

Smörgåsbord of savings

There are tons of ways to save at IKEA, whether you’re a regular shopper, a complete newbie, or a soon-to-be student.

With the IKEA Buy Back and re-shop schemes, you can even shop sustainably and reduce your carbon footprint with second hand furniture options. And, as a bonus, you can make money back by reselling what you don’t need anymore.

IKEA looks set to continue improving their sustainability practices, so we’re looking forward to seeing what money-saving schemes they introduce in the future.