ᐅ IKEA is increasingly becoming a store selling mainly miscellaneous small items.

Since I have been regularly shopping at IKEA for over 20 years, I dare to say that IKEA is increasingly losing focus on its core business and gradually putting more emphasis on minor and unnecessary items.

Of course, it’s understandable that people want to buy decorative items for their homes. But I’ve noticed more and more customers in front of me at the checkout unloading lots of small individual items totaling nearly a hundred euros or more.

Furthermore, I have observed that the product lines are becoming increasingly confusing and harder to mix and match.

I can only say that my 15-year-old 2-meter (6.6 feet) Pax wardrobe, which has been moved four times, is still in great condition. The additional 3-meter (9.8 feet) unit acquired over the years now has some edge damage, hinges have needed replacing, and one Pax back panel has failed. However, the original 2-meter unit still looks like new.

It’s the same story with the Faktum kitchen. Faktum was excellent and still is.
In addition to the Faktum kitchen that is now four years old, I bought a 2.2-meter (7.2 feet) tall Metod cabinet last year for the opposite kitchen wall.

Despite heavy use and two energetic children, the Faktum kitchen still looks like new. Even the fronts remain presentable due to their robustness.

Unfortunately, Metod is not as durable. After less than a year, the cabinet fronts—comparable in style and price to the old Faktum kitchen—already show deep scratches from normal kitchen activities. The interior side panels also display significant wear marks (e.g., from pots or similar items).

Both children’s rooms have 2.5-meter (8.2 feet) Stuva wardrobes. I’m pleasantly surprised by the quality of the materials and surfaces. However, I frequently have to replace the hinges on these because after some time, due to their damping mechanisms, they no longer close properly.

Recently, I added another bookshelf to our six-year-old Liatorp combination. Let’s see what insights the new piece will bring...

At least when it comes to kitchens, I cannot relate to that for myself. And I am also familiar with both systems.

In my opinion, they are qualitatively—based on what can be said so far—equivalent. However, for various reasons, Metod is by far the better system in terms of kitchen technology.

I would say that it’s actually a very clever business model when people regularly pick up little items around 100 euros (about 110 dollars). I don’t understand your criticism of that. IKEA, like any other store, primarily aims to make a profit. Where does it say that furniture has to be the core business?

Regarding the declining quality, I have very mixed impressions. But this also has a lot to do with the throwaway mentality and the desire to always get everything cheaper. It’s absurd that some people already get upset when a wardrobe costs more than 200 euros (about 220 dollars)... To meet that kind of demand, only particleboard and similar materials can be used. And there are plenty of options and combinations with many pieces of furniture, which you hardly find elsewhere, especially not at that price. 😉

I have a different opinion about the kitchen systems as well. For various reasons, I also consider Metod to be the better system.

Regarding quality in general: both yes and no.
The problem is (and of course every user here is different) that people in this country want Porsche quality at Trabant prices in almost every area of consumption. And simply put, that doesn't work.
If you complain about quality, you can only do so by putting the price into perspective.
Quality costs money, and that applies to IKEA as well.
There are things I would buy with the mindset, "I'm spending little here and if I move, I’ll just throw it away." And there are things I want to keep longer, for which I am willing to spend more.
Of course, there are also products at IKEA that are simply rubbish, but I wouldn’t generalize that across the board.
Especially since there is a relatively high standard and demand for quality, with corresponding quality control.
There is even a dedicated department just for that...

"Odds and ends." Well, I could tell you something about the number of item numbers that contradict what you say, since they have actually even decreased recently. 😉
But you mustn’t forget that there are plenty of people who go to IKEA mainly for these kinds of things, just like for hot dogs or cheap coffee.
And since IKEA makes a significant part of its revenue from these “small items,” they can’t be doing it all wrong... 😉

Isn't it even as much as 40% of sales just from small items? If candles are being bought like crazy, then any poor businessman would fail to meet the demand. I just don’t understand why so many dust collectors are bought. You probably have to be a woman to understand that.

Well... 🙄 I did buy some candles there once, but also a lot of kitchen gadgets, bathroom items, or storage solutions – many really practical small things. And yes, I originally just wanted to have lunch there. Nowadays, I prefer to eat at the IKEA in Lichtenberg because I can get out immediately without having to go through the troublesome "small items" departments. 😉