Tips & Tricks For Finding The Best Deals In IKEA's As-Is Section

With its sprawling, seemingly endless aisles of affordable, Scandinavian-inspired items, IKEA is a favorite for home goods. However, if you want even bigger deals, don't ignore IKEA's in-store and online As-Is sections, which features discontinued items, gently used returns, and pieces from showrooms. These all come with a discounted price tag, but if you approach the section with a few strategies on hand, you can be sure you're scoring the best deals. The area often contains goods that are brand new, and have no visible defects, as well as ones that have some slight scuffs, nicks, and imperfections. 

Home Advisor found that the average cost to furnish a home hovers around $16,000. So, knowing how to properly shop for deals can help you bring down this cost. As deal finders, bargain hunters, and savvy shoppers know, there are always ways to make furnishing and decorating less costly and more fun if you're willing to put in some effort. Making the most of IKEA's As-Is sections is all about knowing when to check the section and where exactly to look for deals. Below we share tips and tricks to help you develop your IKEA As-Is shopping strategy so you can furnish and decorate your home on a budget.

IKEA's As-Is section is usually located on the ground level of stores, near the cash registers. But, the first tip is to look beyond the As-Is section for all the best deals. The items aren't always confined to the usual area as stores can have an overflow area around the As-Is sign containing many discounted seasonal and discontinued items. Also, other items for sale in the warehouse are usually posted with photos and descriptions on the wall in or near the area. Each As-Is product will come with a description tag of the product's condition. Some items will be discounted for something as simple as a visible tape mark, so look for items that can easily be cleaned off or repaired at home. 

The timing of your visit can also help you get the best selection and deals. IKEA's own product placement specialist, Christine Stoner, tells Apartment Therapy, "The As-Is department in any IKEA location is constantly being replenished because products are always flowing in for one reason or another. Monday or Tuesday afternoons are probably best to visit because of any returns that might end up there after the weekend." The employee also recommends frequenting the area in late summer season when the store's iconic catalog comes out. The As-Is section is where you can find the furniture that IKEA is discontinuing to make room for the new products.

Thankfully, shopping IKEA's As-Is section is also something you can do from the comfort of your home (or anywhere else) now that the retailer has a similar section online. It offers items exclusive to the As-Is online section that are not displayed in-store, but kept in the warehouse instead. To shop As-Is online, you'll need to be an IKEA Family member, a membership program that is free to join and open to all. While checking the website daily for new listings is your best bet, you might also want to ask an in-store employee when online listings are typically updated to give you a deal-hunting upper hand. 

The online store allows you to reserve items from your local store for up to 48 hours. So, our advice is to broaden your search to any stores within a radius that you're willing to drive to for pickup. Also, it's best to reserve items you're interested in as soon as possible, as there's no penalty for deciding not to purchase once you've viewed the item in-store. Finally, since the online images are stock images and don't show the exact item for sale, there's no way to know what it means when items are marked "cosmetic damage" or "not in shape as new" online. So, if you reserve items that are damaged, be sure to inspect the item closely before purchasing it in-store since all As-Is items aren't eligible to be returned under IKEA's return policy.