5 IKEA Shipping Facts You Need to Know Now

The chorus of shoppers singing IKEA's praises has only grown larger over the years. IKEA has cemented itself as one of the few places where budget-friendly prices intertwine with effortless style, and that's why this store is so beloved by everyone from high-profile designers to everyday interior enthusiasts. 

But, if there's one detail where IKEA's merits tend to fall short, it's usually the stress involved with shipping. Since IKEA has built its business on the premise that shoppers carry out boxes of furnishings and assemble everything on their own, the brand's history of delivering items is rocky, at best. Packages have notoriously taken a long time to appear at customers' doors—and often at a steep price. Even if you could rent a truck to transport their furniture to your home yourself, it's understandable if this option isn't appealing—especially if you have to drive on busy city streets.

Thankfully, times are changing. IKEA has made some positive changes to its shipping processes in recent years, and these solutions should make it easier to get the brand's praise-worthy pieces to your home.

Read on for five tips you need to know about IKEA shipping, which will give you yet another reason to love this store. 

Small Packages Often Ship for $5

Where: Online

If you've fallen in love with a small product on IKEA's website and don't feel like wandering through the store's well-known maze to get it, then it's possible you can have it delivered to your home for a shipping cost as low as $5. 

Although IKEA's website doesn't specify what "small" entails and advises customers that the shipping cost may be more (depending on your distance from the warehouse and your desired delivery time), we'd assume that "small" is anything that can be described as an accessory: drawer hardware, coffee table accents, and kitchen utensils, perhaps.

So, if you're not in the market for a couch but are dying to stock up on some pieces to make your living room more stylish, you won't break the bank if you just simply order online instead of trekking to the store.

Large Items Ship for $49

Where: Online

Larger products that you've bought online can be delivered to your home or office for a flat delivery fee of $49, but that rate may be adjusted according to how far the desired address is from IKEA's distribution center. Since it's a flat fee, you can have a number of items shipped together at the same cost. 

And, while $49 might seem like a lot for shipping, consider that you could very well outfit your entire new apartment for that price, instead of paying a separate sum for your mirror, dining room chairs, end table, bedding, etc.

What's more, if you've ever paid $500 or more for the delivery of a couch, you know that $49 is more than a bargain. And all you have to do is visit the IKEA website and click to buy.

Home Delivery Starts at $49

Where: In-Store

Let's say you've purchased furniture at your local IKEA store but you don't have a way to bring it home. The company will deliver these items by truck to your address starting at $49. Once again, that price may be more based on how far your place is from your local IKEA.

Sure, IKEA couches might be super easy to assemble, but they're nearly impossible to lift in the box—we've tried. The company does a killer job of compacting the entire structure, but the wood, cushions, cover, and more packed in a fairly flat box winds up weighing a ton. So, leave it to the professionals. It will be well worth your $49 at the end of the day. That's not to mention that it's a safe bet the large items you've purchased are more than $49 less than the competition, so you might come out on top, price-wise, regardless.

Keep in mind, however, that you will be given a future delivery date for these items, and IKEA does, understandably, keep four-hour delivery windows just in case they get held up at the house before yours. Remember, too, that you'll need to specify which room to place the items in and have everything prepared for when they arrive so they can get in and out with ease.

Pay Someone to Shop and Ship for You

Where: In-Store

Though part of the joy of shopping at IKEA is, well, the shopping part, the retailer understands that you might not have time to do it. Or, perhaps, there isn't an IKEA store near you. The brand has done everything possible to make outfitting your home a breeze—which, as it turns out, includes literally paying someone to shop for you. Maybe they'll even buy you some Swedish meatballs on their journey.

Select the "Picking with Delivery" service at IKEA, when an independent service provider gets every item on your shopping list and delivers it direct to you. This solution starts at $69 and varies based on your zip code. Most items can be delivered by the next day, but you can also request that they be delivered in the same week or at a future date. When the purchases make it to your home, they'll be placed in a room of your choice.

Hire a TaskRabbit

Where: In-Store

While the aforementioned options help you with the shopping and shipping aspects of IKEA, they don't help with the assembly part. And anyone who has ever purchased furniture there knows that assembly is both the best and worst part of shopping at the store. You always seem to be left with an extra piece or can't figure out a certain step. So, this option is best for those who want the finished product to magically appear in their home instead of wrangling with a giant cardboard box, instructions, and a million parts.

As of 2017, you can get all your shopping and assembly done easily by using TaskRabbit. The service platform will connect you to a network of independent taskers in your area who can make your life easier by shopping for your items and assembling them.

Granted, TaskRabbit is a more expensive option since you'll be paying a daily rate. To save time, you could request that TaskRabbit pick up items and not shop for them. Or, you could have the IKEA products delivered to your door, and then hire TaskRabbit to build them in your home. The choice is yours.