IKEA Enters The Second-Hand Market
IKEA has launched its own second-hand marketplace, allowing customers to buy and sell pre-owned IKEA furniture and home products directly with each other.
The platform is initially being expanded across Europe, with the latest launch covering the UK and Ireland. It is aimed at making used IKEA products more affordable while extending the life of furniture that might otherwise be discarded.
Used IKEA Furniture Can Cost 60% Less
One of the biggest attractions is the price.
IKEA says pre-owned products listed on its marketplace cost around 60% less on average than equivalent new products.
The platform is available to IKEA Family members, who can list eligible products for sale without listing or commission charges.
Mattresses, appliances and food are excluded from the marketplace.
Selling An IKEA Product Is Almost Automatic
IKEA has designed the platform to make listing used furniture considerably easier.
Sellers can scan an eligible IKEA product, after which the system can automatically provide product information, suggested pricing, photographs, measurements, assembly instructions and care details.
Sellers can still decide the final selling price.
Once a product is sold, sellers can choose to receive their money through a bank transfer or an IKEA digital refund card offering an additional 15% value.
Buyers Get More Information Before Buying
The marketplace is designed to solve one of the biggest problems with buying used furniture online: uncertainty about exactly what is being purchased.
Listings can contain the original IKEA product details, dimensions, assembly information and care instructions.
Buyers can reserve an item through the platform and arrange collection directly with the seller. IKEA is also testing delivery partnerships in some markets to make transporting larger pieces easier.
Buyer protection is currently being offered without a fee during the initial launch period, although IKEA plans to introduce a charge later in some markets.
IKEA Has Been Preparing For This For Years
The new marketplace is not a completely new direction for IKEA.
The company launched its Buy Back programme in 2021, allowing customers to return eligible used IKEA products in exchange for store credit. Those products can then be resold.
The peer-to-peer marketplace takes that concept further by allowing customers to sell directly to other customers.
The marketplace was first tested in Madrid and Oslo in 2024 before expanding to countries including Spain, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Sweden and Belgium.
A Growing Second-Hand Furniture Business
The expansion comes as consumers increasingly turn to second-hand products to save money and reduce waste.
IKEA says its products already account for around 9% of the second-hand home furnishing market, giving the company a significant potential customer base.
The marketplace also puts IKEA into more direct competition with established platforms such as eBay, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace.
IKEA Wants Furniture To Have A Longer Life
For IKEA, the strategy is about more than simply creating another sales channel.
The company wants customers to keep furniture in use for longer, allowing products to be passed from one household to another instead of being thrown away.
With millions of IKEA products already present in homes around the world, even a small increase in resale activity could create a sizeable second-hand ecosystem around the brand.
Summary
IKEA has launched a dedicated second-hand marketplace where IKEA Family members can buy and sell pre-owned furniture and home products. Used items can cost around 60% less than new equivalents, while sellers receive automated product information and pricing suggestions. The initiative builds on IKEA’s Buy Back programme and puts the furniture giant into greater competition with eBay, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace.
