Ikea is preparing to launch its own online marketplace in the UK, giving customers another way to buy and sell second-hand furniture. The Swedish retailer will let people sell Ikea products they no longer want directly to other shoppers, bypassing websites such as eBay, Vinted and Facebook Marketplace.
Old Billy bookcases, Poäng chairs and other Ikea furniture could soon be bought and sold through the company itself. The service is expected to launch in the UK in the coming months, although an exact date has not yet been announced. It will initially be available to Ikea Family members and will allow people to connect with buyers and sellers in their local area.
Already live in several European countries
The marketplace is already available to Ikea Family members in several European countries, including Sweden, Spain, Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg, Portugal and Poland. Ikea said: “With the launch of IKEA second-hand marketplace in the UK, we’re taking a meaningful step toward creating a destination that simplifies access to pre-owned IKEA furniture.”
“Our goal is to make passing on beloved IKEA pieces as seamless as possible. We’re creating a trusted and vibrant space to make it quick and easy for our IKEA Family members to trade directly with one another. We want the process for buying and selling pre-owned IKEA products to be simple, accessible and rewarding.”
What customers might expect
Exactly how the British version of the marketplace will work has not yet been fully revealed, with more details expected in the coming months. However, versions already operating elsewhere give an idea of what customers could potentially expect.
In Spain, for example, Ikea helps sellers by providing suggested prices and pre-filled descriptions for products. Sellers there can also receive an extra 15% on the selling price if they choose to take payment through an Ikea gift card. Spanish buyers are also due to face a 5% protection fee from January to help cover costs linked to transactions. Ikea has not said whether those particular features will also be introduced when the marketplace arrives in the UK.
Growing second-hand trend
The move comes as buying second-hand products continues to become more popular, with websites and apps such as Vinted, eBay and Facebook Marketplace already giving millions of people ways to sell things they no longer need. Vinted started out mainly as a place to buy and sell clothes but has since expanded into other areas, including homeware and electronics.
Ikea has already been selling used furniture in Britain in another form. It began buying back and reselling pre-owned Ikea products through some of its UK stores several years ago. The new marketplace will take that idea online and allow Ikea Family members to deal directly with each other.
