"Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture": IKEA As Bad As Wal-Mart

Salon:

My mother still owns, and uses, the same vacuum cleaner she bought early in her marriage, just after World War II. She still lives in the house my father -- not a carpenter by trade, but an electrician -- built in the early 1950s with the help of his brothers, a small but sturdy Cape Cod-style dwelling with hardwood floors and solid wood doors that close with a hearty, satisfying clunk (as opposed to the echoey click of hollow-core doors). Today the idea of anything -- a household appliance, a piece of furniture, a house -- being built to last is almost laughable. When your vacuum cleaner stops sucking, you most likely haul it out to the curb and trek to Target or a big-box home-goods store to replace it. Even if you could readily find someone to repair it, the trouble and the cost would be prohibitive. If you need a bookcase, there's always IKEA: Sure, you'd prefer to buy a sturdily built hardwood version that doesn't buckle under the weight of actual books, but who has extra dough to spend on stuff like that? The IKEA bookcase is good enough, for now if not forever.

Read the whole story: Salon

Comments

[funkalicious]

I have a problem with IKEA and their "non profit" status this company flouts public responsibility and filial
relationships to the onerous Swedish system by organizing itself as a non profit.

Many here seem to think that the model works because they give money away but what they have done is robbed the state to do it. Philanthropy is easy when it is in lieu of taxes. Perhaps we should all take on the IKEA model and compete with out the heavy hand of government in our pockets and just direct monies to causes corporate owners deem fit.

Exploiting labor in low wage countries can be argued as a redistribution of wealth to need.
Ikea would never be the Kompany it is with out the "special status " afforded it. American companies are hard pressed to compete and to those who say Ikea is more philanthropic that Buffet hogwash Buffet payed tax first then gave money away.

[RRK70]

I sympathize with the underlying points the author is trying to make, however I have a problem with the reasoning.

I find it hard to believe that 50 or even 100 years ago everyone was surrounded by hand crafted, heirloom goods. Granted the concept of craftsmanship has suffered in the age of mass production, but one could also argue that Henry Ford's assembly line and Model T also destroyed the concept of craftsmanship while neglecting to point out that the very same methods were what allowed people (affordable) access to the product. Want a hand crafted and assembled car? No problem, just go out and purchase a Rolls Royce!

There is a difference between being "cheap" and being "thrifty" and we DO need to be aware of where we spend our money. In this corporate age I believe we "vote" everyday in the marketplace when we spend our money and these "votes" are probably as important as the ones we cast in the voting booth.

[demimckingwoodtx]

Ikea is a good store for young people, students and people that shop for the small prices, I for one see nothing wrong with it, it is up to you to do the purchasing. But i go to Ikea never made a furniture purchase, but I have bought dishes and plants and have been satisfied with them.

[FZliveson]

On the one time I went to IKEA, I was reminded of the ride at Disneyland; "It's a Small World."
Interesting for the first 3 minutes and boring, almost scary for the rest.
The place seems to be designed to trap you inside. My son and I had to actually "work" to find the way out. I think the place is an insult to people who know what they want. You have to meander through a maze to get anywhere. I've got no use for the place. Thank you very much.

[Neonmoon]

Do you know how lame that sounds to say your son was trapped in a store?

[FZliveson]

No, Neonmoon, No, frankly I don't.
So why don't you elaborate on how you feel, being in a commercial maze with exits poorly marked and almost no sales staff to direct or assist people. I felt as though I were in that big hedge maze that was in the movie "the Shining."
At least they give paper tape measures for free...whoopdedoo!

[ReesieKitty]

Wow. I think the point that means to be made here, is that most people would LIKE to own something handcrafted , but can only AFFORD IKEA. I have lots of different kids of furniture in our house. Some is antique from my family. A couple are nice pieces I purchased back when I got married the first time. And some of it is from IKEA. Now- I would like nothing better than to trade in my IKEA bookshelves for handmade quarter sawn oak oak bookcases and my questionable armchairs for morris chairs. But we just can't afford it. And meanwhile, our books have to go somewhere. My son had one IKEA bookshelf and it was totally full. We just bought him a second, larger one and it was great to see him organizing his books into this new space. We could have just saved up for 2 years to get an expensive bookcase- but then the books would have been piled all over the floor falling over for 2 years. Sometimes you have to make a trade off. There are lots of ways to support a hand-made ideal or community and we try to do that. But if you have as many books as we do, IKEA is sort of a godsend. Incidentally, I do have to say that all of our IKEA bookshelves remain in good shape and still look decent. We've had some for almost 10 years now and they really still are working fine.

[loncowber]

The idea that labor becomes too talented or 'overqualified' and is then thrown away is romantic and all but if you are really looking for solutions then you might come to the conclusion that one who is so talented should start their own business. It would not be fair to them to punish them for being strong and growing.
As far as people complaining about Walmart using illegal laborers, have you looked into it to see who is really abusing this the most? There are major U.S. corporations that are staffing almost all their labor this way. Why not go after them?

[thehoopoe]

The article isn't really about walmart or ikea. It's about how CHEAP and FREEDOM are equated in so many minds. Somewhere along the way FREEDOM has come to mean CHEAP goods and services, as if it can be boiled down to a sum of money.

Alot people appreciate IKEA because what was there before it? BUt the last time I was there I overheard 2 employees complaining about labor relations there. It sounded as if they were only marginally better than other big box stores. Just because IKEA is a Swedish company doesn't mean they follow swedish labor laws in every country the have a store in.

[SeattleStew]

I'm pretty sure "ikea" is the Swedish word for "rickety"

[SparkyGump]

I disagree with the writer's assesment that Ikea is as bad as Wal-Mart. As far as I know, Ikea doesn't purposely drive competitors out of business nor does it flout immigration laws as Wal-Mart has been known to do. The demise of the American middle class has driven the need of consumers to buy cheap 'assemble your own' furniture. Just walk into any furniture store and price quality real solid wood furniture. It's just too expensive for most Americans. Until real wages for Americans start actually raising, there will be a market for the Ikea products. A simple start for that remedy would, of course, be for Americans to turn off Fox "News" and vote democratic.

[Mabo]

Nothing better to write about than bashing yet another successful business. And lying about their products to boot. Maybe the writer has really never shopped at IKEA and just needed to meet a deadline. Don't shop there if you don't like it. Shop there if you do. Simple.

[pragmaticdallasite]

The author is merely trying to illuminate some things so as consumers we can be aware.

[Mabo]

No...they were not. They were being snarky and denigrating a company that more people than the author wishes to admit buy their products from. Illuminate...yeah, right.

[jdlund]

No Duh. Goods that are cheap to buy are cheaply made. Goods that are cheap were not made by workers who were richly compensated. Unskilled laborers are easily replaceable and that's just an unaviodable even if uncomfortable truth. Not everyone has the luxury of caring about where the crap they buy comes from. I absolutely refuse to shop at Walmart, but I have that luxury. Not everyone does. It's life. There's nothing ensuring a fair and just outcome. Complaining does nothing for you or the poor worker. Do what you can for those less fortunate and do everything you can (education, training, focussed efforts, make connections, etc.) to make sure you are not an unskilled laborer.

[pragmaticdallasite]

Yes but some people who CAN afford to avoid Wal-Mart and IKEA MAY NOT KNOW of these things.

[plzchuteme]

Many people on this post talk about beating the "Walmart, Target, Ikea syndrome" by shopping at second-hand stores, consignment shops, and garage sales. Good idea, but do you realize that with the proliferation of cheap "throw away" products, there will come a time when there will be nothing of value to sell or buy second hand? Passing down a piece of furniture from generation to generation will become a thing of the past. People speak of pride in the fact that their Ikea book shelf has lasted ten years. Great!
Some won't make it that long. Can you imagine owning a piece of Ikea furniture that is 40, 60 or even 100 years old. I have pieces of furniture that originally belonged to my grandparents that are still functional, classically stylish, and as solid as the day they were built. These were middle class consumer items, as my grandparents were not wealthy. They just chose well. What are our middle class consumer items these days, and will our grandchildren be able to own and enjoy them?

[MSaxe]

I've got 15 years and counting on some IKEA items. No shelf sagging or other problems. A couple of wood surface pieces are beginning to get a nice patina. I've got a bunch of great resale, auction and hand-me-down items too. They may be more solid, which they are, but I have to twist my designer soul to like their style as much as the IKEA's. But I wouldn't move them more than a few times. And that can be said about any of the modern kit furniture. IKEA's work is much better engineered than Target's, WalMarts or even the higher end kit stuff at the various "modern, scandinavian" design stores.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

My job as a responsible consumer is to get the best product for the best price. Both Ikea and Walmart help me to do that. They are also both very easy targets This is not to say that either one of them is extremely employee-friendly or ecoconscious - they aren't. But neither is any other major department store out there. All of our clothing and most of our furniture comes from south of the border or the other side of the Atlantic, no matter where we buy it.

No employer treats unskilled, uneducated labor very well, and this has been true since the dawn of time. When an employee is so easily replaced, there is no reason to try to keep him. If he's disgruntled, let him go. There's always another inexperienced worker to hire. The message workers should take away from this is that in order to have a good work experience they should get an education and at least some specialized training.

I've put together a lot of IKEA furniture, and it's a breeze. It's also a very good value for the money. The same can be said for Walmart, or "Wommit" as I call it. Good, cheap stuff. And you know what? I don't actually care where it comes from.

[plzchuteme]

The best price, perhaps, but not necessarily the best product. Walmart is big enough and powerful enough to command their own production runs and their own wholesale price. That name brand toaster at Walmart isn't necessarily the exact same name brand toaster you may find somewhere else.

Constant employee turnover is the bane of every employer. It costs a lot of money to bring in a new employee and to bring them up to speed only to discard them. Someone can be smart, energetic, industrious, honest, and loyal and still be inexperienced and unskilled. To treat them as though they have no value, and will never have value, is a fool's game. You can always replace them with someone else who may not be smart, energetic, industrious, honest, or loyal. If not, try again, and again, and again.

[pragmaticdallasite]

The problem is that job outsourcing and the depression of unskilled labor wages has crept up to skilled labor. How many college graduates this May have found employment? I'd venture to guess it's less than 1 in 5.

I've done everything asked of me since I was 5 to get a piece of "the America dream".........but it's simply not there.

[Bude]

Many of the IKEA items are innovative and the assembly procedures are ingenious. I bought a kitchen table, it took 10 minutes to assemble and it is a tank, but I must admit that some of the items are destined for an early retirement in a landfill.

[macintoshsauce]

Last year, I needed a sturdy computer desk to support a dual LCD monitor setup for my Mac Pro. Didn't like the ones at IKEA so I spent a little more and bought one from Anthro. Best decision I ever made - their desks are built solidly.

As for kitchen stuff, bathroom stuff, living room furniture, etc. IKEA rocks. Can't beat the selection and prices IMHO.