"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

[MSaxe]

I hate to come on like a shill for IKEA, but then again they should get more than a little credit for making modern, clean, simple home and office furnishings affordable.

Yes, they have do-it-yourself construction project furniture. And, yes they have engineered all the parts down to the very minimum for structural integrity, surface finish, shipping weight and more. But their furniture products are fine. They compete well on looks with many higher end, elitist brands of Mid-Century Modern pieces. And on price, you aren't going to beat them.

I would have loved to have had an IKEA nearby during my 20's and 30's. For the same price I had left overs and bad used pieces only. I'm very happy with many of my IKEA items. And even happier with the money I saved.

So, I think the Salon article is a bunch of intellectual snot from some elitist snobs that just must have the original Aeron from Herman Miller at $800+, or a real Mies van derohe Barcelona at $5000 or more, or some Eames or other great items. But, when I need something functional to do a job, that does not have to last for generations, I'll at least check IKEA. It they don't have it, I've got a couple of other sources the next notch up the furniture food chain.

[xtiangodloki]

I am also not sure why do so many people consider shopping at Walmart to be much different than shopping from IKEA, from American economy point of view. The author does not mention this, but both stores use their market share to pressure their suppliers to cut as much cost as possible. As the result they are not going use the American workforce. Walmart mostly sells Chinese goods, while IKEA sells goods from all over the place, including many third world nations such as China, India, etc.

The net effect of both of these stores is that Americans lose more jobs on the long run because none of the stuff these stores sell much items which made in the US. Both companies encourage slave wage labor regardless whether they want to or not by utilizing workforces in 3rd world nations with limited workplace laws (as if Walmart or IKEA has the time to check each one of their suppliers to make sure they are legit in 3rd world nations).

At the end of the day, we are living in a capitalistic society. Maybe that's the problem.

[veritas2u]

The problem with the science of marketing is that it doesn't require any conscience or adherence to the ten commandments. Manipulation of consumers, smaller producers, and employees is critical to the bottom line of retailers. Most public retail corporations are morally bankrupt and demand loyalty from their employees while constantly trying to squeeze the most out of them for as little pay and benefits as possible. Smaller paychecks feed "throwaway consumerism' thereby ensuring a continuous customer base. The have-nots often remain have-nots; and the more fortunate could care less, as the poor of the world pose little threat of impeding their lifestyle. Kudos to those companies that have a moral compass. Hopefully they will one day have a chance to become the giants of their industry.
Imagine what would happen to our economy if war in Asia created a naval blockade of exports to the Western world. A lesson we may one day all learn for our folly of allowing our wallets to override our morals.

[MadHeart]

Well said. I'm one of those who treasures the old stuff, though. My home is decorated in an eclectic style with mostly old stuff--only the dining set (solid wood) bought 30 yrs ago fairly cheap is "new", recycled stuff, and yes, some cheap crap I'll have to replace (hopefully with better made, recycled from thrift stores, etc.). Late in life I've found refinishing and repairing furniture with good bones is a great hobby, and allows me to express myself, not adopt someone else's design plan. My 2 houses were not bought "new", either.

Unfortunately we've come to a time in history that we're discarding more than ever because things are cheap, and cheaply made, and this philosophy is extending to human beings as well. Cheap labor, cheap relationships, cheap sex, and too many people without an ethical foundation and a society run simply on money, more profit, and a "what's in it for me" attitude.

[Alarmist]

I like the story, but would like to see more specific stats and numbers on IKEA's exploits. The accusations were interesting but vague.

[munki]

IKEA carries much more trendy product lines than Wal-Mart..­.

Quality? Depends on what...

[SpencersMom]

I treat WalMart the same way I do Exxon. I'll use their bathrooms, but they'll never get a penny out of me!

I've never felt that way about IKEA, and the more I read about the company, the owners, their QUIET philanthropy, the more likely I am to buy from them.

PEACE

[MadHeart]

At least you can find the bathrooms in WalMart...­and find your way back out quickly. Not so with Ikea stores.

[indiethinker]

Equating IKEA with Wal-Mart is really a stretch. Wal-Mart exploits it's suppliers, drives small, local competitors out of business through cutthroat tactics & mistreats it's employees & the Walton family, though among the very richest people on earth, are extremely stingy with their philanthropic contributions. IKEA seems to me to only be guilty of trying to provide low cost goods & while one may bemoan the loss of fine craftsmanship, to paint them as villains seems completely unfair.

And their products are not all built flimsily. When my wife & I moved 6 years ago, we needed two chairs so we could sit comfortably while waiting for our furniture to arrive. We bought two wood (not compressed sawdust) lounging chairs & ottomans with cushions for $100 each at IKEA, thinking we would probably not use them much after we got our "real" furniture. Yes, we had to assemble them (very well-documented instructions, which is a rarity these days), but it turns out they were extremely comfortable & we kept them in our living room & use them constantly. They are very sturdy & show almost no signs of wear, despite the fact that we've had two big dogs & a cat in our house. So I can personally vouch for the fact that at least some of IKEA's products are not only well-priced, but also well-designed & definitely not disposable­...

[johnmorgan]

I BOYCOTT Walmart, and I encourage all of you to do the same. It's an evil corporation. Watch the documentary "Walmart, the High Cost of Low Price," to learn for yourself.

[Mexitli]

Whitefront, Unimart, Gemco, Zody's, K-Mart, Walmart...

Let consumers decide where they will spend their $$.

[RedneckDem]

Wow, the entire article went over your head...

[BadHaBritt]

Wow.

I guess if you look at everything through a rolled up copy of the Wal-Mart catalog that's all your going to see.

[HekmabaJuzimax]

Wow.

I just wanted to say that.

Wow. Wowie. Wowoweewow. Wojciehowicz.

[Waltfl]

The difference between the Kamprads (Ikea) and the Waltons (WalMart) is this.

The Kamprads took from the poor and gave most of it back. The Waltons stole from the poor and kept it all for themselves.

[MadHeart]

The basic idea should be NEVER to take from the poor.

[The Albany Kid]

Several serious critics say that Target is just as bad as Walmart too. See, e.g., :

http://www.alternet.org/workplace/35610/

[BadHaBritt]

A perspective on Wal-Mart and IKea.

Wal-Mart and Ikea are just merchants using the current trend of "got to have it cheaper" in order to make their profit.

One needs to understand the broader ramifications of cheap goods and consumerism fueled by ever cheaper merchandise before one can deal with the inevitable blow back that we face today.
Now the balloon has bursts, all those who are unembloyed, or soon will be, or those in terrible dept are effectively of NO VALUE to the bigger multinational corporations.

All the cheap goods are meaningless if you don't have a stable financial base with ganefull employment.

The Multi-national corporations are too big for most countries to control, they ultimately dictate which countries thrive from cheap mass production and which just serve as consumers while they are sucked dry. The money is running out for us as consumers as we decline into poverty.

If you don't believe me then look back over the last 30 years. the US has gone from some degree of fiscal control to very little, our tangible assets are long gone. Our only hope is to rebuild our own industrial base. This is what the TRILLIONS of $$$ for the banks should have gone towards.

I'm not a communist, capitalist or any other doctrine I'm only interested in a sustainable quality of life for the majority and not just the few.

[BadHaBritt]

Sorry for the double post but most of my comments get refused so I sanitized it more.

[RedneckDem]

I hear ya! Can you imagine if we exported to China the technology and industrial equipment to build them an economy to serve their own billion plus people instead of sacrificing ours? We coulda had it both ways and grew and China could have become a fully industrialized country without sacrifing their environment and people. Short term thinking, long term clean up...

[rabiddog6708]

I don't know a lot about IKEA, but Wal Mart is $atan's den.

[BadHaBritt]

part 2
The unbridled consumerism at any cost is ultimately only only good for the multinational corporate elite. If you don't believe what I'm saying then look back at the state of this country over the last 30 years. We have gone from a country with some degree of fiscal control to one of very little fiscal control, the tangible assets that can bring back jobs and meaningful employment are GONE. Apart from the extremely small percentage of REAL wealthy people, those free from dependency on the $$$, all the rest of us are on our way to being poorer and poorer standard of living. The cheap goods are small fry compared to the real drop in the standard of living for most people that occurs over many years.

I hope this is not preachy but I hope we are all after a realistically sustainable comfortable level of living. I'm not a communist, capitalist or any other doctrine I'm only interested in what is good for the majority and not just the few.

BTW caring for others is a big part of it.

[BadHaBritt]

part 1:
How very sad, so much myopic "got to have it, me me me me me" mentality.

One needs a little intellect to understand the broader and far reaching ramifications to the instant consumerism. It may be hard to grasp the concept that consumerism fueled by ever cheaper merchandise can eventually have a real negative blow back on, what now seems like the good life.

All these goods appeared cheap while you had a job and you could borrow money that you did not have. Once the balloon bursts, as it has now, and you've lost your job or the usury credit dept is too much, you will then find your USEFULNESS to the bigger multinational corporations is over. Wal-Mart and Ikea are just merchants using the current trend of "got to have it cheaper" in order to make their profit.

Please step back and try to see the whole concept of Multi-national corporations, who are too big for most countries to control, who ultimately dictating which countries benefit from producing cheaply manufacturing goods and which will serve as consumers until the money runs out and they then decay and fail. countries give them their profit from indoctrinated consumerism