Pre-pack furniture retailer Ikea has launched Ikea Preowned – a second-hand marketplace aimed at keeping products in circulation for longer than they otherwise might be.
The Ikea Preowned platform has been unveiled in Madrid, and will soon arrive in Oslo. The plans are to make it available more widely in due course.
Ikea’s move marks a significant step up in its second-hand market presence, building on the small section of preloved goods it already sells in some stores. A full online marketplace means it will compete with other peer-to-peer websites such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace.
Ikea Preowned – news of which was first reported by The Financial Times – works by facilitating a transaction between buyer and seller, who arrange the collection of furniture themselves. The seller has the option of receiving money or a voucher from Ikea with a 15% bonus.
Jesper Brodin, CEO Ingka Group, which is the largest operator of Ikea stores, said on LinkedIn: “It has been a dream in the making and I’m excited that we are finally testing Ikea Preowned, our second-hand marketplace.
“We will start in Oslo and Madrid, yet the ambition is higher.”
He added: “With the test we will get deeper insights in how we can meet people’s dreams and needs in life at home, by making the Ikea range more accessible at an even lower price and as a part of our sustainability efforts.”
Ikea said its ambition is to be “circular and climate positive by 2030”, and a key element of that goal is to create and offer products to consumers that can be remade, repaired, reused, resold or – “as a last resort” – recycled.
Ikea said by finding new homes for unwanted products, it hopes to reduce waste and prolong the life of its products.
The preowned operation is part of a broader range of efforts by the retailer to reduce resource use, which includes its furniture buy-back scheme.
[image credit: Green Retail World]
