Reasons we are not crazy for IKEA!



Higher quality furniture found at Tok & Stok, Brazil

There are many reasons, probably the main one is the fact that Ikea is UBBER cheap and sell a lot of crap made by semi slave labor in China.
I like quality and I will take quality over price anytime, even if I have to wait and go without something until I have the money to buy the good quality option rather than the Walmart/Ikea type of cheap made stuff.
We visited the Ikea store in the Boston area once, we bought a Made in Sweden "wooden cutting board" for U$7,00, which I thought was a great deal. There is not much you can go wrong with a piece of wood, to cut your fruits and vegetables so we took the plunge. We also bought a U$2,00 pair of plastic with a spring thingy that keeps the shapes of your shoes with pressure from the inside out, not bad, "Made in China", but in my defense, I had never seen that thing made or sold anywhere else, so for lack of options and to keep my shoes looking good, it was a no brainer :)
We also bought Norwegian Smoked Salmon, to eat with bagel, capers, onions and cream cheese on Sunday morning, that was it.
Oh, yes, and we walked about 10 miles in the maze of isles they carefully plan to make sure you buy all the "great" stuff they need to sell you.



Tok & Stok

Awesome sofa found at Tok & Stok in Sao Paulo, Brazil


In Brazil we are used to shop at Tok & Stok for our cool style stuff needs.
Tok & Stok has a style that is very similar to it's Scandinavian counterparts but it is an authetic PAULISTA store, founded in Sao Paulo in 1978.
Tok & Stok by the way is a completely different animal in many ways, most stuff in there have a sophisticated and modern style, but principally MADE IN BRAZIL, due to tought import regulation to protect the Brazilian industry, so of course, much more expensive and BETTER quality than Ikea for obvious reasons.
Tok & Stok also delivers and assemble furniture for you for a reasonable pricel, which in some cases brings a great advantage over Ikea stuff that you have to assemble yourself and pay a hefty delivery charge.
Tok & Stok is not as large as Ikea, the stores are smarter in my opinion, you don't have to walk for miles, and they have awesome stuff, plus they are in better locations withing the city. Your usual Ikea shopper drives an average of 50 miles because they built their stores in cheap land away from the cities.
I really miss Tok & Stok, wish we had one here.
We watched recently on the news that people are pissed with Ikea in Sweden as well, they closed a large factory over there where Swedish folks made U$19,00 per hour and open the same factory in South Carolina, were folks will gladly work for U$8,00. Shame on Ikea, again! :(
Despite my negative views on Ikea, I see that they have helped many people who are on a budget and need to furnish a small apartment quick and easy, but you should pay attention, there are some catches to avoid.
To back my strong feelings about Ikea, I found this interesting article today on "Shine" by Yahoo.
Take a look and let me know if you agree and what you think.

The text below was copied in full from Shine by Yahoo!

What Not to Buy at Ikea

offers sleek, modern design at such reasonable prices it’s no wonder that the average customer in the United States drives 50 miles round trip to shop the inspiration rooms (and inevitably dine at the equally impressive smorgasbord of cafeteria food). While we’re huge fans of the Scandinavian design behemoth's trendy home accents, wall art, graphic rugs, and highly functional accent furniture, there are certain things not worth the trip. Here are five items you’d be wise to re-think:


1.    Mattresses
When it comes to mattresses, the saying you get what you pay for rings true. And because getting consistent good nights’ sleeps is crucial for your health, opting for a quality mattress is a wise investment. Ikea offers mattresses at a price range from $80 for a simple, twin-sized spring mattress to $649 for a king-size foam mattress. While the latter promises pressure-relieving and temperature-stabilizing technology at a seemingly reasonable price, the price structure is a bit misleading. To walk away from Ikea with a complete bed set, you’d have to purchase three more items:  A bed base, foundation, and at least one mattress pad, adding almost $500 more to your total cost. What seems like a good deal on the surface, actually turns out to be what you’d be spend  for a full set at any other mattress retailer, such as Mancini’s Sleep World or Sleep Train. Furthermore, you don’t get the free delivery and set-up or the ability to negotiate payment plans like you would at most mattress-specific retailers, which are constantly offering promotions and deals in an effort to stay competitive.


2.    Imitation Wood Products You’ll Use Every Day
Ikea is full of products that look like wood but are actually made of laminate or pressed wood—or wood particles glued together. These pieces are generally of lower quality and won’t last as long as the real thing. While purchasing accent furniture or bookshelves in this material might serve you well, you might find yourself replacing that laminate coffee or dining table within a year as the daily use will cause the laminate to peal away at the edges or become stained or scratched.

Killer Furniture for Every Room


3.    Dinnerware
If you’re looking for a simple, no-frills dinner set, Ikea's $25 set of six plates, side plates, and bowls, might fit your needs. But you’d be able to find a similar set at Target or other retailers for the same price. And if you’d like your flatware to make a bit more of a statement, Ikea’s selection is lacking. While the Scandinavian purveyor offers more than enough ways to add flair to your pad at a reasonable price, their specialty is not stylish flatware. We recommend filling your Ikea cart with tabletop accents or wall art, but scooping up china flatware when department stores like Macy’s offer sales because you’ll have much more inventory to choose from.


4.    Quality Cutlery
Ikea offers will provide the ease, precision, longevity, or efficiency that a professional knife set promises.

Kitchen Gadgets That Make You Want to Cook!


5.    Things with Complicated Assembly Instructions
Unless you’re a natural handyman (or know someone who is) or simply must have that bookshelf that comes in a gazillion pieces, be wary of some of the items that require a huge amount of DIY assembly.  Purchasing a fully-formed bookshelf elsewhere for a bit more might be worth what you save in time and sanity.

Ikea