Update on Options for Navigating IKEA Backorders 2022

With continued IKEA backorders, you may have to take a day-trip to complete your kitchen.

If you’re an IKEA customer who has attempted to start your IKEA kitchen remodel this year, you’ve likely encountered delays with your project. As we’ve discussed in previous blogs, IKEA backorders continue to hinder customer projects. This is compounded by — as we also pointed out in January — the fact that IKEA has initiated a price increase of 9% for all of its products (including kitchen cabinets) due to global supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19.

“We are working closely with our suppliers to replenish stock as quickly as possible, however, due to impacts on the supply chain caused by COVID-19, we cannot guarantee the availability of our cabinets and fronts. Lead times vary and some items could take up to six (6) months or more to receive. If you proceed with a kitchen cabinet and front purchase, we do not recommend starting the removal of your current kitchen or booking your contractor until you have received and inspected all items needed for the installation of your kitchen.” —Message posted on IKEA’s Kitchen web page.

Yet IKEA is still as good as ever, offering very reasonable pricing with great styling options. We at IKD would like to suggest that although there are certainly delivery delays, all that means is it may take a bit more work (and perhaps a sense of adventure!) to complete IKEA orders that are missing components. And yes, it’s well worth it.

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Our team has spoken to lots of IKD/IKEA customers lately who’ve dealt with delays in their cabinet orders. What we’ve found is there is very good reason for optimism. Many of these IKEA customers have found inspiration from customers in other industries who’re willing to expand their search criteria — and how far they’re willing to travel — in order to complete their IKEA kitchen project.

But the only true way to know what cabinets are available is to order them online (or visit your local IKEA), and the best way to order is to use IKD to create a kitchen design and IKEA Home Planner purchase list with IKEA cabinets. This ensures your entire order is completed!

We all have to work differently to complete our IKEA kitchens or other room projects (Note: We hear that IKEA may only return to offering in-stock cabinets by late 2023). So, the key is to stay flexible during this time.

Let’s see how to do it!

Things to Consider

The mass media doesn’t have its finger on the pulse of every industry and may paint things in a negative way.

“It seems to me the media has these ‘chicken little’ warnings a lot. I purchased new cabinets at an IKEA in Connecticut last November and had a choice of many cabinet models. So I drove from Long Island to fulfill my order. My experience may not be the norm, no doubt, but stop with the ‘sky is falling’ click-baiting headlines regarding the economy. We’re smarter than you think. And by the way, I completed my kitchen just fine,” says IKD customer Karen.

Also each IKEA location is a franchise which is independently owned or managed and as such, the inventory at each IKEA is different. If your local IKEA does not have the items you need, it may be time to start expanding your search area and consider a more distant IKEA location (think Grand Prairie, TX instead of Houston) in order to find your items.

If a road trip doesn’t suit you, there are other options as well. IKEA customers can hire on-demand shopping services to pick up your orders and ship the products to your home. That’s exactly what IKD customer Tim from Detroit, MI did and hired TaskRabbit (who are partnered with IKEA) to complete his materials list. So, instead of incurring additional project costs (in travel or lodging) he had his items delivered within three days and was able to finish his IKEA kitchen without leaving his home. Or consider using third-party custom cabinet front manufacturers if IKEA’s doors are backordered. Semihandmade custom doors are shipping in 3-6 weeks right now.

Make a Plan

With delays likely with your IKEA kitchen order, you’ll want to have an action plan in place.

“The key is to have your design ready and a clear idea of inventory status. As NKBA certified design professionals, IKD uses professional design software to develop an original design concept for your kitchen. Once your IKD design is finished, IKD uploads your final design to your IKEA Home Planner account. The Home Planner design is created specifically to generate an itemized material list for your IKEA purchase. This itemized list includes the IKEA materials list; a price list, and IKD’s signature Extra Items list,” says IKD designer Frank.

So now you’ll know exactly the cabinets and accessories you’ll need to complete your project. Then you can check with confidence against the inventory at your local IKEA.

(Note: If you’re planning to use door fronts from a third-party company, the design will include IKEA’s HAGGEBY door style as a default. Even if you’re not selecting IKEA doors, your design will feature IKEA toe-kicks. If you’re purchasing door/drawer fronts from a third-party company, that company will likely provide toe-kick strips to be mounted directly on top of the IKEA toe-kicks.)

Have Plan, Will Travel

What if your local IKEA doesn’t have the cabinets you ordered?

“I found my missing SEKTION cabinets in the AS-IS section in the Self Service warehouse in Baltimore, MD for 30% to 50% off the original price. I drove about two hours to get there. The IKEA Baltimore AS-IS co-worker told me that IKEA isn’t restocking SEKTION frames that are returned by customers. Come to AS-IS if you are missing cabinets or other SEKTION kitchen items. Keep in mind they are sold on a first come first serve basis,” IKD customer Mark says.

IKD customer Moises drove to IKEA’s Jacksonville location when his local IKEA in Miami was out of stock of the cabinets he needed. Or how about IKD customers Steve and Stacie, who wanted to complete their IKEA kitchen remodel so badly that they not only flew from St. Louis to Baltimore to buy their IKEA cabinets but they used the trip to rent a U-HAUL in Baltimore, load up their cabinets and accessories and have a nice long road trip back.

IKEA is still the least expensive option by far and offers prices far below any other cabinet manufacturer – and the quality is there. IKEA also generally provides ETAs on the backordered items as well so you can refer to your plan and decide on your next steps. So don’t be discouraged. It’s possible to complete your IKEA kitchen in a reasonable timeframe. The way to do that is finish your IKD plan; access the IKEA Home Planner that we complete for you and go through the online ordering process. Then simply order as much as you can from your local IKEA and begin to supplement the missing order items by searching online from other IKEA locations, confirm their inventory, place your order and complete your IKEA project.

Let’s get started now!