Ikea pricing in dr...wow

nyc dad

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Jul 28, 2011
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I'm very happy for Ikea lovers in DR,but wow....just comparing prices between the US store and DR,it's over 200(or 50% more) bucks and you are getting a smaller size bed!!!(Birkland collection)I have bought Ikea here for years,so I kinda of know what something should be.So is Ikea meant for the upper class in DR or because it's a franchise the owner it's trying to get over? It's not very popular with most people I know up north according to them based on the quality,but some of the stuff I bought in the past,has reached the 5 year mark,lol.Opinions,inputs....?
 

Robert

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Jan 2, 1999
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Before IKEA, we had two options. Contemporary furniture at ridiculous prices, 2-3x what you see at IKEA here or Dominican style, cheaper, big and ugly in my opinion, although it wears well in most cases.

Some stuff at IKEA is a lot cheaper than you will see at any other store in the DR, plus their range is huge compared to anyone else.

I have had a few IKEA pieces since the first week they opened, they are still fine, without any issues.
 

anng3

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Jan 12, 2007
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Prices on some items are double or triple (Poang Chair) the US however if you order 15000 RD you get free delivery on the North Coast. They deliver 3 times per week. With the free delivery the prices were cheaper than the prices to buy in states and ship. I am happy with my purchases but I would love to get the 1 small item that was missing on my order.

Like Robert says, Contemporary furniture prices are ridiculous here. Ikea has filled a void for better priced contemporary furniture.
 

bob saunders

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Jan 1, 2002
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I bought an armchair at Ikea in Edmonton in 1987. Water buffalo leather. Finally gave up the ghost in 2005. Survived little children, pre-teens, and teenagers. Still have a coffee table I bought at the same time. My oldest son wants it when I move to the DR.
 

Gordon

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Jan 24, 2011
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Ikea is not a bad place to buy some things like kitchen items but they are building products to Swedish environments and have not adapted to tropical use and therefore most of their things do not hold up properly. Also if one hires locals to build items like towel racks, furniture, shelving etc you not only can often get a better and unique product at a better price, but you actually create something special for the local economy.
 

Robert

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Ikea is not a bad place to buy some things like kitchen items but they are building products to Swedish environments and have not adapted to tropical use and therefore most of their things do not hold up properly.

Not true! They are the largest mover of furniture on the planet, with stores in climates much worse and humid than the DR, Singapore, Dubai etc. I'm guessing they have learned a few things along the way :)

I suggest you go and actually talk to the people at IKEA about your false assumption, you might be surprised at the answers you get and how very aware they are of climate, local market conditions etc.
 

Gordon

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I base my "assumptions" on products I have actually purchased. For example the bugs run for the delicious wood "products" they use and the humidity compounds the problem. Try shopping there. Buy a comforter designed for cold climates while you are there.
 

nyc dad

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from north coast to SD

Prices on some items are double or triple (Poang Chair) the US however if you order 15000 RD you get free delivery on the North Coast. They deliver 3 times per week. With the free delivery the prices were cheaper than the prices to buy in states and ship. I am happy with my purchases but I would love to get the 1 small item that was missing on my order.

Like Robert says, Contemporary furniture prices are ridiculous here. Ikea has fillei a voibetter priced contemporary furniture.[/QUOTit


HOW DO YOU GET OT TO SD?
 

minerva_feliz

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May 4, 2009
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I am probably like the 'pi2' of buying household goods and decor...I buy used or on sale, and upholster/paint/fix up. And I have gotten some great deals from IKEA in SD. Of course, I only buy stuff that's on sale or in the "ofertas/return" section. I basically never pay retail anywhere though. For shelving, the line of plain wood stuff that is supposed to be for garages looks great for bookshelves or entertainment centers if you give it a coat of paint, and is the biggest bang for your buck considering how much similar cheap Dominican style stuff will cost you. Sometimes you can find unique decoration pieces for super cheap, like curtains, paintings, glass sticky decals, flower pots, etc. (it's usually the styles that are not that popular for Dominicans, so I tend to love them).

Of course, it takes a lot of time and patience to put a house together. If you were just trying to set up your place quickly with quality new items from IKEA it would be painful ($). :cross-eye
 
May 12, 2005
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Prices on some items are double or triple (Poang Chair) the US however if you order 15000 RD you get free delivery on the North Coast. They deliver 3 times per week. With the free delivery the prices were cheaper than the prices to buy in states and ship. I am happy with my purchases but I would love to get the 1 small item that was missing on my order.

Like Robert says, Contemporary furniture prices are ridiculous here. Ikea has fillei a voibetter priced contemporary furniture.[/QUOTit


HOW DO YOU GET OT TO SD?

How do you get to SD? Drive, fly, take a bus or taxi. You could walk but that could take a very long time depending where you are coming from.
 

Gordon

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Jan 24, 2011
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Ikea is mostly for the young couple starting out that will eventually replace everything anyway. cannot imagine anything in the store that would ever be classified an antique down the road. We found some really awesome curtain material after a lot of digging around everywhere and were really impressed although not because of the pricing. I agree you really have to hunt for a deal. Lots of innovative ideas but .......

Ikeas are the same everywhere in the world except for the pricing. When they first opened I think they were the only Ikea in the world that had chicken on the menu. Someone must have told them that the locals would not eat much else. That was about as localized as they got.

Do the country a favour in return for their hospitality and buy locally made products if you can.
 

Robert

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Ikea is mostly for the young couple starting out that will eventually replace everything anyway.

Have you been to the IKEA in SD many times? Young couples are not their primary client base.

Chicken and locals comment, that confirms what I was thinking.

PICHARDO, I know how you feel! hehehe
 

belgiank

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Jun 13, 2009
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The majority of the stuff I have ever bought in Ikea proved to be crap, especially considering the prices they are asking for it.

Having said that, I also bought some very nice quality stuff there.

Of course they know how to make stuff for tropical climates, as it was proven they used child labor in Asia to produce it. As this was a whole lot of years ago, I have to say they changed their attitude and are now one of the biggest companies helping out local charities. So, a nice applause for them.

I do love their kitchens, and in Belgium they were very good value for the money. I just wonder how they would stand up to the humidity over here. This is not a negative comment, as I am really curious and with positive comments I would consider installing one of them over here.

Ikea in SD? The only one in the world where the salmon is cheaper than their famous meatballs.... lol
 

Rep Dom

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Dec 27, 2011
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Hi everyone, I am quite surprised by most posts... Of course, some prices are higher in "small islands" than in the States, Europe... French cheese will be expensive in DR... Same for Ikeas... It's just a matter of volume. And probably, their strategy is to pretend to be luxuries. Sayng that, I totally agree with Gordon. I think expats should buy local stuff instead of Ikeas. It seems just normal to me. DR needs it much more than Sweden. :)
 

expatsooner

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Aug 7, 2004
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I am not a huge fan of IKEA stores - I always feel like cattle being moved through a chute system when you have to wind your way through the store. I do like that they will carry some items that would be difficult or impossible to find in other places. As for the prices well they do have to cover the cost of import taxes and transport. I do tend to buy handmade furniture and textiles instead of mass produced but you are still supporting the Dominican economy when you buy at IKEA through all the jobs provided in the SD store.
 

SKY

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Apr 11, 2004
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I guess if you like putting things together and paying high for the privilege of doing so, then IKEA is for you.
 

anng3

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Jan 12, 2007
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What I meant was the merchandise from the north coast.

I put an order together from the website and catalog. The Dominican and US catalog/website are similar but there are a few different items so I compared the two.
Then I ordered it online on their website. Got order confirmation. Delivery was
2 days after ordering. I also used chat first to make sure what I wanted was in stock. It took some emailing back and forth and a few calls but I was able to get all the items except for one small $6USD kitchen item that was missing that 3 weeks later they still are investigating to resend.
 

Celt202

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May 22, 2004
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I am not a huge fan of IKEA stores - I always feel like cattle being moved through a chute system when you have to wind your way through the store. I do like that they will carry some items that would be difficult or impossible to find in other places. As for the prices well they do have to cover the cost of import taxes and transport. I do tend to buy handmade furniture and textiles instead of mass produced but you are still supporting the Dominican economy when you buy at IKEA through all the jobs provided in the SD store.

The beauty of it is that their chute system is based on the insights of Temple Grandin. :laugh:
 

expatsooner

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Aug 7, 2004
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I didn't know that but I sure felt it evidently..... :D

I love the movie about Temple's life - to me she is an amazing woman that has done so much to help animals.