IKEA As-is and IKEA Family: How to Save on Furniture
By Laura Jordana · Editor
Published Oct 10, 2026 · 4 min read
In this guide
The cheapest IKEA furniture is often not in the catalog. It sits in the As-is section near the checkouts: floor models, returns and discontinued pieces at a discount. Here is how that section works in the US, what the free IKEA Family membership adds, and the return rules that catch people out.
What the As-is section is
IKEA’s US site describes As-is stock as discontinued products, gently used items and ex-showroom displays. Every store has different stock, so the website cannot tell you exactly what your local store has today.
| US | Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| Name on IKEA’s site | As-is (under “Second hand”) | As-is |
| Online reservation | IKEA Family members only, held for 48 hours | Not described on IKEA Canada’s As-is page |
| Pickup | Show your reservation at the As-is pickup point, then pay at checkout | In store |
If your store lists As-is items online, reserving is the easy route: you get 48 hours to show up, and nobody else can grab the piece in the meantime.
How to shop it without regret
- Measure first. Write down the space you are filling and the height of your car’s trunk opening. As-is pieces are often already assembled and will not fit back into a flat box.
- Look at every side. Scuffs on the back of a dresser do not matter; a cracked drawer runner does.
- Check for missing parts. Ask staff whether the screws, shelves and shelf pins are included.
- Compare to the new price. Look up the same product on IKEA’s site on your phone. If it is still sold new, the gap should be big enough to justify the wear.
Worth it if the item is solid and simple: bookcases, desks, side tables, shelving units. Skip it if it is a mattress, a sofa with marked fabric, or anything with moving parts you cannot test.
What IKEA Family gives you
IKEA Family is free to join in both countries. The perks differ:
| Perk | US | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Free coffee or tea | Yes, on each visit | Yes, regular coffee or tea when you scan your card |
| Points | 1 point per $1 spent | 1 point per $5 spent |
| Welcome offer | A discount on a first in-store purchase at participating stores, after opting in to email | Not listed |
| Price protection | 90 days | Not listed |
| Breakage protection | Not listed | Free 14-day “just-in-case” protection |
| Other | Discount on small qualifying online orders, birthday surprise, workshops | IKEA Family prices on blue labels, 30 extra minutes in Småland |
The 90-day price protection is the perk most people forget. If the price of something you bought drops within that window, check IKEA’s terms and ask for the difference.
Returns: the rules differ by country
| US | Canada | |
|---|---|---|
| New, unopened | 365 days | 365 days |
| Opened or assembled | 180 days | 90 days |
| As-is items | Excluded from the standard policy | 90 days, refunded to an IKEA refund card |
Treat every US As-is purchase as final. Measure twice before you pay.
Selling your old IKEA furniture back
IKEA will buy some of its own furniture back and resell it in As-is.
- In the US, Buy Back & Resell runs at participating stores only. You need to be an IKEA Family or IKEA Business Network member, and IKEA pays in store credit on a refund card that does not expire.
- IKEA does not publish a fixed payout, so get the offer before you haul anything in.
- If you would rather have cash, a resale app is the alternative. See our resale apps guide for how those platforms charge fees.
For decor that does not need a drill, see renter-friendly decor ideas, and for smaller pieces, our HomeGoods and HomeSense guide.
Sources checked October 2026: IKEA US As-is, IKEA Canada As-is, IKEA Family US, IKEA Family Canada, IKEA US return policy, IKEA Canada return policy, IKEA US Buy Back & Resell, IKEA Canada sell-back.
Frequently asked questions
What is sold in the IKEA As-is section?
IKEA US describes As-is stock as discontinued products, gently used items and former showroom displays. Each store has its own stock, and it changes daily.
Can I return an As-is item?
In the US, IKEA says As-is items are excluded from its standard return policy, so treat them as final. In Canada, IKEA's return policy lets you return As-is purchases within 90 days for an IKEA refund card.
Do I need IKEA Family to shop As-is?
Not to buy in store. In the US, reserving As-is items online is limited to IKEA Family members. Membership is free in both countries.
How does IKEA pay for furniture I sell back?
Through store credit on an IKEA refund card, not cash. In the US the program runs at participating stores; in Canada IKEA says it runs at all stores year-round. You need an IKEA Family membership in both countries.
