IKEA in Ukraine charges $58 for a small order truck delivery. Why that much?

Last May, IKEA officially launched in Ukraine. However, not all customers like the delivery options offered by the company. Many people complain that the company’s delivery service is expensive. Retailers.ua has published an article explaining how the high delivery prices can be justified.

How much does the delivery cost

As an example of such delivery, the magazine cites the case of media manager Artur Orujaliev, who wanted to order a salt and pepper shaker on the IKEA website in April 2021. The total amount of his order was ₴298 ($11) with delivery to the suburbs of Kyiv. But he couldn’t choose courier delivery and was offered a truck delivery for ₴1,599 ($58). He canceled the order.

Bronislav Chumak, a Kyiv marketer, had a similar problem: he ordered a chest of drawers for ₴1,200 ($43), and the only option for delivery was a truck delivery for ₴1,599 ($58). This customer decided to place the order and not to waste time looking for the furniture he needed. Journalists of the outlet ordered a cabinet from IKEA, and the door-to-door delivery in Kyiv was ₴699 ($25), and the delivery to the pickup point – ₴59 ($2). However, the latter option is not always available.

For comparison, according to the magazine, the door-to-door delivery of the cabinet from Jysk within Kyiv is free, from Epicenter – as well (excluding fees for lifting), from Rozetka – ₴59 ($2).

Why so pricey

The company responded to the magazine’s question by saying that:

• Such delivery prices reflect the increased operating costs of such a service.
• The company’s logistics partners are Nova Posta Logistic, which works with the warehouse and prepares the orders, and DB Schenker, which is responsible for delivery.

The company also noted that it is “looking for ways to reduce prices, where it is possible,” and promised to expand the network of pickup points.

Kostiantyn Loshnevskyi, CCO of MebelOk.com, in a comment for the outlet, said that IKEA is not ready to work with different operators and delivery formats, trying to find one or two universal solutions. Also, there is a problem with the delivery of large furniture in Ukraine in general, especially if it is a delivery around the country. The logistics infrastructure (warehouses, sorting systems, transport, route loading, etc.) is not well-suited for large furniture. Plus, such deliveries often require furniture lifting and assembly services.

According to Loshnevskyi, in other countries, this is solved by adjusting the size of furniture to the dimensions of logistics operators, dividing furniture sets into different packages, organizing special furniture logistics, and so on.