Here's The Best Day Of The Week To Shop IKEA's 'As-Is' Section For A Bargain

Most low-cost furniture stores aren't known to be high quality, but then again, most low-cost furniture stores don't sell meatballs. IKEA has made an all-caps name for itself in the decent, design-forward, affordable furniture (and Swedish meatball) game for decades. But in addition to relatively low prices for new items on the sales floor, IKEA also boasts possibly better deals in its "As-is" section.

The As-is section is usually located near the checkout areas of IKEA stores. In it, sales floor models and gently used or damaged merchandise is sold at a discount. This As-is section is also referred to as "second chance corner" by IKEA, and the chain encourages customers to participate in the furniture Buyback and Resell program. This circular business model is part of IKEA's overall sustainability strategy, as well as a way for customers to make and save money by prolonging the life of furniture.

Saving on furniture might be top of mind for many, especially with the effect new tariffs will have on furniture prices and family budgets. That said, many "Ikea Hackers" already know the prime time to scope out the As-is section in their local IKEA. Some online commenters think there really is a best day to shop the IKEA As-is section. But just like beauty (and the best time and day of week to shop at the thrift store) As-is savings may just be in the eye of the lucky beholder, not in a set construct of time.

IKEA stores are constantly receiving and restocking products, and so is the As-is section. Some customers swear that Monday mornings right at opening time is the right time to lay eyes on the As-is section, since it has been freshly restocked over the weekend. Others swear that a mid-week jaunt is the optimal time to check out the slightly dinged-up delights. IKEA employees say that As-is stock is constantly churning, depending on the whims of the market, the day, and the person-power of the staff to get product on the floor.

This is all to say that the best way to know the best day to shop your particular IKEA store's As-is section is: friendship. Or at the very least, friendly conversation with your local store's warehouse staff. Getting to know the patterns of your particular store could be as easy as kindly asking an employee, or at least: "So when do you switch out the floor models?"

Or, if you have time on your hands and a desire to try every meat, plant, and veggie ball in the restaurant, conduct a little research experiment. Take some time to respectfully, kindly, and non-creepily watch how often As-Is stock is restocked. Strike up a bit of small talk with the employees, and see if you can get the skinny on the store's cadences. Also, consider high return seasons, especially during June, when plenty of folks are moving, buying items, and realizing they won't actually work for their space.

As-is furniture tends to already be assembled, and as such, takes up even more space than the usual flat packs of Billy bookcases and Storklinta dressers. Make sure you have a handy set of tools on you to quickly disassemble larger pieces so you can fit them in your ride. Scoring a great deal on furniture is a high, but one that is all too short-lived (and budget-busting) when you realize you have no way to transport the find home.

Try to bring a buddy to help you lug — or even to babysit your purchase if you need to head out for a bigger boat. Before you shop, use a tape measure to take stock of the open dimensions in your space. Buying a great piece of bargain basement furniture is a thrill, which turns into a chill if you lug it all the way back to your place and it doesn't fit. You may love the sustainably circular business model IKEA has going on, but returning a piece of secondhand furniture the same day you bought it is a little too full circle.

It also helps to shop IKEA backwards, rather than following the usual flow of Showroom, Restaurant, Warehouse, As-is, Checkout. This way, you can get a sense of what you might like, then compare prices with the actual floor models in the showroom to see if your deal is good enough to actually close on.