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How to Shop at IKEA. A few insider tricks will help make your shopping experience at
this megastore more efficient and enjoyable. You will need Computer with internet access
A weekday A van or truck A duty manager Required parts Parts numbers Each item's article number
and an as-is section. Step 1. Do some pre-shopping on IKEA's web site. The site allows you to
check if the item you want is in stock in the bricks-and-mortar store you plan to visit.
It also tells you what aisle and bin you'll find the item in, saving you time in IKEA's
notoriously cavernous stores. Step 2. If possible, shop on a weekday. Even in the evening, that's
when the store is less crowded. Step 3. If you don't own a truck or van, see if you can
borrow one to avoid delivery fees. And know ahead of time how fees are calculated. Some
stores charge a delivery fee per item; others, base the charge on weight. And some stores
have a flat fee. Step 4. If an item is out of stock, ask for the duty manager. They have
the power to find out if and when an item is being replenished and whether or not they
can sell you a floor model. If you're buying a lighting fixture, ask if it takes European-sized
bulbs, which can be difficult to find in the U.S. If so, consider stocking up on bulbs
at IKEA. Step 5. Check out the as-is department. If a model that's not in the as-is section
is damaged, ask if you can have it for the as-is price. You can often score a big discount
for a small imperfection. Step 6. When you unpack your item, make sure all the parts
you need are accounted for. Each screw and peg has a part number listed in the instructions,
and each product has an eight-digit article number printed next to the bar code. If you're
missing something, knowing these two numbers will save you time and aggravation. IKEA's
web site has downloadable assembly instructions for nearly every piece of furniture, as well
as an automated customer service assistant online. Step 7. Take home some of the Swedish
meatballs sold in IKEA's food market, and maybe a jar of lingonberry jam. You're gonna
work up an appetite assembling that bunk bed. Did you know In 2009, Forbes magazine named
Ingvar Kamprad, who founded IKEA in 1943, the fifth richest man in the world, with a
net worth of $22 billion.