Not to sound like an adolescent, but for such a Web 2.0 company, Ikea's website is essentially unusable. One can't look for bookcases without getting all the things that go with bookcases. One can't find one style of bookcases and find the variations of that style. One can't find finishes and technical information. One can't find things, such as the pattern for the slip cover on the furniture (they sell a whole line of slipcover furniture, furniture DESIGNED to be customized, but then don't sell THE MOST important tool to customize them? What gives?). The cost of shipping is excessive. The site is good for finding the nearest store and that's it.

I will admit I have a love/hate relationship with them. I redid my entire kitchen with Ikea cabinets and found the instructions to be so close to useless as to not make a difference. However, they look great now that they are up.

However, I don't see how any of my suggestions (how about all the cabinets hang on the same rail, not horizontal cabinets on a rail at one height and the verticals on a rail at a different height, thus one can't now mix horizontals with verticals) ever get into the Ikea design stream. They don't involve their customers in the design and creation of their products. If I could put together a bookcase on the web and then get it, that would be Facebook, but I can't. That Ikea works well with their suppliers and helps them with design is more Wal-Mart than Flickr.

I too have a love/hate relationship with IKEA and have scraped my knucles assembling many pieces of their furniture. One would assume that such a "cool" company would have a cool website. IKEA has always been a destination retailer, so perhaps they aren't interested in cultivating online customers since that omits the whole in-store experience.

In fairness, I will say that their website product descriptions are the most comprehensive I've seen. They describe all construction materials, product dimensions, and even package dimensions (very helpful if you don't have a large car.)

Why buy a Lexus (Toyota in disguise) when you can get a Toyota cheaper with the same quality?

Why buy from IKEA when you can shop at (insert store name here) and get same quality cheaper?

Fads come and go! sigh....

I have yet to find a store, insert name here, cheaper than IKEA for anything close to as good a quality. My regular Saturday morning breakfast is $1.99 and includes eggs, potatoes, bacon, and French toast strips. If I get there before 9:30, as I typically do, my tea is free. That is just the cafeteria. IKEA is popular not because they are a fad, but because they sell good stuff cheap. They just can't make a decent web site.

inferioritycomplex,

You would have to actually insert a store name to convince me of your argument. IKEA is pretty damn cheap (occasionally true of quality as well as price). That, and the wide selection, is why they are so popular, not because anyone sees them as upscale.

<link>

<link>

I think i will buy the Sears appliance.