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The IKEA As-is section is the most important stop on the IKEA maze for budget-conscious home decorators. Those limited-edition pieces, slightly imperfect furniture, and discontinued designs can save you hundreds – if you know where to look. But who has the time to constantly check every IKEA store’s inventory?
Enter SCOOUT, the app that turns hit-or-miss bargain hunting into a guaranteed score.
Created by Ares Braccialarghe, a parent who knows the value of every dollar, this app is about to revolutionize how you shop the IKEA Second Chance Corner.
The SCOOUT App Began With Savings In Mind
“I had to search in multiple IKEA stores to find products for my little girl’s nursery,” he explains. “I wanted to save money by taking advantage of the second-hand corner in IKEA stores.”
It was then that Ares noticed some unexpected discrepancies.
“I discovered that online there are many more products than in the physical store’s As-is section,” Ares explains. This means bargain hunters physically combing IKEA stores might actually be missing out on a wealth of discounted inventory not displayed on the shop floor.
Adding to this conundrum, Ares noticed that the IKEA mobile app also lacked a dedicated section for IKEA As-is Online items.
So the developer took matters into his own hands and created an app that searches product end-of-series and second-hand items across different locations.
How SCOOUT Works
The app is surprisingly simple yet powerful. Users can:
- Add multiple IKEA stores to their search
- Track specific products they’re interested in
- Receive push notifications when desired items become available in the second-hand or end-of-series sections (A minimal one-time charge applies to unlock this feature)
My Bargain Hunting Journey On SCOOUT
To truly understand SCOOUT’s potential, I put the app through its paces with a hypothetical home office storage project targeting New York area IKEA stores. The results were promising.
Search …
At IKEA Elizabeth, the app surfaced several BEKANT mesh storage units. The app listed the original price as $349.99, while the second-hand price was $175.
Long Island and New Haven stores came up empty in the home office category but I was seriously tempted with lots of 0.49 cent throw pillows. I didn’t even need to go to IKEA to come up with an imaginary cart full of stuff I absolutely did not need.
I resisted the pillows and pushed through to Brooklyn, which delivered an even sweeter deal.
Score!
The GALANT unit in Brooklyn was a true find – originally priced at $189, now available for just $69.99. Two sleek storage units for just $139.98? This was the kind of discount DIYers live for. The next step was to tap “Reserve” and the app redirected me to the “Second Chance Corner” on the IKEA website.
On the IKEA website, the process was straightforward. I selected the Brooklyn store, scrolled through the available items, and reserved my chosen units. (An IKEA website account is required for this step.) Lastly, a quick trip to IKEA Brooklyn and those bargain storage units would be mine, if I really lived in New York.
SCOOUT vs. IKEA Second Chance Corner: A Comparison
Every great tool has its strengths and limitations, and SCOOUT is no exception.
Search Function
IKEA’s Second Chance Corner wins in search functionality. While SCOOUT allows specific product searches (like “GALANT”), it does not support broader keyword searches, such as “cabinet”.
IKEA’s website handles these category-wide explorations better, making it easier to search, especially if you don’t have a specific product in mind and want to know what’s available in a category.
Notifications
But where SCOOUT truly shines is its notifications. And this is the very reason Ares developed the app.
IKEA’s Second Chance Corner will not notify you of new additions or item availability. Whereas SCOOUT will ping you the moment the item you’ve been eyeing lands in the As-is section.
For the dedicated hunter of hard-to-find and discontinued pieces, SCOOUT’s notification feature alone justifies its one-time fee. It’s like having a personal shopping assistant who never sleeps, constantly scanning IKEA’s inventory for your dream item.
Time Savings
For the DIYer, SCOOUT is a handy little app to help you keep track of the budget-friendly goodies in the As-is section. You can be on the lookout for a discounted HAVSTA or a SKOGSTA, without endless store visits or online refreshing.
The app does the legwork, sending you an instant notification when your dream piece becomes available. Time saved, money saved, and the thrill of the perfect find – delivered directly to your notification screen.
You can find the SCOOUT app in the App Store. The SCOOUT app is currently available in 8 countries: Austria, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Sweden. More to come.
What you need to know before buying “As-is”
Before diving into your bargain hunt, it’s crucial to understand the fine print. All As-is products are posted online with details – including photos, product descriptions, and pricing. However, IKEA maintains flexibility in the purchasing process:
- If the in-store product doesn’t match the online description or doesn’t meet your expectations, you’re under no obligation to complete the purchase.
- As-is products, including those reserved through the online service, are excluded from the standard Return Policy.
- Only select As-is items are eligible for IKEA’s Buy Back & Resell service.
This transparency ensures that while you’re hunting for deals, you’re also making informed decisions about your purchases.
Happy bargain hunting!