Ikea?s jumping into furniture rentals. Here?s what that might look like - Architecture Blogs
Using furniture rental startup Feather as a proxy shows the premium you pay for flexibility Word leaked on Tuesday that furniture giant Ikea plans on exploring a furniture leasing program, but anyone hoping for a sneak peak at what the service might look like are only left to speculate, as details are scant and the program is in its ?very early stages,? according to an Ikea spokesperson.
Here?s what we do know: The program will start in Ikea?s native Switzerland and begin by leasing office furniture to business customers who?d rather not pay the full price to stock their office, which would help for any company on a short-term lease. Ikea is also looking at leasing kitchen designs.
The move comes at a time when furniture makers are becoming increasingly aware of the huge amounts of furniture thrown away every year. According to the EPA, 9.8 million tons of furniture were thrown away in 2009, accounting for 4.1 percent of household waste. Given Ikea?s emphasis on low-cost flatpack furniture, the company is undoubtedly responsible for its fair share of that waste. How and to where Ikea?s furniture leasing program might expand is unknown for now, but there?s already a few companies that have taken a stab at the idea, including Fernish?which just raised $30 million in capital last month?and Feather, which launched in April 2017 and currently operates in New York and San Francisco. A look at the latter?s pricing model offers a glimpse into what Ikea?s program could look like.
?We?re trying to change the relationship that people have with material goods to create a healthier and happier planet,? said Feather founder Jay Reno. ?Our consumer is really somebody who is previously buying furniture and we?re getting them to subscribe to furniture instead.?
Feather?s service works like this: Customers can rent packages of furniture or individual pieces furniture for a monthly fee. The company is stocked with everything from living room sofas to baby cribs to mattresses. R...