Dearest Ikea,
We love you. We really do. But yesterday you exploited that relationship, and I can’t stay silent this time. “Some assembly required” is one thing — we expect that with larger furniture — but we don’t expect to assemble every tiny item we buy from you. I’m talking about the Kassett storage box.
Putting together Ikea furniture can be fun and satisfying: affordable, stylish pieces that come with a built-in sense of accomplishment. But there’s no pride in assembling what is essentially a cardboard box. Many everyday products — shoe boxes, cereal boxes — come fully assembled for free. Why does yours require multi-page instructions, a clutch of screws, and 15 minutes I’ll never get back?
I’m all for a break from endless allen wrenches, but having to punch out two dozen perforations by hand was over the top. You perforated the holes but didn’t remove them for me — seriously? Was that meant as a surprise extra? A storage box and complimentary confetti?
All told, it took nearly an hour and 48 screws to assemble the four Kassett boxes we bought this weekend — more time than it took to put together the Expedit bookcase that holds them. They look great once finished, and at roughly $6 per box I can’t complain about the price. Still, consider charging an extra dollar or two to offer a pre-assembled option. I understand you save on shipping by shipping flat packs, but shipping a flat bookcase or bed is far more space-efficient than shipping a 11.5″ assembled box.
Please, help me help you help me — I’ll gladly pay a small premium to skip the tiny fiddly bits. I’m sure that once I’m spared this particular chore, that warm Ikea-loving feeling will come rushing back.
Sincerely, John Petersik
PS: Thank goodness the top of the box came pre-assembled. That, my friend, could’ve been a deal breaker.
