ikea.home.depot.run.

Last Wednesday evening, we went to Ikea to checkout their AS-IS section. For those of you who are “Ikea AS-IS virgins”, this is the part of their store where they basically sell slightly defective, or non-defective, opened, assembled and returned items.

We’ve been on the hunt for this particular desk for a few weeks now.

So far, we’ve tried to go once, to the one in Richmond and once, to the one in Coquitlam, to no avail. We got close to finding the one we wanted when we went to the Ikea Coquitlam, but it wasn’t the right color.

We lucked-out today, second try at the Ikea Coquitlam store, and we found the right one at 25% off original price at the AS-IS section! So here’s what we did: we closed our eyes, went to the cashier and just bought it, without so much as thinking about the proper timing, the cost, the other things we have to pay for in a few days.

Was it an impulse buy?

We’ve looked at this specific desk for a few weeks now. We’ve measured it and we’ve measured and planned exactly where it will go at our place. So, NO it wasn’t an impulse buy. I think…

But wait, there’s more…

After buying the already assembled desk, which was too big to fit into our compact sedan, we went to borrow some dismantling tools from the nice and helpful Ikea people. We quickly packed the desk parts into our car, after which, we went back into Ikea to look at lamps. Yes we went to see the exact same floor and table lamps I posted about here.

Unfortunately, after seeing the actual items in the store, the lamp shades were too small for my liking; especially the floor lamp. The size of the shade was just smaller than I hoped it would be. I think it would look awkward where I am intending to put it at our place. The desk lamp wasn’t that awful  disproportioned to look at, it just wouldn’t make sense if I only got the desk lamps and not the floor lamp, as I had intended to have matching lamps.

But wait, there’s more…

We went to Home Depot in pursuit of better lamps at a better price. We found a lamp very similar to what we’ve wanted and the size was perfect! It was 53.99$ originally at 89.99$.

Aji and I agreed that it was a good buy, since the lamp shade was the perfect size we needed, and the base was simple and sturdy. We honestly haven’t seen a lamp this size and quality that was cheaper than 150$. So we went to ask one of the good Home Depot people, if we can get a brand new item in a box. However, the sales associate told us, the display one was their last. Aji and I did a quick inspection and we found some discolored glue around the lamp, that we wouldn’t be able to clean off. So we told the sales guy that we don’t want it. Then he said, he can ask their manager to give us a better deal. So he went and asked and we got it for 25$ instead of 53.99$!

But wait, there’s more…

On the way out, we saw this little box in a cart and it seemed like it was the same lamp we just bought. So I asked the cashier if someone owned the cart, and she said no. Then I told her about the fact that it was the exact same one we were looking for earlier but couldn’t find a brand new one in a box. So she scanned it for us and said she’ll give it to us for 25$ if we want it, because it was their last one. Did we get it? Of course we did!! 2 beautiful floor lamps for 50$! YES Please!

I don’t have the exact photo of the item, as Home Depot doesn’t have it on their website anymore.

But here’s a photo of something very similar:

I forgot to take a photo of our lamp shade before Aji put it away in storage. Yes, we’re not using them yet. (I will post very soon about why we’re not.)

here’s the actual base we got (I beat Aji in taking a photo before he put it away!):

In all of its dusty, dirty, glory.

(By the way, the lamp-post is NOT lop-sided, it’s my darn shaky hand’s fault)

Although, I think the double bulb provision AND that it was half off makes up for all that dirt and dust.

So much for my words of restraint about buying things now on my Wednesday Wish List…oops.

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the story behind my bargain of the day!