Comments on: Is IKEA the World’s Largest Charity?

By: Dave

Dave — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:24:23 +0000

So, are you saying this guy’s a greedy S.O.B. or a good guy? I think it’s the first, but the language got so cute that I can’t tell where you ended up – praise or denouncement? Feedback for the next time.

By: Josh

Josh — Sun, 08 May 2011 04:07:11 +0000

So, nobody cares if a trendy Swedish company keeps from paying taxes on the BILLIONS they make every year.

You’re all discussing how junky their furniture is.

Let Wal-Mart try anything remotely similar and the world freaks out. Oh yeah, and we need to tax the rich more.

You’re all idiots, apparently.

By: Richard Walker

Richard Walker — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:08:05 +0000

Correction to my previous comment – you’d have to live in the Netherlands, which is where the foundation is registered.

By: Richard Walker

Richard Walker — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:03:44 +0000

Ha ha, Ben. Purchasing something is not a “donation.” The “donations” to the piggy bank are net IKEA profit minus the licensing. It’s impossible to know what portion of any purchase ends up in the “piggy bank.” And, you’d have to live in Sweden, and figure out whether Swedish tax law allows it.

So go right ahead and see if the IRS thinks you’re clever.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 14:46:40 +0000

So I can deduct anything I purchase there as a charitable donation right?

By: H Bryer

H Bryer — Wed, 05 May 2010 14:41:10 +0000

All that matters is our little room of cheap IKEA furnishings!
Forget that they use the system to avoid paying taxes. Hello, people, you make up the difference when this “charity” outfit doesn’t pay and YOU DO.
I’m pretty sure there are other companies that provide benefits to employees and still pay taxes.

By: Larynxa

Larynxa — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:25:16 +0000

I always call the place “IKRAPPA”, after I saw a brilliant parody of the IKEA catalogue, in an early 1990s issue of MAD Magazine.

By: Ash Menon

Ash Menon — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 06:55:49 +0000

Honestly, I have to say, I’ve never had any major problems with IKEA furniture either. I self-assemble all my stuff, and I got most of my cupboards and shelves and dressers done within hours. Had a problem with my dinner table’s design making the extensions kinda susceptible to heavy loads, but otherwise nope. Kinda bummed they killed the Daim cake here, though.

By: Jan

Jan — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 17:47:00 +0000

When living in the far east, I built an entire houseful of IKEA furniture with absolutely no trouble. The instructions were clear and there was never a piece missing. If you have problems, the fault lies with your incompetence.

By: Sarah in CA (formerly just Sarah)

Sarah in CA (formerly just Sarah) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 18:30:00 +0000

My mom is an ER nurse for Kaiser and the hospital is technically a charity (Kaiser Foundation) while the clinics are regular for-profit organizations.