A new option for Sherbrooke-area IKEA shoppers

People living in the Sherbrooke area with a fondness for do-it-yourself Swedish furniture have a new option at their disposal. On Wednesday morning IKEA Canada announced that it has opened three new “collection points” in Quebec, including one in Sherbrooke.

According to the announcement, a collection point is essentially an Ikeaspecific delivery centre where shoppers can pick up online orders for a flat shipping rate rather than pay the much higher home delivery fee. Where home delivery costs $120, delivery to a collection point, regardless of the size of the delivery, is only $49.

"We are focused on creating an easy and affordable shopping experience, no matter how or when our customers choose to interact with IKEA," said IKEA Canada President Marsha Smith in the company’s press release. "The new Collection Points make bringing IKEA products home much more convenient to our customers in the Quebec market."

Maja Boricevic, Communications Coordinator for IKEA Canada, explained that Collection Points are owned and operated by third parties and are not owned or operated by IKEA.

Although in the past there had been some speculation about the idea of IKEA opening one of its expansive stores in Sherbrooke, Boricevic said that the collection points are the way in which the company plans to better serve the local population.

“IKEA has ambitious expansion plans that cover all parts of creating a great customer experience, whenever and wherever Canadians want to meet us,” the communications coordinator wrote, adding, “At this time, there are no plans for further expansion in Sherbrooke.”

The retailer opened a new store in Halifax in fall 2017 and will welcome customers to its new store in Quebec City in late summer.

The new Sherbrooke collection point is located at 4155 boulevard Industriel. The other two new sites are in Drummondville and Trois-rivières.