IKEA cuts refund window

IKEA has cut Australia’s long-running returns window for opened products from 365 days to 60 days for purchases made on or after April 9, 2026. (ikea.com) The new policy keeps 365 days for unopened, unused items in original packaging, but opened items now fall under a 60-day “test and try” period with conditions and exclusions. (ikea.com) IKEA Australia said the current policy applies only to purchases made on or after April 9, 2026, while earlier purchases stay under the previous rules. (ikea.com) Under the new terms, customers returning opened items must keep the packaging and proof of purchase, and any refund is issued to an IKEA Returns Card rather than back to the original payment method. IKEA also says the amount can be reduced after a condition check. (ikea.com) The old policy had become part of IKEA’s pitch in Australia. A 2024 policy document said customers had 365 days to return unused products in saleable condition with proof of purchase. (ikea.com) IKEA’s updated returns pages now say the change is meant to offer “greater peace of mind and flexibility,” while media reports say the company also linked the shift to efforts to “minimise misuse” of the policy. (ikea.com) (au.finance.yahoo.com) The company has not scrapped all longer protections. Its mattress program remains a 365-day “love it or exchange it” policy, according to the April 2026 returns policy. (ikea.com) IKEA’s returns pages also say the policy does not affect rights under Australian Consumer Law, which covers faulty products separately from change-of-mind returns. (ikea.com) Customer reaction has split. Yahoo Finance reported some shoppers called the 60-day rule a “major deal breaker,” while others said two months was still enough time to decide whether furniture worked at home. (au.finance.yahoo.com) For Australian shoppers, the practical change is simple: sealed flat-packs still get a year, but once a product is opened, the clock now runs for 60 days, not 365. (ikea.com)