Making sense of your IKEA receipts
IKEA products carry a series name — VÅGSJÖN, AFTONSPARV, SMÅÄTA — that says nothing about colour or size. On the receipt, that name is followed by a shortened, truncated description.
On our demo IKEA receipt this produces a very clear case: three visually identical lines that are actually three different products. Here is how they were printed, and what ReFound identified.
Why three identical IKEA receipt lines are three different products
On our demo IKEA receipt, the line "VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x" appears three times, character for character. On paper, nothing tells the three items apart.
In ReFound, those three lines are three VÅGSJÖN washcloths in different colours:
- Printed description
- VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x
Identified product
VÅGSJÖN Débarbouillette, blanc, 12x12 "
- VÅGSJÖN washcloth, white, 12x12"
- Printed description
- VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x
Identified product
VÅGSJÖN Débarbouillette, beige clair, 12x12 "
- VÅGSJÖN washcloth, light beige, 12x12"
- Printed description
- VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x
Identified product
VÅGSJÖN Débarbouillette, gris foncé, 12x12 "
- VÅGSJÖN washcloth, dark grey, 12x12"
In other words: on our demo IKEA receipt, the three "VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x" lines are a white VÅGSJÖN washcloth, a light beige one and a dark grey one, all 12x12 inches. (The product names were displayed in French in this demo account, which is how they are reproduced above.)
The colour appears nowhere in the printed description. This is the clearest illustration of the gap between reading a receipt's text and making a receipt understandable: perfect OCR would return the exact same string three times.
How do items appear on an IKEA receipt?
On our demo IKEA receipt, each line combines the product's series name — in capitals, with its Swedish characters — and a shortened functional description in English, cut off at the end of the line. That is where fragments like "washclth 30x" or "dvt cvr+p" come from.
The series name identifies a range, not a specific article. One range can exist in several colours, sizes and finishes, none of which the receipt distinguishes.
- The series name (VÅGSJÖN, AFTONSPARV…) is a range, not a variant
- The printed description is abbreviated and truncated at the end of the line
- Colour and finish do not appear in the printed description
More examples from our demo IKEA receipt
The three items below come from the same demo receipt. In each case, only fragments of words survive the printing.
What does "AFTONSPARV dvt cvr+p" mean on our IKEA receipt?
On our demo IKEA receipt, the line "AFTONSPARV dvt cvr+p" is identified by ReFound as an AFTONSPARV Housse de couette et 1 taie, espace/multicolore, 1 place — an AFTONSPARV duvet cover and one pillowcase, space/multicolour, twin size.
- Printed description
- AFTONSPARV dvt cvr+p
Identified product
AFTONSPARV Housse de couette et 1 taie, espace/multicolore, 1 place
- Duvet cover and 1 pillowcase, space/multicolour, twin
"dvt cvr+p" is a contraction of "duvet cover + pillowcase". The pattern, the colours and the bed size only show up in the identified product.
What does "SMÅÄTA chop brd 28x2" mean on our IKEA receipt?
On our demo IKEA receipt, the line "SMÅÄTA chop brd 28x2" is identified by ReFound as a SMÅÄTA Planche à découper, acacia, 11x8 ¾ " — a SMÅÄTA acacia chopping board measuring 11 by 8¾ inches.
- Printed description
- SMÅÄTA chop brd 28x2
Identified product
SMÅÄTA Planche à découper, acacia, 11x8 ¾ "
- Chopping board, acacia, 11x8 ¾ in
What does "EKOLN soap dispnsr b" mean on our IKEA receipt?
On our demo IKEA receipt, the line "EKOLN soap dispnsr b" is identified by ReFound as an EKOLN Distributeur de savon, beige — an EKOLN soap dispenser in beige.
- Printed description
- EKOLN soap dispnsr b
Here the trailing "b" is all that is left of the colour. The identified product spells it out.
What ReFound adds on top of plain receipt reading
Reading "VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x" correctly is an OCR job (see OCR accuracy). Knowing which of the three washcloths was the grey one is a different job.
ReFound keeps the printed line exactly as it is, then attaches a recognizable product when the information is available — here with a product photo and a link to the merchant's product page. The receipt stays valid proof of purchase, and also becomes a readable shopping list.
Identification depends on the merchant, the product and the data available: ReFound does not necessarily identify every item on every receipt.
About this page
The examples on this page come from a ReFound demo account. They show what the app actually displayed for that IKEA receipt — they are not a general rule: a printed description can differ from one store, period or product to another.
ReFound is an independent app. ReFound is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by IKEA. Brand and product names are mentioned only to describe the contents of a receipt and belong to their respective owners.
IKEA receipt questions
Why are product names abbreviated on an IKEA receipt?
Printing space is limited, so the description is cut off at the end of the line. On our demo receipt that leaves fragments such as "washclth 30x" or "dvt cvr+p", which are a washcloth and a duvet cover with pillowcase respectively.
How can I tell what colour an item on an IKEA receipt was?
The colour does not appear in the printed description on our demo receipt. That is why three identical "VÅGSJÖN washclth 30x" lines are in fact a white washcloth, a light beige one and a dark grey one — a distinction ReFound surfaces when the information is available.
Does ReFound work with IKEA receipts?
Yes. An IKEA receipt can be scanned and stored like any other, and items are matched to a named product when the information is available, as in the examples on this page.
Is ReFound affiliated with IKEA?
No. ReFound is an independent app, not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by IKEA. This page only describes how ReFound handles a receipt from that merchant.
Read next
Know what your IKEA receipt actually says
Scan the receipt, keep a clear copy, and find each item — colour included, when the information is available.
Free to download. Available on iPhone.