IKEA Product Description Actor Documentation

Overview

The IKEA Product Description Actor is a web scraping tool that extracts detailed product information from IKEA product pages. It takes IKEA product URLs as input and returns comprehensive product data including pricing, dimensions, materials, assembly instructions, and much more.

What This Actor Does

This actor scrapes IKEA product pages and extracts:

• Basic product information (name, article number, description)
• Pricing and currency details
• Product ratings and reviews
• High-quality product images
• Detailed dimensions and measurements
• Packaging information
• Materials and care instructions
• Assembly documents and manuals
• Product accessories and add-ons

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• An Apify account (free tier available)
• IKEA product URLs you want to scrape

Quick Start Guide

1. Open the Actor: Navigate to the IKEA Product Description Actor in the Apify Store
2. Configure Input: Add the IKEA product URLs you want to scrape
3. Run the Actor: Click "Start" and wait for results
4. Download Data: Export results in JSON, CSV, or other formats

Input Configuration

Input Format

The actor expects input in the following JSON format:

{
  "productUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/stockholm-2017-armchair-rattan-viggen-white-992.270.65/"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/billy-bookcase-white-00263850/"
    }
  ]
}

Input Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
productUrls	Array	Yes	Array of objects containing IKEA product URLs
productUrls[].url	String	Yes	Complete IKEA product page URL

Supported URL Formats

The actor supports IKEA URLs from any country domain:

• https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/product-name-12345678/
• https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/product-name-12345678/
• https://www.ikea.com/se/sv/p/product-name-12345678/
• https://www.ikea.com/de/de/p/product-name-12345678/

Output Data Structure

The actor returns detailed product information structured as follows:

Basic Information

{
  "basicInfo": {
    "name": "STOCKHOLM 2017 Armchair",
    "productNumber": "992.270.65",
    "articleNumber": "992.270.65",
    "description": "Comfortable armchair with rattan frame",
    "type": "furniture",
    "isOnlineSellable": true,
    "isFood": false
  }
}

Pricing Information

{
  "pricing": {
    "price": 299.00,
    "priceExclTax": 249.17,
    "currency": "USD",
    "vatInfo": "Price incl. VAT",
    "commercialMessage": "Low stock"
  }
}

Product Images

{
  "images": [
    {
      "alt": "STOCKHOLM 2017 armchair, rattan/Viggen white",
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/images/products/stockholm-2017-armchair__0735967_pe740207_s5.jpg",
      "type": "image",
      "id": "image_001"
    }
  ]
}

Dimensions and Measurements

{
  "dimensions": {
    "width": {
      "value": "80 cm",
      "type": "width"
    },
    "depth": {
      "value": "85 cm", 
      "type": "depth"
    },
    "height": {
      "value": "90 cm",
      "type": "height"
    }
  }
}

Materials and Care Instructions

{
  "materialsAndCare": {
    "materials": [
      {
        "productType": "Frame",
        "materials": ["Rattan", "Steel"]
      }
    ],
    "careInstructions": [
      {
        "productType": "General",
        "instructions": ["Wipe clean with a damp cloth"]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Usage Examples

Example 1: Single Product

{
  "productUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/billy-bookcase-white-00263850/"
    }
  ]
}

Example 2: Multiple Products

{
  "productUrls": [
    {
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/billy-bookcase-white-00263850/"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/kallax-shelf-unit-white-70301537/"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/poang-armchair-birch-veneer-hillared-beige-s49896844/"
    }
  ]
}

Error Handling

The actor includes robust error handling:

Common Error Scenarios

• 404 Not Found: Product URL doesn't exist or has been discontinued
• Network Issues: Temporary connection problems
• Rate Limiting: Too many requests in a short time

Error Response Format

{
  "error": "Failed to format product data",
  "originalError": "Product not found",
  "rawData": null
}

Technical Features

Dual Fallback System

The actor uses a two-tier approach:

1. Direct Request: First attempts to fetch data directly from IKEA
2. Proxy Fallback: If direct request fails, uses a proxy service for reliability

Performance and Limits

Processing Speed

• Approximately 2-3 seconds per product URL
• Processes URLs sequentially to avoid rate limiting

Recommended Usage

• Small batches: 1-10 URLs for quick results
• Medium batches: 10-50 URLs for regular use
• Large batches: 50+ URLs (may take longer, consider splitting)

Rate Limiting

The actor includes built-in delays to respect IKEA's servers and avoid blocking.

Data Export Options

Available Formats

• JSON: Full structured data with all fields
• CSV: Flattened data suitable for spreadsheets
• Excel: Formatted spreadsheet with multiple sheets
• XML: Structured markup format

Accessing Results

1. Apify Console: View results directly in the web interface
2. API: Fetch results programmatically using Apify API
3. Download: Export files directly to your computer
4. Webhook: Receive results via HTTP callback

Common Use Cases

E-commerce Research

• Compare product specifications across multiple items
• Monitor pricing changes over time
• Analyze product descriptions for competitive intelligence

Inventory Management

• Track product availability and stock levels
• Monitor packaging and shipping dimensions
• Maintain updated product catalogs

Market Analysis

• Study product features and materials
• Analyze customer ratings and reviews
• Research product categories and trends

Content Creation

• Generate product comparison tables
• Extract high-quality product images
• Create detailed product descriptions

Troubleshooting

Common Issues and Solutions

Issue: "Product not found" error

• Solution: Verify the URL is correct and the product is still available
• Check: Ensure the URL follows the correct IKEA format

Issue: Empty or incomplete data

• Solution: The product page may have changed format
• Action: Report the issue for actor updates

Issue: Actor runs but returns no results

• Solution: Check if the input format is correct
• Verify: Ensure productUrls array contains valid URL objects

Getting Help

• Check the Apify Console logs for detailed error messages
• Verify your input format matches the examples
• Contact support if issues persist

Best Practices

Input Preparation

1. Validate URLs: Ensure all URLs are valid IKEA product pages
2. Remove Duplicates: Avoid processing the same URL multiple times
3. Batch Sizing: Keep batches reasonable (10-50 URLs per run)

Data Processing

1. Check Results: Verify data completeness before using
2. Handle Errors: Account for products that may not be found
3. Store Safely: Save results to prevent data loss

Performance Optimization

1. Sequential Processing: Don't run multiple instances simultaneously
2. Reasonable Delays: Allow time between runs to avoid rate limits
3. Monitor Usage: Track your Apify usage to stay within limits

Pricing and Usage

Apify Platform Costs

• Free Tier: Limited monthly usage (great for testing)
• Paid Plans: Higher limits and priority processing
• Pay-per-Use: Only pay for what you consume

Actor Resource Usage

• Data Transfer: Minimal bandwidth usage
• Storage: Results stored temporarily in Apify dataset

Support and Updates

Actor Updates

• Regular updates to handle IKEA website changes
• New features added based on user feedback
• Automatic compatibility maintenance

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Quick Reference

Minimum Input Example

{
  "productUrls": [
    {"url": "https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/billy-bookcase-white-00263850/"}
  ]
}

Key Output Fields

• basicInfo.name - Product name
• pricing.price - Current price
• images[0].url - Main product image
• dimensions - Size measurements
• materialsAndCare - Materials and care info

Success Indicators

• ✅ basicInfo.name is not empty
• ✅ pricing.price is greater than 0
• ✅ images array contains URLs
• ✅ No error field in response

Related Actor

• Ikea Product Search

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Support

If you have any questions or encounter any issues, please consult the Apify documentation or reach out to us through one of the following channels:

• Telegram: @pintoflow
• Email: pintoflowpt@gmail.com
• Apify Platform: You can also contact us directly through this platform.

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Ready to start scraping IKEA products? Configure your input and run the actor!