IKEA Consumer Reviews - Page 4

STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS -- I purchased $600 worth of flooring for my condo. I made my purchase at IKEA of Stoughton, MA. This was "click and lock" flooring and the product was supposed to be very easy for a DIY project. After hiring two separate people to lay the flooring, I decided that I needed to return the product. The people that I paid to help with the floor were knowledgeable "handy-man" types that had experience with many kinds of home projects. Both said that the product was deficient. As we laid a few rows of flooring, the first row would begin to pop up and come apart.

Since the store advertised that you could return this product for any reason, I did not think I would have a problem. I had $500 of my purchase on my credit card and paid the rest in cash. Therefore, I was only looking to be reimbursed for the $500 and was willing to take a loss of the other $100 that I had paid in cash. The reason: even though I had lost the original receipt, I had a print out from the bank that clearly spelled out the purchase that I had made - the date (10/19/08), store code, my credit card numbers, and even the exact time of the purchase, 12:20!

When I returned to the store, just two weeks exactly from the date I purchased the flooring, I was met with their "STORE POLICY" regarding returns. Without the ORIGINAL receipt you cannot get your money returned, regardless of any other kind of proof of purchase!

I spoke with two people in Returns & Exchanges. The second of the two was very curt and in the space of about 30 seconds, stated that without the original receipt I could only get a store credit for the returned merchandise and that, additionally, I could only get the "sale price" of 49/sq. ft. - that was the sale within the last 90 days. She did not even have to look up any price list or the name of the product, etc. That told me that this store was completely familiar with this defective product and had probably had several exchanges, which allowed them to be so familiar with its "sale price".

I had paid $1.99/sq. ft. I explained that they had no other product that worked any better than the one I had purchased, as they carry only click-and-lock flooring. They didn't even sell a carpet product that I could put down. I was stuck with cement sub-flooring in my home, with no money to be able to put another type of flooring down. They gave me a store credit for $228 and said that if I found the original receipt, I could bring it back to be exchanged for cash.

I feel that this is outrageous. I know very well how businesses work as I am a Marketing Director for a healthcare facility. Their statement that they needed an original receipt was explained as the only way they could be sure that I had indeed purchased the merchandise at their store and how much I had paid, etc. Well, I feel that I proved that.

Additionally, I showed that actual cash had been released through my bank to IKEA, so that they had confirmation that they were actually paid for the credit card transaction. If the situation had been reversed and I had used a credit card that was not good and the transaction did not follow through, you can bet they would be looking for payment from me. In that case, the original receipt would mean nothing to them! I have a basement level condo and no flooring...it's getting cold.

RENTON, WASHINGTON -- Last winter I went to my local Ikea and purchased a dining room set, a table and four chairs. Since I own a compact car, I had a friend take time to bring his truck and help me out. I picked out the ones I wanted in the showroom, got a salesperson to help me, pointed out which ones I wanted and had him print up a receipt for it (it was one of those Ikeas that has a warehouse across the street where you pick up some things). I paid at the register, and with receipt in hand, went to pick up the box. I double-checked the box number with the number on the receipt, just to be sure and they matched so I figured I was golden.

We got them back to my place and unloaded, and he headed home. It was getting pretty late but I decided to assemble some of it that night and when I opened the dining room table box, guess what? Wrong table. It didn't match the chairs in color. It wasn't even close. Although the numbers on the receipt and box matched, the salesperson had entered in the wrong number into the computer in the first place. It was a similar model but different color (rather hideous in my opinion).

I knew that Ikea delivered so I called their customer service number thinking I could have them, next time they were in the area, do a quick swap. After all, it was their mistake, and getting access to my friend's truck again was out of the question for at least 2 weeks.

When I finally got on the line with a real person, I explained about the mix-up and requested that they do a swap with one of their delivery trucks. The guy on the other end of the line gave me a very hard time. He said that I should have checked the box numbers before leaving.

I explained I HAD checked the box numbers and that the salesperson had entered in the wrong number into the computer in the first place (it was only off by a few digits). Therefore, the only way for me to verify that the table was the correct color would have been to tear open the box right there in the warehouse. He said, "This is your fault. If that is what is necessary to verify then that's what you should have done. This is not our problem."

I about blew a gasket. What kind of company says "It's your fault we made a mistake"?. So, I asked to speak to his manager and was placed on hold for about 20 minutes. Finally, the manager came on the line and I was still fuming. I explained the situation to her and she very calmly said, "We'll have a truck in your area in 3 days, and we can swap the tables then. Is that OK?" I calmed down a lot and said, "Yeah that'd be great. That's exactly what I wanted in the first place." She said, "Well you still sound pretty angry about this whole situation."

I explained, "It's not the fact that your salesperson made a mistake. That happens and I completely understand it. That's not a big deal. The problem was your employee who I was just talking to told me that this entire situation was my fault." The phone was silent for several seconds and then she said, very icily I might add, "He said WHAT?" She apologized profusely for that employee's behavior and I'm guessing someone got severely reprimanded that night, maybe even fired. I hope he didn't lose his job, but to be honest, if he did, he brought it on himself.

While the experience started out negative, it turned very positive at the end and this is a big compliment to the fact that, even though some of its employees may be surly from time to time, the manager I dealt with is clearly very good at what she does and extremely helpful. I only wish I remembered to get her name so that I could write a letter to the company to commend her.

STOUGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS -- On June 10th I placed a reservation for an out of stock sofa and was told I would receive a postcard notifying me when it became available, and that I would be able to arrange for delivery at that time. Nearly five weeks elapsed, near the end of which the item appeared on the website as available at my local store. No postcard notification ever appeared.

I phoned the store, spending HUGE amounts of time on hold listening to repetitive blather about how eager they are to serve me, and when I finally got a human being on the line she told me that A: There was no record of my reservation, so apparently the personable sales clerk Joseph was just playing a joke on me when he took my reservation, and if I hadn't checked online I could have waited til doomsday, and B: Get this, it's impossible to arrange for delivery of your reserved (you thought) item without *coming into the store* unless the item is paid for already. But Joseph the sales clerk refused payment on my first visit and told me "You're all set."

Pardon me, but the whole point of "delivery" as I understand it is that you DON'T have to come into the store. I live 30 miles away and I don't own a vehicle. At this point I would just give up and shop somewhere else, except that at Joseph's suggestion I had already bought the cover for the sofa, which was in stock, at a cost of $177.00, and I can't return it now, as five weeks after the fact I no longer have the box, having naively trusted that the wiley Joseph actually knew what he was doing.

After another eternity on hold, this time to the Mother Ship's 800 number, which, by the way, offers a plethora of options, none of which apply to my question, forcing me into the netherworld of irrelevant prompts before I was disconnected and had to start all over again from the beginning, I got an explanation: Stores cannot process telephone sales, and if I want to order something from home I have to order it from the mother ship and pay a shipping cost starting at $149.00 for the smallest item! And they will be very happy to get that out to me first thing! Yuh, right.

So: Why wasn't my reservation processed in the first place? I have before me an official looking printout of my order, signed by Satan's tool, Joseph. Why doesn't IKEA allow you to pay for an item at reservation time so that you don't have to come back to the flipping store? Do they think we all live across the flipping street? Why don't staff INFORM the public of their insane policy that you have to present yourself at the store to arrange delivery?
Why are customers who are already ineptly served anyway forced to spend over two hours on hold to get any answers at all, all of them summed up by "Tough", and then treated like a nuisance for their trouble?

I like many of their products, but after I've persuaded a friend to drive me down there *again* to organize the damned sofa I'm now forced to buy - think they'll actually deliver it when they say? I wouldn't put myself through the experience of shopping there again. I'm a first time customer and I won't be back. If this is the standard for customer service in Sweden it goes a long way toward explaining why so many Swedes commit suicide.

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI -- The St. Louis store gave me a customer service #, 3 times on hold over 1 hour each, never talked yet. No response to my e-mails either. Still trying, horrible waste of time.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- Dear Readers, Used to a decent treatment by Ikea employees in other parts of the world. The experience in Charlotte is awful. Disrespectful, arrogant and a reason to stay away. Besides that Ikea has the attitude to let customers wait... and wait. Perhaps business is too good. Perhaps some lessons for the local management team would serve the customers. Including a crash course friendly customer behavior with a NC SMILE. And in case local management get angry... this is a opinion of a customer.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA -- Overcharged at register, did not notice till back at home. Tried to get refund on phone, called every week for 2 months. Phone waits usually 40 minutes, then the people that answer cannot reach the actual store (the store has to issue the refund). They 'leave messages' nothing ever happens. Why can't the 888 number issue refunds? Why can't the store answer the 888 call center people? Idiots wle.

USA -- I bought an IKEA dresser and have had to take it apart to the frame, tighten screws, put in support L brackets every year. On top of that the bottoms are so flimsy, you can really only use their dressers for children's clothes. Their furniture is cheaply made junk with a modern exterior. Don't be fooled like most of the twenty-something crowd is by IKEA.

SUNRISE, FLORIDA -- Items can't be ordered that are out of stock. Told they will be in and after kitchen has been 90% complete for 9 weeks I still can't get remaining items. The kitchen will be useless if these items never come. Returns are impossible. Deliveries are always missing parts. Please save yourself stress. Do not order from this company.

You need a suction cup to change a lightbulb? I purchased a set of 4 individual GRUNDTAL lights for over my wardrobe. When I got home, I found out that the lights required additional cords and device to connect them that was not indicated on the package. But the kicker is that because the bulb fits so snugly into the shield around it, it requires a little suction cup to change the lightbulb (which is supplied with the light). I tried and I tried, but I could not get the suction cup turn with the bulb. Despite being securely suctioned to the bulb, it came off every time. Thinking that perhaps just that bulb was stuck, I tried it with another GRUNDTAL light, but that did not work either.

This product, the GRUNDTAL light DOES NOT WORK. Save yourself the aggravation and DO NOT BUY IT. It is incredible how IKEA is able to get away with selling a light for which it is impossible to change the lightbulb.

RICHMOND, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- We purchased a Pragel countertop from Richmond, BC store only to discover on installation day that it had a 6 inch flaw on the surface. As we had the carpenter on site and a deadline, we had to cut out a large section and butt another piece to it to complete the counter. I now have a large seam with caulking just inches from our sink. We live on Vancouver Island and had the kitchen delivered so had to deal with IKEA by phone. IKEA made it very difficult to register a complaint: many 20-minute wait phone calls, e-mails etc. and about 7 weeks later IKEA decided to refund us for only part of the cost.

Customer service was rude and challenged me about the validity of my claim. I was left feeling humiliated and ripped off. Absolutely shocking service. Furthermore, our carpenter was appalled by the thinness of the countertop material, and the course chip board used on the interior. One little knife cut and the interior will be exposed to water.