Bad Ikea Experiences?

United States
June 21, 2007 2:55pm CST
I'm getting ready to make yet another trip to Ikea. This time I need a desk as well as some other staples. I really like going to the store, having snacks and picking up things I need at affordable prices. So far I've had petty good experience with all my Ikea purchases but I know there must be people out there who haven't. Please share any bad experiences you have had. Was it the product? The customer service? I just like to hear both sides of every issue.
2 people like this
8 responses
@squaretile (3778)
• Singapore
22 Jun 07
well, the only thing about Ikea is that some of its furniture that is made of chipboard tends to sag. Like desks, that are not reinforced with metal, they will sag at the middle after many years. However, if you don't intend for that piece of furniture to be very very hardy and in use for very long, then Ikea is fine! Very cheap and designs are good enough. The customer service for me, has always been great.
• United States
22 Jun 07
That is a good point. I'e also had pretty good experiences so far too. it's nice to know that seems to be the most common thing.
• United States
21 Jun 07
I've always heard great things about IKEA, especially that their furniture is really reasonably priced. I looked at the website, since I finally live in an area where there is an IKEA, and I was shocked! I suppose their furniture is cheaper than buying it pre-assembled, but that's still a lot more than I am willing to pay for furniture! Maybe I'm just too cheap. :) That being said, I've never been to an IKEA. There is only one in the Seattle area, and it's further than I want to drive, just to say that I've been to an IKEA. But there is food involved somehow? This might make it worth it... :)
• United States
22 Jun 07
Oh, yes, there is food! In fact, that's one of my favorite thing to buy there :-) They have this lingnonberry jam (I think a lingnonberry is like a smaller, sweeter cranberry) that I love!
@krebstar5 (1266)
• United States
26 Jun 07
the only real problem i have with IKEA is that by the time you find out that they are out of an item you want, it can be a little too late. For instance, i wanted to buy a dresser there the last time I went, but when i got to the self service area, they were out of it. So then i had to wander around there for a little while trying to find a suitable replacement. From now on, i plan to use that sheet that you write the bin numbers on to also write the numbers of other things i can get in case they are out of my first choice. The other problem that i ran into once was that a friend of mine bought a wardrobe that had little plastic feet to put on the bottom to prevent it from scratching the floors. Problem is that the feet didn't fit into the pipe that they were supposed to. We ended up just buying little pads at the hardware store to make up for it. But it certainly was annoying.
• United States
26 Jun 07
Last time I was there I bought a desk. At first I thought they were out of it, since there were none in the bin. turns out there are some items in multiple spots. i asked if they were really out of it, and the guy took me to another spot where they did have it. I guess that's a good experience though :-)
@Inky261 (2520)
• Germany
21 Jun 07
Every time I went there they told me they are out of the furniture that I wanted and had to order it. I said no thanks and got something similar at the competition. They had all kinds of odds and ends which I did not need but not that what I wanted tp buy at Ikea. I then usually had dinner there which was pretty good, salmon or meatball or you name it, which was pretty good. I mean if I need a certain kitchen cabinet I don`t want to come home with candles and a blanket.
1 person likes this
• United States
22 Jun 07
I guess that is a good point one thing about Ikea is it's so tempting to overbuy!
@sugarfloss (2139)
• Malaysia
2 Jul 07
some of my friends think IKEA furniture only lasts up to 2 years.as for me,i have no complaints.i love the food there too especially the daim cake and cappucino and curry puff!hrmmmm.
• United States
22 Oct 08
The only problem I have had is that there is not really an Ikea that close to me. We traveled to the nearest one over 1 1/2 hours away only to get there and they did not have the particular desk in stock that day. So I had to make another trip there the next day. This time I called before and asked them if they could hold one of the 24 desks they did have that day. I told them I would have to travel a ways. They said they could not hold one! I looked on the internet to see about having it shipped instead and the shipping on it was almost double the cost of the desk. Ridiculous. I guess it was being shipped from Sweden???? Anyway I went the next day bright and early and luckily they had it. I have been happy with the desk.
• Canada
23 Jun 07
I love Ikea furniture and have never had anything but a positive experience. I still have book shelves that we bought there well over 15 years ago . The sad part for me is that Ikea doesn't have a store East of Montreal .
@filmbuff (2909)
• United States
27 Jun 07
Are there any good Ikea expereinces? I remember in the 80's or 90's when they Ikea was the "it" thing to have. I aslo remember all the people who were so upset about the expensive piece of junk with the unbelievably complocated instructions and terrible customer service. That being said, I have never owned anything by Ikea; nor will I.