IKEA
reviews and complaints

We spent over $4500 on home furnishings at ikea usa (Plus delivery and assembly). On the day of delivery, a number of items (Totally $349) did not arrive. We called ikea and informed them of this and were told we would hear back within 48 hours. We didn't hear back so called ikea 5 days later at which point we were on the phone either on hold or being passed around to different customer (Mis) service representatives. No-one apparently has the authorisation to refund the money, re-order the items that weren't delivered or provide a store credit. This is daylight robbery. Once ikea had our money they were happy not to provide the items we had purchased. Surely this is against the law?

I bought glasses and 2 sofas from the website www.ikea.co.uk. I placed the order and paid for it. I received a confirmation email and the tracking number. After several days, my order arrived, but the sofas weren’t the same colour as I ordered, and the 2 glasses were broken. I sent them several emails and asked the online agent for help, but I received only promises. They did nothing. Maybe there are people, who bought from this website and can help me to return money back.

Ipurchase a bedroom set from them. I know they are not top of the line because it is throw away furniture and very cheap because they are made in china or somewhere in the far east and because it is always full of asian in the store and they are buying their products. Is ok. But cheat me like this? Come on. . .
What happened? I telll you. I was having a cup of coffee in bed for breakfast and i spilled the coffee on the bed and the mattress got stained. I could not remove the stain. I asked for my money back and nothing. Now i have friends coming over to stay with me and they will see the coffee stain that appears to be urine. Shame on you ikea. Return these cheap mattresses.

On the morning of March 11th, 2013, I was expecting a delivery from IKEA to the Jacobs Javits Center.
Deliveries are accepted into the Center through the Center's Shipment Receiving Area. The Center's labor union (Freeman) is the group who must accept all deliveries to the center.
When the driver arrived, he saw that the delivery line to reach the shipment receiving area was very long. He was unwilling to wait.
He suggested that I bypass the center's union labor group and receive the shipment outside by his van myself.
I informed him that I was not in Manhattan based on the understanding that all deliveries must be delivered through the Jacob Javit's Labor Group. It would be another hour before I could run back to the center.
He said he could not wait in line and would not be able to deliver the shipment. He suggested I reschedule the delivery.
I called IKEA Brooklyn Store and received the most shocking, abrasive and awful customer service.
The name of the service person who answered my call was: Witima.
Not only did she scream at me, but she also bereaved, insulted and hung up the phone on me. Throughout the conversation, she cut me off and did not allow me to explain myself.
Below are the facts of our conversation:
- I called and explained the above delivery situation to Witima.
- She said I would be charged $100 to schedule a re-delivery.
- I explained that the issue was the driver would not wait in the delivery line to reach the shipment receiving area of the Javits Center because it would take longer than 15 mins.
- Ikea never told me the driver would only be willing to wait 15 mins.
- Had I known that this information, I could have made other arrangements.
- Based on this lack of information from IKEA, I did not feel that I should have to pay the extra $100 to reschedule the shipment.
- Witima said over the phone that this situation was all my fault.
- She said I should have known that the driver would only wait 15 mins.
- When I explained that IKEA never told me this when I placed the order, she sarcastically shouted "did you expect the driver to wait 2 hrs in line?"
- She then repeated that this was all my fault because no one was present to accept the delivery.
- I explained that there were people there to accept the delivery (the Center's shipment receiving center is open with people ready to take the shipment) - the problem was that the driver did not wish to wait in the delivery line. Witima cut me off.
- She bereaved, insulted and challenged me. She sneered that this was not Ikea's problem and reiterated that I was wrong. I should have known.
- She scoffed and told me there was no way she would reschedule for me unless I paid the $100.
- She gave me a "who cares" attitude and said "if you want your order, you need to pay the $100."
- I tried to explain my situation and why I felt I should not have to pay another $100 when it was IKEA who did not give me the right information.
- She finally got so mad she screamed, "WE WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU"
- She claims to have spoken to her manager Kathleen and that the manager agreed with her about charging me the extra $100.
- I asked to speak and explain my situation to Kathleen because I did not feel that Witima understood or was listening.
- Witima told me, "No you can't speak to her. She's on lunch."
- I asked Witima when Kathleen would be done lunch.
- Witima shouted, "I don't know when she's done lunch. You will just have to wait."
- I told Witima that this was terrible customer service. I've never been spoken to like this from IKEA before.
- She said "I will have the manager call you back" and without asking for my contact information she hung up on me.
- How could Witima have spoken to her manager if she was away on lunch? How could Kathleen call me back about this situation if Witima never took down my contact information? Would Witima even pass on my message to Kathleen?
Your company makes a claim on your website that:
" IKEA co-workers tend to be down-to-earth, hard workers with a genuine willingness to work together. While there are many reasons to join IKEA, if you ask co-workers why they stay, their number one response is “because of the people"."
For a company that prides itself for the people it employs, I do not believe that someone like Witima upholds this claim.
I am shocked that IKEA would permit their employees to treat their customers in such an abhorrent and despicable manner.
Not only did Witima raise her voice to verbally abuse, insult and demean me, but she also never listened to what I had to say. She cut me off throughout the conversation and in the end, hung up on me.
In her mind, she was right and I had to pay for the $100 re-scheduling fee even when IKEA never gave me the full information about the delivery procedure.
I am so disgusted with the treatment that I have received. How can a company condone this kind of behavior from one of its employees? The experience I just received from Witima makes me sick to my stomach.
The shipment is still not rescheduled. I have not heard back from Kathleen.

I just wanted to post my terrible experience at the IKEA Baltimore store. I would include the stores phone number but they wont talk to you unless you have someones extension. Below is the email I sent to the companies President (which I will probably not receive a reply to) that explains the complaint. There is more to it, but this is the basic outline. I thought I could share my recent experience at IKEA with someone who might care. Please read below.

I recently purchased a IKEA Brimnes Queen size Storage bed from the Baltimore, MD store. The store is 2 hours away (that is not the problem but it made it harder for me for what I am about to mention) We started building the bed and couldn't get past Step 1. The instructions were calling for two boards that we did not have. Apparently IKEA now switched it to one larger board instead of two separate ones, and did not change this in the instructions. We spent a long time on the phone with the Baltimore store explaining the problem and they ended up sending us the same pieces, which nothing can be done with so now we just have three extra pieces. They also were not aware of the change in the boards until we all figured it out. We started again trying to build the bed and were stuck on Step 2. Step two calls for two boards to be connected into the one long board (as mentioned above). The holes to mount these two did not match up at all and the included bolts were not accurate. We again called the IKEA store for them to finally tell us these two boards are not needed, even though they look like a major part of the support system in the bed. We again moved on. We got to step 30 and it called for a piece that we clearly did not have. We searched everywhere thinking we misplaced it. We did not. After another call to the IKEA store were told this is a Skorva Mid-beam that sells for $10. They did not tell us piece had to be bought separately and needed in order for us to assemble the bed. There is no sign at the store nor did anyone mention this to us. So we had to stop again and figure out what to do next. At this point I really just want to return this bed with this mess. My question is, why is the Skorva piece in the instruction booklet with no note on what it is, or that you need to purchase this separately? There really should be a note saying you need to buy this piece separately. So now once again, almost a month later I have a half built bed in my bedroom and again have to pay more money to finish it. The store is two hours away and they could not even send up this part we need. This whole experience has been a nightmare and I will never recommend IKEA products to anyone. It has been a waste of time and money. I just hope you can update these issues so the next person doesn't come across them. I did some research on this Skorva piece and a lot of others share my frustration with this. Why can this not be changed?

The delivery came with parts missing twice and the assembly people didn't show up with scheduled deliveries. The company didn't care and said it was Ikea's fault. Ikea said it was Urban Expresses fault. This is the absolute worst service and a complete rip off. I would never buy furniture from Ikea again and never have Urban Express deliver.

Over three weeks ago I purchased the Manstad sofabed from the Ikea Emeryville, CA store. I paid $799, 00 for that sofabed plus delivery to my house.

When they delivered the couch I began assembling it and one of the arms wouldn't attach to the rest of the couch. After hours of attempting (I'm very good at assembling) it became clear that there was something wrong. I called their store customer service, filed a complaint and they told me my case would be answered within 48 hours. 5 days later...nothing, not even a call. I called back and they told me they didn't know why that happened, apologized and said someone would be contacting me within the next day. Nothing again, this went on for 3 weeks now, I've called 7 times and have yet to receive a call back or resolution. every time I call, customer service says they either can't contact anyone in the store or the store clerk says they can't do anything about it but will pass it along and call me back within 24 hours.

I got directed to one of the store managers, Felipa, who gave me her number and phone extension, but she NEVER EVER answers it. I work long hours, so going to the store is not an option, especially because I can't carry the couch by myself.

We purchased a chair and footstool on 5/14/12 drove it home (50 miles btw) took it out of the box and put it together. Didn't like. The return policy states on back of receipt. " If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase. simply return the unused item in its original packaging within 90 days unless noted below - (mattress policy below that). A receipt is required for all returns and exchanges. " So today I drove the 100 mile round trip to return the chair in it's original packaging. At the return counter I was told - I can have store credit because the item was taken from the box and put together. It was considered USED. It was not used. It was PUT TOGETHER and then promptly taken apart and put back into the box. I asked to speak with a manager. Same argument. I took the store credit because I was frustrated and wanted to get the hell out of there. I call the main IKEA and they tell me there is nothing they can do. This chair cost 584.99 I have no intention of ever buying from IKEA again. I'm stuck with a return card. I did get the number for the corporate office and called - left a message for someone to call me back. I was told that each store decides their own return policy. MY POINT IS ... HOW does one know if they are satisfied with an item if they don't take it out of the box? This makes absolutely no sense to me! So their refund policy is actually bogus. Once you give IKEA your hard earned $$$$ they keep it essentially. No matter what. So now I have a return/gift card for $584.99 and I hate IKEA. Great job IKEA turning people against shopping in your store ever again.

As a contractors I could not believe how my customer was treated. First purchase of 7k all substandard materials and not complete. Second purchase 6k, order canceled. 3k order to be delivered tomorrow. I am advising my customer to return all IKEA cabinet components. Have never saw such expense and garbage in the market. Customer service the worst next to salesmanship.

I just saw the new kitchen ad from Ikea. The guy asks the gil if she wants to go upstairs to have sex and the girl makes some comment about the kitchen being insured and they proceed to get intimate. This ad came on before 9pm which in my opinion is much to early for an ad with such questionable content.

I made a purchase at ikea in february 2009 for maybe 20 or 30 dollars I never received a bill honestly I forgot until 2 months later for 100.00. They claim the bill was sent back but why is it that this bill was recieved for 100.00 and also why did I never receive a phone call after the first month. I believe that there was never a bill sent out purposely so I could accumulate charges. This is actually my second problem with them and I want people know that they will get over on you so be careful when you use your ikea card.

This is the first time that I’ve ever written a customer review about anything. My experience with Ikea was comically terrible and I felt that writing a review highlighting my experience would give me a small sliver of recourse and hopefully save someone else from the exceptional levels of frustration that can go along with shopping at this retailer.

I bought a bed from Ikea on a Friday that came in two boxes. When I got home, the materials in box 2 very obviously did not fit with the materials with box 1. I called customer service to try to figure out what happened (why materials that were in box 2 were incorrect).
I spent an hour and 15 minute on the phone with multiple people. I found out that the model of the bed that I’d purchased had an old model and new model – however, the old model boxes were intermingled with the new model boxes on the merchandise floor, with no distinction – this is how I ended up with two incompatible boxes.

The Ikea customer service staff did not seem to hold any power or ability to help to solve their error. They were disconnected from the rest of the business – they could not communicate with the staff at the store or the delivery team when they need to clarify information related to my case. Most frustratingly, they were seemingly completely uninterested in working to fix Ikea’s error - it was more like a line to listen to customer complaints than a way to solve problems.

Ultimately, after significant pushing from me, they agreed to call me back the following day to coordinate a day for the box with the correct material to be delivered. Over the next two days, the call did not come. On the second day after my call, I decided to go back to the store.

I waited 45 minutes in the returns and exchanges line before speaking with anyone. It was 45 minutes only because a man in line with a lower number (we received numbers upon arriving) was exasperated – he gave me his lower number ticket and left in disgust – in hindsight, there is no doubt that I should’ve taken his lead.

When I finally got to the returns and exchanges counter, the attendants were again unempowered and were seemingly making an effort to be unhelpful. In addition, there were not knowledgeable about their products (at least the customer service representatives could understand the old/new model distinction). Ultimately, I was given a receipt and gift card to purchase the correct box 2.

I then went to the merchandise area to get the correct box 2. I waited roughly 20 minutes in line at the checkout counter. Once I got to the clerk at the register, he said that I would not be able to buy box 2 without box 1. For the third time (after the first time on the phone with customer service and the second time at the returns and exchanges counter), I explained what had happened. I showed him the receipt from the returns and exchanges counter (which was time stamped, showing him that I had been there just minutes earlier). He called some sort of authority figure in the store over who then told me that I would have to buy the full bed over again.

At this point, I was appalled at the egregiousness of it all. Rather than lose my temper, which didn’t seem productive (although may have been a little bit cathartic), I left the store. I went directly to another furniture store and bought a bed. I then went home and threw out my partially assembled Ikea bed – it was not worth returning to the store to return the bed – I would rather swallow the cost of the Ikea bed than face the prospect of dealing with such willful unhelpfulness again.

Ikea’s initial error was in faulty inventory stocking. However, the real failures were in (1) their inability or unwillingness to communicate among different parts of the business (customer service, delivery, returns and exchanges, and the checkout registers were all totally unable to communicate with one another) and (2) their unwillingness to work constructively to fix an Ikea error in order to help a customer.
I would shrug and say that this was an isolated bad experience – but the 45 minute line in the returns and exchanges section, along with people leaving the line in disgust, suggests that my experience is not unique at all. If you are looking for furniture: as a fellow consumer, I strongly suggest that you shop elsewhere to avoid the frustration that can go along with shopping at Ikea.

Kevin
[protected]

The 25 year warranty for Ikea Beds is a scam. I purchased a mattress and after 4 years many springs failed. I was told that I had to purchase another matress from Ikea and pay for the matress to be shipping to their main office in Montreal, Canada and then wait for a refund. After 6 months I was informed that Ikea would not honor the warranty and give me a refund.

On the 12Th of may 2011 I went to Ikea, after picking up all my shopping went to cashier to pay, I found that the young lady was rude and aggressive to the customer as she did not help in any way with the scanner in one hand and the other hand in her pocket telling me to hurry up to move the boxes that she can scan them and also telling me that if Am waiting for her to pick them up I can wait for a very long time as a disable person I could not believe the service I was receiving from Ikea so I decided to live my shopping and call the manager that said that he will investigate the case without receiving any apology I left the store.

Be very careful with the "Ikea credit card" always read the small letters and do not make the same mistake I made. They tell you they will give you 0% interest for one certain amount of time (1 year in my case) on your purchases over certain amount. But if you read the small letter you will see 2 things:

1. I know it may sound obvious but the amount on which they'll give you the promotional interest needs to be spent at one time. So if the amount is $500, you will need to make ONE SINGLE purchase TOTALING $500, not 2 or 3 totaling $500 (not even if it's made the same day). If you made this mistake, go and return everything and purchase all together again.

2. THE MOST IMPORTANT thing you need to know about the 0% promotional interest is that you must pay EVERY SINGLE PENNY by the time they tell you (usually between 6 months to 1 year) if you don't do this, once the time expires, THEY WILL CHARGE YOU ALL THE INTEREST THEY HAVEN'T CHARGED YOU SO FAR. This means that even though they are not charging you the interest during the promotional time, this doesn't mean they are not accumulating it every month, and if you don't pay by the expiration date they will, the next day, charge you all that accumulated interest at one time.

The second happened to me. I bought something and enjoyed 0% interest for 1 year. I never missed a payment but the problem was that even though I was close to pay everything off by the expiration date, I was short the last month and could only make the minimum payment, and WAM! They dropped on me $172 (at one time) of the 25.99% interest they had been accumulating for the past year.

I can't complain because this was my mistake. I forgot, the day I applied for the credit car, that all institutions are tricky and I just trusted them, because so far, no other credit card had done such thing to me. I DID NOT READ THE SMALL LETTERS, SO NOW I HAVE TO PAY... DON'T FALL FOR THE SAME THING, BE SMARTER!

Warning Ikea does not stand by there 10yr warranty. I have a damage basket for the interior of my PAX 23" wardrobe and I went there expecting to pick a replacement. The sales person gave me the smallest of the basket's and said he was sure that this would fit. When I got it home it was way too small. So, I returned it and a second person that this was the correct basket and, again it was the wrong size. So, I returned, again with the old basket only to fing out that the are selling the same wardrobe at the same price however, it is 3" SMALLER.
So, Iwasted my time, gas and money . I tried to email them and again got NO response. And, I happened to me someone who works there and they said " IKEA does not care about it's consumer or emplyee's and not to waste your time of energy because THEY DON'T CARE".
It's sad, really sad.

I totally agree, one time the security counted the numbers of items I purchased on my way out. On my way out she made me look a theft and I contacted ikea store customer service representative, manager. No one has any decency to even acknowledge the mistake, and “””” apologized”””…. I will never go to ikea in brooklyn, they are filled with overworked, nasty workers and security staffs who doesn’t know how to count, not to mention the arrogant attitude.

Upon returning a piece of furniture we were greeted by a loud, agressive woman - before she looked at the furniture she through her hands up and said it was not returnable - accompanied by a gremlin of a man calling it junk. The furniture had never left the box - but had gotten slightly damp from the mist while loading it into our truck for return which, by the way we carefully wrapped in tarp. The rest of the staff swarmed us like a nasty hive of bees and even called us uneducated customers. If you value your money and self I would not reommend this store to anyone. The return policy is misleading and trying to get help from the arrogant staff is not worth it!

I spent over $7, 000 on an ikea kitchen. The order failed to include cabinets I ordered, included several cabinets I did not order, and included cabinet doors and drawer fronts that were oak when I ordered white. I had to make five (5) additional trips to the store to complete the order. Every time I had to return an item, customer service was rude and difficult. As it took more than 90 days for me to complete the kitchen (Given all the back and forth to ikea), I had additional items that needed to be returned. After 90 days, good luck returning an item to ikea. I was questioned ad infinitum, the brand new, unopened merchandise was opened, and then I was told that a return would be accepted only with a 40% discount as the boxes were damaged. I explained that the merchandise was new, never opened and in the same condition that I received it. The rude ikea manager said that the boxes were damaged and they could not resell the merchandise. I am convinced that the employees are trained to sell you more than you ordered, and then they make it very difficult to return anything to the store. The 90 day return policy is short as they know that many of their products will last only 90 days.