[mikeorb]

We placed an order Oct 15th. That day a couple of Nexus items converted to a distro center order and then two days later some more items did. Since then, zilch. We've received some base cabinet cover panels, 15x24 door fronts, and tall wall cab door fronts. No drawers or 18 door fronts or long cover panels.

So I called today (Nov 16) and inquired. The kitchen worker stated that they are having quality issues with the supplier and there has been a production hold until these are worked out and we should not expect anything until Feb 2007.

He said this was news as of last week and they will be calling back ordered customers. he said they would be making amends via either gift cards or free alternative door/drawer fronts until the back ordered items arrive.

Now I actually have one very big problem with the Ikea kitchen process. At my store the process to move something from a draft order to distro order is completely manual. There is just a big book of draft order printouts. In fact, for my original distro order I think I only got fullfilled because I was there and they jumped me to the head of the line. My thought is someone coming often does the same as they just try to make them happy.

If I lived closer to Ikea I would go in there once a week and ask them to query items for distro center order. But I'm 20 miles away and it is a hassle.

I searched the forums about the supply issues and so no mention of quality. *** Can anyone confirm this or are they just saying this to make me go away? ***

Thanks,
-Mike

[mikeorb]

And I need to go there to verify and see with my own eyes that my draft order is in the back order book. I read in a thread about someone's order disappearing.

[Tigratrus]

Hey Mike... Welcome to the forums!

Unfortunately the problem is real, there's a thread about it here it's pretty bad news for folks in the process of installing a kitchen using one of the affected doorstyles. The positive side is that the actual INSTALLATION of the kitchen doesn't really need the doors, and in most cases I think the cover panels can be added later as well. The ordering process is pretty variable from store to store, as each store has a great deal of freedom in their individual operations.

There are some ways to mitigate the problem, but it's certainly an area in which IKEA does have issues. The general consensus is that IKEA seriously underestimated the popularity of the new Nexus Brown/Black.

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news about the sales stop though. How has everything else gone? Judging by the rest of your message it sounds like you might have done some/most of the install? Or are you waiting for the final parts to start in on it? Maybe you'll be able to get a free set of doors out of the deal? I understand that there really isn't anything else that looks similar to Nexus Brown/Black, though you COULD get custom doors from a thrid party supplier such as Scherrs if you don't like any of the other styles IKEA has? I think that they can pre-drill the doors to mount on IKEA hinges, I do know that the folks at Scherrs are very helpful should you need to find an alternative.

James

[Neilometer]

Just wanted to chime in and affirm what James said. I have been trying to order the NBB all summer long. I finally got a few of the doors the other week and, after installing them, found that I could see the bare wood through the stain from the next room! A sad moment for me as I realized I would have to remove all the doors (and Handles!) and send them back. The Ikea Kitchen guy told me exactly what James has said. The Polish factory that they contracted to do the additional manufacturing because of the huge demand in N. America, apparently has serious quality issues. They have also had the same type of issues with certain shipments of Hallarum, if I'm not mistaken. Bummer for me as I will have to wait until spring to completely finish the kitchen

On a positive note, usually when Ikea puts a stop on something to fix it, they do a good job with the fix. I recently posted of my horrible experience with the Avsikt sliding glass doors. Well, I just got some of the new, re-engineered doors and they were TOTALLY easy to install and are solid. A vast improvement of the old ones.

[mikeorb]

> Unfortunately the problem is real, there's a thread about it here

I had read that, but it only stated quality issues with Hallarum, not Nexus brown black. I've just been trying to verify the quality issue since my trust level in Ikea Frisco has fallen to zero.

> How has everything else gone?

Frisco, TX Ikea and I suspect many others have an absolutely terrible process to handle backorders. Using a three ring binder and then occasionally checking stock in a distribution center wastes time and causes errors. And does not enforce any type of queue.

My wife had a free day and went to the store last week to return some bedding and checked on our order. This is when we found out some of the distro center items had come in. Where is the phone call?

And guess what? The distro center order was duplicated. My wife received two of everything.

So far I have not enjoyed my Ikea experience. Their install instructions are terrible: pay $$$ for TEXT multi-language versions please. There used to be a video. No more. That video made reference to a big "hang on wall" set of instructions. No more. The closest you get to a complete set of how tos is a very small section on the ikea.com Website. I'm surprised someone on this board has not authored the "Ikea Kitchen Install: The Missing Manual."

I think I'll look into custom fronts and cover panels. But I have time to do installs and the like on evenings and weekends. But not to call shops, visit them, etc during the weekday.

-Mike

[Tigratrus]

Actually the lack of decent information on installing IKEA cabinetry was what prompted my wife to start this site about 1 1/2 years ago... If you take a look at some of the tutorials and walkthroughs on the fansite side you'll find some really useful info. We're working on a total revamp of that side of things (the new site will be MUCH more sophisticated and browser friendly), but kind of had to shift focus to the forums as we suddenly outgrew our host and started having outages and other issues.

The basic thing with IKEA seems to be that their ability to deliver incredible value, and excellent design at a superb price point seems to come with a strange blindness in the customer service areas, and a seeming TOTAL lack of understanding of what the internet can provide to your customers in the way of an improved customer service experience. Part of it seems to be caused by their truely global nature which has bred a very interesting breed of franchising. They keep very strict control over their suppliers, and enforce some remarkably human centric initiatives in their stores AND suppliers, are very ecologically conscious etc etc. But I think the very nature of the VAST differences between local customs in countries around the world has led to an amazing degree of discretion that is allowed to individual stores and groups of stores. And a lack of anything remotely attempting centralized customer service, it's all locally implemented and can be VERY spotty.

That's really a big reason why we're here, the wonderful people in this community have risen to the challenge of trying to fill that customer service and information void, in an amazing display of people helping people... Just because they can, and because it makes others happy. It's enough to restore a bit of the faith in basic human kindness that a lot of us have had beaten out of us bit by bit over the years . You've probably seen a few of the other threads about Nexus Brown/Black... I know there's at least one or two people, Kitchen Magician (one of our resident IKEA co-workers) leaps to mind, that have some pieces that they aren't going to use and have offered to sell to folks that can't get what they need to finish a kitchen.

The sales stops are a pretty bitter pill for those that get stuck in the middle of a kitchen Renovation with only part of the doors they need, but if you put out a post over in maybe the Kitchen Planning forum, I'm fairly confident that there are some folks that can help you work though the problems. When we run into snags like this in our own projects we try REALLY hard to take a step back and find a way to turn it into an advantage, a way to do something different than we had originally planned. Often we come up with a better solution in the end. Seredipity is much more likely to find those that are peering under rocks looking for it. Anyway, I hope we can help you out a bit, I know I'd be feeling pretty freaking irritated if I'd gotten sideswiped by a sales stop the way you did.

James

[DesignDiva]

It's enough to restore a bit of the faith in basic human kindness that a lot of us have had beaten out of us bit by bit over the years

Just another service we provide!

[Apri]

The installation video is available on putfile.com - someone here uploaded it. It's worth watching IMHO.
I did get the installation posters in May. They are sort of helpful, but not my main reference - this site was.

[mikeorb]

Originally Posted by Apri

The installation video is available on putfile.com - someone here uploaded it. It's worth watching IMHO.
I did get the installation posters in May. They are sort of helpful, but not my main reference - this site was.

I saw the video previously. And this site is an amazing service. I sent the admin PDFs of various Kitechen brochures last month ago that were added and I contributed some $$$.

But my point is I should not have to go here for basic info. ONE PERSON -- seriously, ONE PERSON -- at Ikea Corporate could crank together a series of detailed Web pages explaining stuff and save Ikea customers and even more importantly their sales staff thousands of man hours in time.

They are living in Internet circa 2000.

-Mike

[Shadowkat]

Mike,
Just wanted you to know that someone else shares your pain and frustration. I have a Hallarum kitchen that is 90% installed. I am missing toe kick and three doors. No word on when those might be available.

I can not understand how a company as consumer savy as IKEA still does not have the internet figured out. For example, the on-line sales do not contain all the products in their stores. Usually retailers do that the other way around -- more products on-line then they have floor space to display. Yet alone the opportunities they are missing by not having more instruction, more combinations, and more support on-line.

And don't get me started about Anna.
Kim