[ccsubruce]

The marketing statement thread has given me pause to think about another question to ask the fans here.

It would seem that the customer experience varies, depending upon the IKEA store visited. Therefore, I'd be interested in reading about the experience of the fans here. Is your experience positive or negative? Do you avoid interaction with IKEAns or do you ask for help? Do you avoid going to IKEA at certain times of day?

Tell me about it...what's your typical and/or most memorable (positive or negative) experience in an IKEA store.

[Narf]

Times to avoid ... the weekends. While the slow economy has put a damper on things, it's still pretty crowded. Weekdays are slow ... very slow in some cases, which isn't good either for the store.

Most of the time I don't need to worry about getting help ... that's the thing about Ikea. One doesn't go there to purchase something expecting your hand to be held by a salesperson. It's just not the place in which it happens ... you look at everything yourself, you figure out the sizes yourself, you pick out everything yourself, and when you get home, you assemble it yourself too. That's the way it works, and it's not changing ...

... which brings to the negatives. By far, I would have to say the negative experiences I've had wasn't with any store, but the "customers" - those that don't look over their children but know how to yell when they get hurt. Pardon me, "lady", but how is it the store's and employee's fault when you don't look after your little brats and they smack their head against a Pax cabinet when they were using the doors as a swing?! Equally bad are the ungrateful, whining types in the returns ... demanding a CS rep to personally go to your home because you can't figure out the instructions? It's not happening. Demanding a refund on a used/assembled product bought last year? It's not happening. Too stupid and can't understand how to assemble a Lack coffee table, yet would complain about having to drive 40 miles and that the furniture doesn't assemble itself? Yeah ... these are the things that piss me off.

[quiltmaster]

I also avoid weekends when I can; especially Sat. IKEA is sort of a tourist attraction and lots of people go just to look. No, I usually do nto expect a lot of personal service. But when I have had a question, the Ikeans have been very helpful. I actually prefer a leave-me-alone kind of shopping experience. Part of the problem in traditional furniture stores is that the staffs are commission-driven. The descend on you like vultures when you enter the store and follow you around extending all sorts of unwanted design advice. (OK, I'll stop ranting now...)

The stores are always amazingly neat and clean, which surprises me with the amount of foot traffic they have and the fact that I rarely see anyone actually straightening up or cleaning. Sort of like Disney . And the aisle/bin system makes it so simple to find what you want.

I also love the shortcuts so that experienced shoppers who know what they want don't have to tail along with the gawkers and touchy-feelers. And when I take someone, they think I'm absolutely brill to know the store so well. Our secret...

[Susan]

quiltmaster- haha, I always laugh inside when I hear people ticked off that they 'have to be shuttled around the store like sheep'. Well, don't be a sheep! You don't HAVE to go upstairs!

I like to go on a weekday (like this coming Friday, Yippeee!!!), when there's a sale just beginning ($1 Meatballs - Woo-hoo!!!). I never go upstairs first, unless it's to get breakfast (99 cents before 10am) or hit the kitchen dept. straightaway, and then I go backwards. I never get 'stuck' being a sheep unless I want to visit the showroom.

We usually hit up the AS-IS department first by going through the exit, then backwards through the cash lanes - this is easier now with the self-checkout lanes open. Usually AS-IS is a quick left turn after the registers. We browse AS-IS, and make any large purchases there right away and get them trundled down to the Jeep (sometimes, we even take the trailer in anticipation of a potential good find! Shh! We're kinda crazy that way... lol ).

Then we get the kids checked in to Smaland. They know the deal is that if they stay there the entire allotted time and let Mommy and Daddy shop, we'll have time for an ice cream on the way out, so they're usually good about it. Then we head for the Marketplace - our store has a convenient entrance to the marketplace next to the Smaland checkin, so we start there.

Tomorrow I'm going to look at the IKEA French Press - anyone have one? You like it? I know Kelly likes hers, and the coffee we had in Minneapolis during ModCon was awesome.

When the kids' time is up in Smaland, it's usually time for lunch. Did I mention there's a deal on meatballs this weekend? $1 for a plate of 6 meatballs! Can't beat that with a stick! After lunch, we finish up any shopping that we need the kids' opinions for...this time, Elizabeth 's getting some storage for her jewelry and hair things. I'm thinking those small wood boxes, FIRA:



though these are cute too:

Since our IKEA ( Woodbridge ) is on the outskirts of Washington D.C., we have to always be concerned with getting out before traffic backs up, so we're usually out by about 3:00. By the time we get home we're exhausted - it's an hour and a half drive with no traffic, so any construction generally gets put off til the next day.

I just realized I totally ignored your actual question and just reminisced about a visit to IKEA. lol

Positive or Negative: Positive
Talk to IKEAns? Generally no
Avoid certain times of day: based on traffic, yes.

Susan

@ccsubruce Congrats on your entry to the contest!

	LOL definition LOL means Laugh(ing) Out Loud

Address: 2901 Potomac Mills Circle Woodbridge, VA 22192 Telephone: 703-494-4532 Store hours: Mon-Fri 10am - 9:30pm Saturday 9am - 9:30pm Sunday 10am - 8pm IKEA Store Directory Entry for IKEA Woodbridge

Address:1000 IKEA Drive Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Telephone:908-289-4488 Store hours: Mon-Fri 10am - 9pm Saturday 9am - 9pm Sunday 10am - 8pm IKEA Store Directory Entry for IKEA Elizabeth

[RubrikGreen]

Heh... Like Susan, I go "backward". I always check As-Is first. (and they're **re-doing** it so I'm all confused now! Doesn't look the same; things not in usual places!! aieee!!!)

If I'm on a mission and know what I want, I'll then go directly to the warehouse or the marketplace. In the warehouse, I'll usually ask an IKEAn to look up the item so I can get the aisle/bin number. [there used to be a lot of self-serve kiosks and I'd do it myself; but those have mostly been removed]

If I'm in a mood to browse, I'll go upstairs.
When I was purchasing kitchen doors, the IKEANs in the kitchen dept. were all nice and helpful, but not overly fussy. I had a good experience there -- 3 different people over 3 different days.

I very much know the layout of the store now, and will use the shortcuts and back-alleys to get where I want to go. Don't -have- to navigate the maze, you know...

If I return something, I'm NICE to the clerk. I've gotten more honey than vinegar this way. It's not **their** fault the item broke or isn't what I want, so why take it out on them?

I go primarily on the weekdays. Sometimes right when it opens at 10am on my way into work; sometimes evenings. SAturday evenings - late, like 7pm on, can be pretty ok too. Most people have done their thing by then and exited the store. Weekends are usually mobbed. Weekdays just before start of school can be quite surprisingly busy! (It's so cute! watching teens & moms going around getting set up for that first apartment/dorm room!)

Mostly my experiences have been positive, but then I have a very different expectation set than most. I **like** building stuff, and have been putting together this type of furnture for decades (way before IKEA came, there was "Scandinavian Designs"... ;^)

I think all my experiences w /IKEANs have been positive, but I've worked retail before, and I always try to be cheerful and friendly to them.

While I don't necessarily "love" going to IKEA it sure doesn't put me off the way it seems to do for some. And now I know the store layout, it's much easier for me to get in/out quickly.

	W definition W is a wall cabinet designation, as in W18, can be a stand-in for Wide, or when followed by a / stands for With.

[sweetneet]

i try to avoid going to IKEA on weekends if possible..the crowds make it hard to get through the store quickly and the lines are really long, plus it's hard to find a loading space in the front. i tend to go over around 7pm on weekdays where it's usually much less crowded. same thing with the cafeteria..many times we'd go around 7 or so on a weekday to the cafeteria and the service was really fast. i went to the cafeteria once on the weekend..never again, as it's too crowded and lines are too long. but that's ok with me.

as someone else mentioned, i know my local IKEA store pretty well and know the shortcuts, where things are, etc..so, its quickest for me to go just 30-60 min before closing and get stuff.

[paulcocteau]

I tend to avoid peak times at weekends too. I usually go in the evenings to the Cardiff store and find it a lot less stressful than fighting through the wanderers.

I don't generally need to ask for help from staff but recently had to spend quite a bit of time with a member of the kitchen staff (Graham) and was very impressed with his knowledge and general attitude. He ensured that my wife and I had a pleasant experience and was very thorough in checking my measurements and checking that all the units we needed were in stock and set up for delivery. Likewise the delivery staff were very attentive and have rung us twice to check delivery details.

All said I am very impressed, if everything arrives as promised I will be very pleased indeed. Then I can begin the fun of fitting it all.

Address:Ferry Road Grangetown Cardiff CF11 0XR Telephone:0845 355 2267 Store hours:Monday-Friday: 10am - 10pm Saturday: 9am -8pm Sunday: 11am - 5pm Bank Holidays: 10am - 8pm IKEA Store Directory Entry for IKEA Cardiff

[TreeLeap]

First of all, let me introduce myself, my name is Emily Zhang, living in Long Island of New York, and working as software developer in Digi-Data Corp.
I started shopping in IKEA store in Long Island many years ago. We bought a lot stuff from IKEA before, and liked to support IKEA's business. But last Sunday(05/02/2010) I had a terrible experience in IKEA store in Long Island.
I bought four clear small storage boxes and with some other stuff for our new home on 04/25/2010 around 2:00Pm. The total was about $73, and $4.99 for each box. I didn't check each one when I picked four box together, after 3 days when I used them at home I found one in the middle was broken on the top side edge, it is sharp with the broken place, I thought it is not safe for kid using it, so I decided to changed it next Sunday. But I couldn't find the receipt of April 25th. I went to the IKEA store with the broken box on 05/02/2010 around 2:00PM, I tried to explain to them why I didn't save the receipt, because what I bought on April 25th were all home care stuff, there were no big furniture, and I didn't want to return anything what I bought in that time, so I didn't save the receipt.
Whatever I talked to the manager named Jennet, she didn't believe me, she said to me "IKEA never put this kind thing on the shelf, and our conversation is over, either way you go home to find your receipt or you bring your thing go home... and you have to step away from the desk, we have to serve next person...", I didn't leave because I could not chose which she let me chose and she was rude when she said to me. Then she called the security person of the store to come, his name is Pete, and I explained to him again, I hoped he can understood my situation, but he didn't want to listen to me, he said loudly and proudly to me "...now you make me angry, you have two choices, one is bring your thing and go home, another is I will call the police....". Wow! What did I do, did I steal anything from the store? I just wanted to change the broken box which I bought from the store without a receipt. I knew they have return policy, but for some special cases the store should work out with customer to solve the problem but not ordering the customer to bring the bad stuff to go home, the worst calling the police to force the customer to leave the store. On 05/02/2010, two polices came and walked me out of the store in the public on Sunday, and the worst thing was when the police walk me out, the store security guy Pete, he was laughing at me, I asked him why you were laughing, he said to me in front of the polices "It is funny." I said to him "if you are the customer of other company, and if they treat you like how you treat me, what will you feel? " He couldn't answer my question. What kind person he is? I am wondering why IKEA hire this kind people and treat their customer like this. I was treat like thief, I was so upset...
This was my most bad experience of my life.

Probably IKEA doesn't care about it, because too many people shopping there. They don't care lose some small customer. Do you think I won't tell all my friends in the world about my story in IKEA? And do you think I won't post my story to the internet? Then what will happen to IKEA in the future?

Address: 1100 Broadway Mall Hicksville NY 11801 Telephone: 516-681-4532 Store hours: Monday - Thursday 10am - 9pm Friday 10am - 9:30pm Saturday 9am - 9pm Sunday 10am - 8pm IKEA Store Directory Entry for IKEA Hicksville

[sambadoll]

I love me some Ikea.. which is why I'm on this site! I usually feel bad to go backwards (which I want to do) since people are being funnelled in the opposite direction. My usual plan of attack is the go straight up stairs and straight to the food court. When I'm very poor I buy a couple of hot dogs and meander upstairs. When I'm rich, after a delicious plate of meatballs, I head downstairs and look for yellow clearance signs. I go during the week after work way too often so I know the place front to back, what's new and what's not. Every blue moon I go through the show case to be inspired. I often bring headphones bc the crowds (even on a weekday) upset me. They don't know the place like I do and stop in the middle of an aisle or look lost. Customer service has always been great. I work retail also, so I return the favor of being polite and concise, I hope. They have helped me find ridiculously tiny screws misplaced in a bin, printed out instructions and looked up the next shipment to see when my item might be in. The stock guys have helped me think of ways to finagle my next ikea hack. I don't usually get help upstairs because I usually don't do anything big ticket, but I have watched over and over an associate helping a highly confused and indecisive customer. In the marketplace, I constantly see people restocking (I think it's understaffed here). Help is sometimes hard to come by but no worries, the kiosks and pamphlets help get the answer. Ikea is like a second home, so I don't usually have issues. Can you tell I like ikea?

[Sikandar Nirmal Singh]

ya weekends at leats at the brooklyn n nj ikeas r crazy. but it's fun. my besty and i go wandering about checking out everything, having a shameles chuckle at the names of stuff, and eat the food. i like the swedish meaty balls alot, but i confess....the gravadlox, lingnberry stuff, sparkling cider, and the elderberry drinks make me crave the place most! i had to come for some new apartment furniture recently, and was thrilled when i was able to get a decent set up with a really tight budget. my friend and i put the stuff together. there's just this whole thing about ikea that makes it less serious. the products r interesting, the atmosphere is lighthearted, and is made to put u at ease. ikea is like its own little universe, and u get hooked on it. the other thing is the large amount of couple that decide to do public displays of affection (if buying furniture turns u on, great, but save it fr when ur IN ur new bed or whatever u bought at HOME) and get in your way, and the screaming kids and baby strollers that other customers seem to not care if they block your way or make u deaf with. they need t be considerate of others.