[Ryan]

Greetings to all at IKEAfans! I'm a relatively new IKEA junkie living in the metro Detroit area, having gotten on board with the opening of the new IKEA in Canton, Michigan. I thank you for allowing me the opportunity to join your discussion forums, and hope that someone with experience in IKEA sofas (and their delivery process) can help me out with some concerns I have.

My wife and I recently purchaseda 3-piece set of VRETA leatherfurniture: the sofa, loveseat, and armchair. At the time we made the buy, we were pretty darned impressed with IKEA as a company, style, and idea, so we had no reservations about plunking down our $2K on the spot and placing an order for furniture that they told us we'd see in 10 daysfrom the point of purchase. We figured that was just the way it was done. I swiped the plastic, filled out the appropriate shipping/delivery forms, and was happily on my way, anticipating the great stuff that was to come.

Shortly thereafter, friends and colleagues ofours began coming out of the woodwork, warning us about the purchase we had just made and aboutIKEA in general,telling ushorror stories about collapsing furniture (and resulting injuries), totally botched deliveries,and just plain old rip-offs in which IKEA charged the customers and never EVER came through with the furniture, forcing the people to take IKEAto courtin order to get their money back. The biggest theme we kept hearing however, was that IKEA's delivery system is greatly flawed,disorganized,and inefficient, resulting in a "roullete wheel" of chance in which somecustomers receive their orders, some receive them after having to wait through an eternity of delays and postponements (and then almost always receive damaged goods), and some never receiving their orders at all. Of course, I wasn't just going to rely on word of mouth, so I decided to hop online and investigate this for myself before freaking out. To my dismay, I discovered pages and pages of online forums and sitesdedicated solely to frustrated IKEA customers venting their complaints and rage over IKEA's poor customer service, primarily in the area of (you guessed it) home delivery. Lots of stories out there from all over the US and UK, pretty much echoing what our friends were saying.

So, what do you IKEA die-hards say? Did I make a huge mistake? Should I try to cancel my order and run for the hills? Should I just stick with the smaller stuffI can transport myselfand avoid the big furniture? Oh, I should probably mention my current status with my order: today is the 9th day after ordering (and paying in full), and IKEA has informed me that my ordernumber isINVALID because the order has noteven been assembled yet and given over to the delivery company! This is despite the fact that on the day of the purchase, they told me that everything was in stock! So it's starting to look like I can add myself to those statistics I was reading!

What does everybody think? Should I keep waiting it out or try to just get out while I still can? Is this the norm for IKEA? Anybody had any successful experiences?Thanks for reading and taking the time to reply!

~Ryan

[DesignDiva]

IKEA doesn't really have a delivery system in place...it's kind of cobbled together from local vendors etc. You might want to go to IKEA having first arranged for some sort of transport, either a guy with a truck or rent a van or pickup yourself. Then you can get your furniture, load it and go home.

IKEA furniture is delivered in flatpack boxes for the most part, and large pieces like sofas are usually wrapped in cardboard. They will help you get your items in your vehicle, and sometimes they even have the numbers of delivery services that will come and get your stuff and bring it to your house.

I know that IKEA is sometimes wildly inconsistent in quality, but I have found that you really can rely on price reflecting quality, with the exception of course of the kitchen cabinets which are an incredible value. For most IKEA furniture, if it is flimsy or not terrific quality, it will at least be cheap. If you pay a bit more, you'll get better quality for it in most IKEA items.

[chabuchie]

I haven't dealt at all with Ikea delivery, but I must say that if you can go to the actual store, the people in customer service usually know what to do. On the phone, not so much. Elsewhere in the store, customer service can be atrocious. I've gone in trying to buy things that I was told weren't for sale, and the customer service people just gave them to me for free. If you voice your concerns, you'll be heard.

[kmcg]

I can't really add any insights into home delivery, but keep in mind that if you paid with a credit card, you can refuse to pay the charge for the particular item in dispute. I think there are rules that say you need to try to resolve the dispute with the vendor first, but if Ikea really fails you, the charge-back thing is pretty easy. You should document any communications you have with them so you can prove you've tried to resolve the problem directly. Hopefully it won't come to this, but it should give you peace of mind.

Kathy

[danaggercoal]

Ryan

You didn't make a mistake. I could purchase more expensive furniture (which isn't my point) but I have stayed with Ikea predominantly due to the value they offer.

The delivery is kind of a rip-off, but it's not their thing. Ikea makes money by making reasonable products in a mass fashion and serving it no-frills in huge warehouses.

Some thoughts from years of purchasing Ikea:

1. Most of the stuff is decent quality, but flimsy will be flimsy no matter who you buy it from. None of my Ikea stuff has fallen apart.

2. The Vreta set itself is a steal. I have sofa, loveseat and ottomans and it is very comfortable and well made. You will easily be saving several thousand $ by not buying from another dealer.

3. The "ordering" system is a nightmare, but again, it's not what they do. They basically take your order and wait for your stuff to come in, then call you. They do not "order" it per se. Case in point, I just waited 1 month for my Vreta stuff. If this annoys you and you need it STAT, look elsewhere. HOWEVER, most stuff is in-stock.

4. You get savings because they are a stripped down business model. If you want someone to give you a cup of coffee and show you brochures and bring the couches into your house, etc. you WILL pay the extra $ for it. So, Ikea will save you $.

Hope this helps. A little patience and understanding of their business model is all it takes. You can save some serious $ overall. Go for the Vreta - you won't regret it once you sit down!

[Ikea in Utah]

You didn't make a mistake. Please recheck with those people who claim to have had the terrible experiences with IKEA and its products. For the most part I'll bet you can't find them.

Most of these stories are related from some one who knows some one it happened to. Classic urban legends.

Ikea doesn't deliver, They show you how to take your flat packs with you. They may also give you a contractor's name who will deliver your goods but you make the arangements not IKEA.

Finally you get every opportunity to look at what you buy. Compare it to other similar products. You alway get a good product relative to the price your pay. More often you get a fantastic product for the price. If it is an inexpensive piece you won't pay much for it. If you are unhappy, politely return the product - you'll get your money back. Try that at any other furniture store. It won't happen.

I hold an MBA, have taught graduate level courses at several business schools and work for a government agency the regulates business practices. IKEA simply is not the subject of any complaints or legal actions.

But this is like preaching to the choir. The thousand of satisfied IKEA fans on this web are proof that IKEA is doing something right.

Enjoy your purchase you have nothing to worry about.