ikea - customer service is a disgrace

lindos90

Tallullah wrote: »

Hi - have just had an ikea kitchen installed and the beautiful big double belfast sink has a crack along the top, at the side, which we have only just realised is there. Will IKEA take the sink back? I know the rules on faulty goods, but the sink has been installed. Anyone got any advice? Would be much appreciated, thanks!

Guess it depends on the paperwork that came with the kitchen, how long you have had it, and if you can demonstrate the crack was there before it was fitted (eg a glaze crack), and not damaged subsequently (eg something heavy being dropped on it).

It is worth a try, in my experience their customer services has improved since this tthread was started (five years ago!).

Tallullah

Thanks for that - it's a crack at the top, at the thinnest part of the sink, (the crack making the long end of a triangle with the top corner). It really wasnt apparent when it came out of the box, but is now and the sink has just been fitted. I googled the sink (its one of those lovely double bowl belfast sinks) and apparently there are always problems with it . But I just wondered if IKEA would make any fuss about the fact that its been fitted - ie there is silicone on it from the taps etc. I suppose I could always ring IKEA directly and ask.

lindos90

Tallullah wrote: »

Thanks for that - it's a crack at the top, at the thinnest part of the sink, (the crack making the long end of a triangle with the top corner). It really wasnt apparent when it came out of the box, but is now and the sink has just been fitted. I googled the sink (its one of those lovely double bowl belfast sinks) and apparently there are always problems with it . But I just wondered if IKEA would make any fuss about the fact that its been fitted - ie there is silicone on it from the taps etc. I suppose I could always ring IKEA directly and ask.

Print out the info you got on the net about it being a common problem, that should help, especially if there is no 'impact point' (ie not been hit by a saucepan!)

Your best course is to contact them first, before you remove the sink. Im not sure its the type of item you can just take back to the store and get refunded anyway, did you get any paperwork about your kitchen garantee? Im assuming you have a reciept as well?

If it is a well known problem (and that depends who you talk to, try and make sure its someone with experience in the kitchen dept) There may not be a problem, if its a known inherrant issue they may just exchange it, even if it has been fitted. If you are really feeling lucky you could ask for a contribution to the removal and fitting;), if you dont ask, you'll never know! Good luck, and please let us know, its always good to see hoe things turn out, and may also be helpful for the next person who has a cracked sink!:money:

lindos90

Tallullah wrote: »

Thanks for that - it's a crack at the top, at the thinnest part of the sink, (the crack making the long end of a triangle with the top corner). It really wasnt apparent when it came out of the box, but is now and the sink has just been fitted. I googled the sink (its one of those lovely double bowl belfast sinks) and apparently there are always problems with it . But I just wondered if IKEA would make any fuss about the fact that its been fitted - ie there is silicone on it from the taps etc. I suppose I could always ring IKEA directly and ask.

Print out the info you got on the net about it being a common problem, that should help back up your issue, especially if there is no 'impact point' (ie not been hit by a saucepan!)

Your best course is to contact them first, before you remove the sink. Im not sure its the type of item you can just take back to the store and get refunded anyway, did you get any paperwork about your kitchen garantee? Im assuming you have a reciept as well?

If it is a well known problem (and that depends who you talk to, try and make sure its someone with experience in the kitchen dept) There may not be a problem getting a replacement, if its a known inherrant issue they may just exchange it, even if it has been fitted. If you are really feeling lucky you could ask for a contribution to the removal and fitting;), if you dont ask, you'll never know! Good luck, and please let us know, its always good to see how things turn out, and may also be helpful for the next person who has a cracked sink!:money:

Sweepdog_2

I bought a kitchen from the Cardiff store (UK) in July 2010. It is a very long story, but basically the points are:-

Despite there being 3 visits to my house to measure, the kitchen was still too long to fit against the wall.

After I'd paid the deposit when the design was finished, they tried to charge me more to include for a price rise.

When I had to postpone delivery due to emergency repairs uncovered when I removed the old kitchen, Ikea had no record of my actually buying a kitchen from them.

When it was eventually delivered, the whole thing was scattered over the back of the lorry, so stuff was damaged.

When they came to install it, we found that drawers for the base units weren't delivered, damaged stuff wasn't replaced in time, and damaged items were installed, needing to be replaced later and delaying tiling works, and replacing radiators etc. I ahd to drive to the store myself (70 miles) to get them so that the Ikea fitter could keep going on the other stuff.

Items I had specifically requested to be included - pelmet lighting - wasn't, but we found that over £350 worth of panels etc had been delivered that were not required by the design... come on, who needs 58 door handles ? They were all on the design schedule, but since all their items have numerical descriptions, how do you check ?

The specially made worktops were damaged and will take weeks to replace, meantime tiling works etc cannot start

You can never get to talk to customer services, but get stone-walled by the call handler.

They never ever ever ring you back.

My phone bill is 50% higher over the past few months from having to ring their 0845 premium rate number to get to their switchboard

I have written a 7-page letter of complaint to them, and am still finding things wrong.

I have asked for my money back, and for them to remove the (partially completed) kitchen, but they are not listening.

I have given them a deadline for completion (5th November), and was then told that the earliest they could attend is 8th......

They really are the biggest load of !!!!!!!s on the planet, and I sincerely hope they go under. No amount of compensation can resolve this issue for me... in fact the worry and upset I've suffered over the calls and negotiating I've had to do has made me ill.

I will never ever use Ikea again.

bhoy4ever

It sounds as if ikea have absolutely no respect for any of their customers.
i too experienced such treatment from them. Went in store at manchester branch to sort out a bunch of furniture for the new house. Wanted it delivered but was told i would have to do it online by a very unhelpful member of staff, tried to sort out things with them and they just were so uninterested it was unbelievable. I went online to arrange it all spent £1500+. I got an email stating delivery date so i arranged cover at my shops so i didnt have to go in and waited, a few days before the proposed delivery date i was phone by dhl to arrange a delivery date, but i had already had one. i was confused and this was explained away by telling me the first date was only provisional date and the actual date would be at least two weeks later. i was less than happy. having had to rearrange appointments and turn away business. So i show up at my house waiting for delivery on the new date, get a phone call saying they are on their way and then nothing. DHL call me to tell me my street is not suitable for their truck. They didnt see fit to check before arranging the delivery in the first place. And the drivers decided not to park at the end of the street and walk 25m with the goods, or use he car park another 35m down the st and walk, that would be too much like sticking to the agreement set out by ikea.
I phoned to get a refund and cancel the order and they offer me a total of £15 compensation, i have lost over £1000 in lost business to get my furniture and still have nothing. Nowhere to complain to as the website is a joke and the customer services phone line is a waste of time.
Needless to say Ikea are getting no more of my hard earned. I just cant believe people use them with service like this

punakai

I have been told that IKEA is unable to deliver my (online) order on a day when I am in the country despite offering them dates several weeks in advance. I had to cancel my order. I'm not convinced that this shows a lack of respect but rather Machiavellian design. IKEA charges £35 for a 10 mile delivery but uses DHL which is infamous as the UK's most incompetent delivery company and for that reason probably the cheapest. Any problems can only be addressed via IKEA call centre hell. IKEA is clearly unwilling to invest in quality services and seems only interested to develop their stores. Any other "services" offered seem window dressing at best and deliberately misleading at worst. My advice is - do not waste your precious time with online orders from IKEA.

goblinking2k

ok lets clear the air as i think ikea do a fab job if you stop calm down and explain things clearly without letting your emotions show!

the correct address for any complaints in writing is
IKEA Customer Relations,
Kingston Park,
Fletton,
Peterborough, PE2 9ET

they have an entire team there dealing just with write in's!

ikea recently changed there focus to the customer (yes they listerned how many others have done that?)
and now are looking to do there best to help you the public, that said some people will never be happy you cant fool yourself and think you can make everyone happy, thats a dream!

what i see here is a lot of old complaints that stick in your minds and sour the experiance for everyone else because your lowering your expectations to the basement and not giving them a fair crack.

in my experience you will get a lot futher with a kind word that a hostile mind, dont forget we are all human and we all make mistakes from what i have seen and experienced ikea is man enough to admit its mistakes and make amends (shame not everyone else can including customers!)

theres my 2 cents worth!:j

haynick

goblinking2k wrote: »

ok lets clear the air as i think ikea do a fab job if you stop calm down and explain things clearly without letting your emotions show!

the correct address for any complaints in writing is
IKEA Customer Relations,
Kingston Park,
Fletton,
Peterborough, PE2 9ET

they have an entire team there dealing just with write in's!

ikea recently changed there focus to the customer (yes they listerned how many others have done that?)
and now are looking to do there best to help you the public, that said some people will never be happy you cant fool yourself and think you can make everyone happy, thats a dream!

what i see here is a lot of old complaints that stick in your minds and sour the experiance for everyone else because your lowering your expectations to the basement and not giving them a fair crack.

in my experience you will get a lot futher with a kind word that a hostile mind, dont forget we are all human and we all make mistakes from what i have seen and experienced ikea is man enough to admit its mistakes and make amends (shame not everyone else can including customers!)

theres my 2 cents worth!:j

Me thinks you workd for Pikea

pulliptears

haynick wrote: »

Me thinks you workd for Pikea

'Pikea' what a wonderful derogatory term, is this all encompassing for stores and those who shop there then, because personally I wouldn't dream of categorising a person based on where they shop.

Whilst I'm normally in agreement about newbies posting praise, I do have to wonder in this case why on earth a company with 330+ Stores in 38 countries and a turnover over several billion would bother to post that on our little message board. If this were Bob's furniture in the high street I could understand, but Ikea? Seems doubtful to be honest.