Ikea after care don't care

Ikea_no_more

As a long standing fan of Ikea (having spent thousands there) from the early days I've been singing their praises for years loyally defending their no frills policies and innovative designs against critics.
However, that's all changed since I contacted customer services recently regarding my discoloured (high end range, Effectiv) birch office furniture, purchased end 2006. (the same range and birch finish is still available and comes with a ten year guarantee but apparently not applicable when I purchased).
With Ikea testing examples and claims of quality in your face all over their stores and impressive long guarantees I did not expect my office units to darken to the colour of oak (oak also available in store) in patches. On the top of one unit I have a pale rectangle where my printer sat until I moved it.
After jumping through hoops involving a 40 mile round trip to the store with some of the furniture to ask if Ikea could restore my units - I was not looking for money back - and a phone call from them saying they would replace my units if I gave receipt info I had a long search for receipts to supply codes. I finally received a phone call, then confirming letter, telling me the furniture would not be replaced and that was the end of the matter.

Why, if Ikea know, as customer service staff (incidentally I found some of the CS staff to be contradictory, argumentative and opinionated with no respect for customer concerns) informed me, that the pale birch Effectiv office furniture will over time turn dark (in my case yellowed in patches), do they not mention this in any of the pre sales info? I would not have purchased a blond wood finish if I'd know it would resemble beech or oak over a short time and that it might not be even discolouration depending on light etc. Had I been given this information before my purchase I could have then made an informed choice. I may have perhaps gone for a painted finish or something else altogether. The letter I've received reiterates what customer service staff say about the colour change. I also have some less expensive Ikea Lack range birch veneerd tables. They too have yellowed (they wouldn't look out of place in a heavy smokers house!) but as they were not from an expensive range with an expensive price tag I got rid only slightly irritated. The office furniture is another matter. I paid extra almost £300 for 4 small units expecting superior quality than the (what my friends refer to as) throw away range. A close friend also has a birch TV unit that has also gone so dark its more like beech now (only with a yellow tinge).
The message I have learned is that if you buy Ikea birch veneer furniture, shown beautifully photographed in all its blond glory in catalogues, you should expect it not to stay light but to gradually turn more like the beech finish in patches. I have it in writing Ikea customer service expect it to darken with age "by exposure to Light"(presumably not if you live in a cave with no light or windows). Shame they don't share that info on the info tickets!

Well Ikea, it may be with your "tolerance of such products" but it certainly is out with mine and everyone I've shown the problem furniture to.

I am sadly disappointed and will permanently part company from my long and loyal relationship with Ikea.

fluffnutter

I thought most woods changed colour over time... *confused*.

gordikin

Of course wood changes colour over time in sunlight!

Ikea_no_more

Yes they do to a certain degree and I wouldn't have a problem with slight darkening with age but my problem is the yellowing and patchiness. I have solid oak staircase in same room that has uniformly darkened slightly, however, it did not develop the same yellow bloom. In some patches the birch is darker than the oak! Also the solid birch legs of the furniture have remained a nice pale birch. Perhaps they will darken over a long period of time but they look brand new in comparison.
There is no point complaining for the sake of it. My point is that Ikea are aware of the discolouration of their birch veneered products but say nothing to advise before purchase. A member of staff let slip they change room sets regularly before the discolouration is noticeable. Whether this is deliberate or not, who knows but it is a bit cheeky. Not everyone would expect the colour to change so drastically.

Torby

is it perhaps "drastic" because some of the places have been hidden from light e.g. printer etc for 4 years?

dizziblonde

I've got nothing but praise for Ikea's aftercare at the moment - our mattress developed a fault after a couple of years, took us a while to get a replacement bank statment showing the transaction as hubby had chucked the reciept and then we wrote to them enclosing pictures. Within 2 days we had a phonecall, an appointment for someone to come look at the mattress and the day after he showed up we had a call asking us to choose the one we wanted as a replacement since ours was discontinued. Waived the price increase for the one we picked and it was delivered within that week.

I was pretty impressed with that.

Tim_Deegan

dizziblonde wrote: »

I've got nothing but praise for Ikea's aftercare at the moment - our mattress developed a fault after a couple of years, took us a while to get a replacement bank statment showing the transaction as hubby had chucked the reciept and then we wrote to them enclosing pictures. Within 2 days we had a phonecall, an appointment for someone to come look at the mattress and the day after he showed up we had a call asking us to choose the one we wanted as a replacement since ours was discontinued. Waived the price increase for the one we picked and it was delivered within that week.

I was pretty impressed with that.

That's nothing to be impressed with, it's what they should be doing, just like any other retailer. In fact you shouldn't have had to come up with a bank statement, because they should have been able to search using your card number.

They should actually be used to replacing mattresses anyway, because the quality is terrible. Someone recently told me that an inspector from FIRA who came to her home recently, said that most of his time is taken up inspecting faulty Ikea mattresses.

dizziblonde

I got it fixed and replaced within a week - I'm happy enough with that. Was expecting a fight on my hands, somewhat disappointed I didn't get one - guess I renew my grudge match with Barclays over them sending confidental info to some random bloke in Cardiff

We didn't have the card number to hand incidentally because sod's law being what it is - card had expired and they'd changed the number on it for some reason or other only known to banks.

dreamypuma

gordikin wrote: »

Of course wood changes colour over time in sunlight!

Ikea use wood? :eek:

I thought they only used Weetabix and MDF!

Tim_Deegan

dreamypuma wrote: »

Ikea use wood? :eek:

I thought they only used Weetabix and MDF!

Don't get too excited, I think it was wood veneer. I should think the yellow stains are probably from the glue.

heretolearn_2

I hate Ikea after a complete debacle 7 years ago that still gets the steam coming out of my ears when I think about it. Would never buy anything from them again. I agree their customer service policies are rubbish - although a lot of the individual staff are nice and tried to help me, their hands were tied. My advice - stay well away from Ikea, especially if delivery is involved. In fact, one Ikea delivery driver caught up in my problem told me he tells all his family to never use Ikea as he sees so many problems.