Ikea - Parking Fees ?!

ValerieR

Watched the RTE News at 6pm and heard that there were going to be parking fees for the visitors to IKEA at peak times ...
Not only it will be the only Ikea store that opens at 11am in order to alleviate traffic issues, but it would also be the only one that necessitates parking fees !!!
Does anyone have more information about this ?
Thanks.
ValerieR

Ginny

I haven;t been able to see any parking machines, I'll see when I'm driving by if they have any barriers.
Belfast Ikea opens at 10am during the week, and TBH as a commuter I'll be happy Ikea won't open earlier as the M50/Ballymun exit is still a bightmare and I could see them opening up earlier once its finished.

phasers

I don't really see the big deal about Ikea

Once the hype dies down it'll just be another furniture shop, why all this whingeing about traffic? Who exactly is going to queue up first thing in the morning for a cheap coffee table?

Implement this for a couple of weeks, maybe a month.

Davy

I think that was always the plan to have parking fees to help subsidise a home delivery service. Im sure they are going to be small enough, if your going to be spending a few bob on furniture whats an extra fiver! You could always get the bus and have the stuff delivered

Ginny

You;d be surprised, I've no doubt people will be queuing overnight if Ikea do an opening offer. There was a man killed in the UK last year i think at one event.
Just watched the report there, I can't believe they think they can pull a fast one and charge for parking, people really need to tell them to stuff it if they do.
The point is no other Ikea has parking fees, and there's ample enough parking in the Ikea site, Ikea's whole model is to encourage people to browse for longer, charging people for parking is not going to do that.

phasers

Ginny wrote: »

You;d be surprised, I've no doubt people will be queuing overnight if Ikea do an opening offer. There was a man killed in the UK last year i think at one event.

That is mental :eek:

Oh God, it just clicked in my head that I'll be going to college pretty close to Ikea. I hope it will have calmed down a bit by September!

Depending on how much the charge is I think it's alright, especially if it's really that popular!

greendom

phasers wrote: »

I don't really see the big deal about Ikea

Once the hype dies down it'll just be another furniture shop, why all this whingeing about traffic? Who exactly is going to queue up first thing in the morning for a cheap coffee table?

Implement this for a couple of weeks, maybe a month.

it's certainly far more than just another furniture shop in the UK and I can't see it being any different here. For one thing it has a much greater range and for another it's far cheaper. The food's not bad either

Bazwah

Ginny wrote: »

You;d be surprised, I've no doubt people will be queuing overnight if Ikea do an opening offer. There was a man killed in the UK last year i think at one event.
Just watched the report there, I can't believe they think they can pull a fast one and charge for parking, people really need to tell them to stuff it if they do.
The point is no other Ikea has parking fees, and there's ample enough parking in the Ikea site, Ikea's whole model is to encourage people to browse for longer, charging people for parking is not going to do that.

This is actually incorrect, the man was stabbed to death a few miles from the actual event and nowhere near the store, but the media being what it is spun it as being at IKEA.

Bazwah

I am working at the new Dublin store (transferred from O/S) and we have just put the machines and barriers in.

I agree we are probably the only IKEA in the world to charge for parking, but don't blame us! It's actually one of the planning regulations put in place before we could open. The local council said we couldn't open early to ease stress on the M50 (as someone mentioned above) so 11am is our opening time.

Another regulation also stated that to discourage people from shopping at peak times and to ease traffic congestion, we need to charge for parking and that it is free in offpeak times.

We'd love to give you free parking, but talk the the council! I think we were just happy to finally get permission to open, and they put about 30 conditions on us and the store before we were given it.

Ginny

All the parking fee is going to do is mess up local traffic, I can imagine a lot of people will just park on the road from ballymun to the M50 or St. Margarets road and walk in.

Bazwah

Hopefully not! But I'm sure people will do anything to not pay for parking, given how many cars I see parked on the pavement on most roads.

Carlow52

Bazwah wrote: »

I am working at the new Dublin store (transferred from O/S) and we have just put the machines and barriers in.

I agree we are probably the only IKEA in the world to charge for parking, but don't blame us! It's actually one of the planning regulations put in place before we could open. The local council said we couldn't open early to ease stress on the M50 (as someone mentioned above) so 11am is our opening time.

Another regulation also stated that to discourage people from shopping at peak times and to ease traffic congestion, we need to charge for parking and that it is free in offpeak times.

We'd love to give you free parking, but talk the the council! I think we were just happy to finally get permission to open, and they put about 30 conditions on us and the store before we were given it.

What is off peak: 11:00 to 11:05 and 21:50 to 2200?

This will kill it: Belfast here we come.

Bazwah

Carlow52 wrote: »

What is off peak: 11:00 to 11:05 and 21:50 to 2200?

This will kill it: Belfast here we come.

Off peak I would assume would be middle of the day. Can't confirm details for you as I'm not sure, but as said before, it was a council condition we had no say in.

Pretty sure parking is free on weekends, and considering over half our customers shop on the weekends (which is why it's so busy and why we trade late on weekdays - to get you in during the week instead of Saturday & Sunday) you can assume that the majority of people will not be affected by having to pay for parking. To be fair to the M50 commuters, imagine trying to get to/from work if we opened at normal IKEA times!

But not long to go now and you can come and see for yourself our shiny new store....

27th July!

The Hill Billy

Ginny wrote: »

All the parking fee is going to do is mess up local traffic, I can imagine a lot of people will just park on the road from ballymun to the M50 or St. Margarets road and walk in.

I can't imagine too many people carrying sofas, beds or even any quantity of homewares very far. Most people will suck it up & pay the parking fee. No doubt FCC will stick double yellows on any stretch of road that could be used to circumvent the parking fee.

greendom

Carlow52 wrote: »

What is off peak: 11:00 to 11:05 and 21:50 to 2200?

This will kill it: Belfast here we come.

Yeah that makes sense - why pay €2 to park when you can pay €30 to drive to Belfast :rolleyes:

Bazwah

greendom wrote: »

Yeah that makes sense - why pay €2 to park when you can pay €30 to drive to Belfast :rolleyes:

And also waste 4 hours in traffic getting there and back

We'll hopefully surprise you all with our shiny new store which is opening very soon...... (it's massive compared to Belfast!).

Carlow52

greendom wrote: »

Yeah that makes sense - why pay €2 to park when you can pay €30 to drive to Belfast :rolleyes:

Indeed and buy the petrol up there.
Call in to Sainburys off-licence which is next door as well.

The 6.5% VAT differential until 31/12/09 will also help on big IKEA purchases

Bazwah

Carlow52 wrote: »

Indeed and buy the petrol up there.
Call in to Sainburys off-licence which is next door as well.

The 6.5% VAT differential until 31/12/09 will also help on big IKEA purchases

Most of that will be offset by the fact that the pound is getting stronger. A couple of months ago the euro and pound were level, now the pound is worth 1.15+ euros. Cheaper to shop down here the stronger the pound gets.

Carlow52

Bazwah wrote: »

Most of that will be offset by the fact that the pound is getting stronger. A couple of months ago the euro and pound were level, now the pound is worth 1.15+ euros. Cheaper to shop down here the stronger the pound gets.

I bought petrol in Sainsbury last week at 94 stg pence, it was 1.21 euro in my local garage.

The key factor will be what euro prices will be posted by IKEA and what range of stuff will be offered and what the delivery charges will be.

re your: And also waste 4 hours in traffic getting there and back

not if u go food/drink shopping as well.

As an example, when pedigree chum dog food is on special in Sainsburys, if we buy 24 tins, it pays for the petrol to/from Newry.

Bazwah

We will have slightly more articles in the store compared to Belfast, but there are a handful of articles we cannot stock, but these aren't best selling items so you'd never notice

And you can always find a way to make the trip worth your while, but time is the biggest factor. Either way we'd love to see you in either store!

Davy

Bazwah wrote: »

Either way we'd love to see you in either store!

Do you work on commission? :pac:

Carlow52

Bazwah wrote: »

We will have slightly more articles in the store compared to Belfast, but there are a handful of articles we cannot stock, but these aren't best selling items so you'd never notice

And you can always find a way to make the trip worth your while, but time is the biggest factor. Either way we'd love to see you in either store!

showing some of the customer service that is sadly lacking down here.
Over and out

Ginny

Bazwah wrote: »

And also waste 4 hours in traffic getting there and back

We'll hopefully surprise you all with our shiny new store which is opening very soon...... (it's massive compared to Belfast!).

4 hours from Belfast?
Not at all at the max 2.5 hrs.
So do we know what difference in Sterling Vs Euro we will have in the new store?

jacool

Surely the Belfast or Dublin times depend on your starting point !
Not everyone lives in Dublin.

Secondly, would there be anything illegal in IKEA allowing you use your parking receipt as money off against your purchase ?
When I was in the UK many car parks did this, plus you got an extra voucher on the back of your ticket. I didn't have a car but bought the minimum ticket for two reasons.
1. I got the money back off my shopping anyway.
2. I could then do a BOGOF on a Big Mac !!

WIZE

jacool wrote: »

Surely the Belfast or Dublin times depend on your starting point !
Not everyone lives in Dublin.

Secondly, would there be anything illegal in IKEA allowing you use your parking receipt as money off against your purchase ?
When I was in the UK many car parks did this, plus you got an extra voucher on the back of your ticket. I didn't have a car but bought the minimum ticket for two reasons.
1. I got the money back off my shopping anyway.
2. I could then do a BOGOF on a Big Mac !!

IKEA is not British .

I want to know will they be selling the lovely meatballs in the resturant

Frank Spencer

BVB wrote: »

IKEA is not British .

I want to know will they be selling the lovely meatballs in the resturant

I don't think the poster was inferring that IKEA was British.

ronaneire

What is to say that the barriers will stay working? :eek:

Ginny

jacool wrote: »

Surely the Belfast or Dublin times depend on your starting point !
Not everyone lives in Dublin.

My times were relating from the Ikea in Ballymun to the Ikea in Belfast

Bazwah

Ginny wrote: »

4 hours from Belfast?
Not at all at the max 2.5 hrs.
So do we know what difference in Sterling Vs Euro we will have in the new store?

I was also referring to "there and back", I've done the drive and it took a couple of hours each way, so 4 hours there and back is fairly accurate, maybe you're a faster driver than me

Bazwah

BVB wrote: »

IKEA is not British .

I want to know will they be selling the lovely meatballs in the resturant

OF COURSE! There has to be....

Niamhb5

just wanted to add that we were charged for parking in the Ikea in Zurich!

The Hill Billy

Niamhb5 wrote: »

just wanted to add that we were charged for parking in the Ikea in Zurich!

IKEA at Lyssach (near Bern) don't charge. So I suppose it depends on location, etc.

celticbest

Just a quick question,

Can anybody confirm if the peak time parking charge is a temporary measure while the M50 upgrade is completed or is this a permanent measure?

littlebitdull

The parking charge will only be from 4pm to 7pm. And its going to be kept very low....

So it would be worth arriving at 3.45 and doing your bit of shopping looking around etc. Then grabbing something to eat and leaving at 7.10pm... with no parking charge worries.

Davy

celticbest wrote: »

Just a quick question,

Can anybody confirm if the peak time parking charge is a temporary measure while the M50 upgrade is completed or is this a permanent measure?

Afaik its going to be permanent. The agreement was that any money made after the operating costs goes to subsidise home delivery. Also that when the m50 is finished, i think the ballymun junction is already going to need upgrading

Elliee

Just want to confirm the meatballs will be served in the resturant AND are only 2 euro for 10 meatballs from the 27th until the 31st!

Elliee

Also the first 40 people to show up on monday morning in Sweedish costume will recieve a goodie bag!
Car park opens 7am on 27th, outdoor festivities start at 8am.

littlebitdull

Car park open from 7am, festivities start at 8am .... shop open at 11am.

The Hill Billy

LeoB banned for a week for continued off-topic posting. HB

ascottdub

Please, please tell me that this a joke of some sort(ikea charging to park)

Jesus Christ. Does it ever end?

At least tell me this is NOT going to apply on opening day?? Dear god, at least tell me that.

I have taken the day off, and spent last sat pricing stuff in the north, so lets just see how the prices are.

Is there going to be any sort of flyer to say whats on special or not? Surely on opening day there will be some sort of deals to be had.

Will happily go back to Belfast if not

Thanks

Davy

ascottdub wrote: »

Please, please tell me that this a joke of some sort(ikea charging to park)

They will be charging. A condition of the planning was that a fee would be imposed between 4pm and 8pm. There is a flat fee for parking of €3. If €3 is not deterring people talks that it may be raised until it makes an effect.

ascottdub wrote: »

I have taken the day off, and spent last sat pricing stuff in the north, so lets just see how the prices are.

Prices are going to be slightly higher because of the vat rate. Some products are cheaper than belfast beacuse prices are only changed once a year.

ascottdub wrote: »

Is there going to be any sort of flyer to say whats on special or not? Surely on opening day there will be some sort of deals to be had.

Opening day will have offers, and prizes. When your paying at the till, their is a spinning wheel where you may win the price of your shopping. The first 100 people just in a swedish costume get a goody bag of some sort.

ascottdub

Davy,

Thanks very much. very informative reply. Don't have any anything swedish besides a shot glass and coasters though. LOL

This spinning wheel, does it have different amounts on it?

Thanks, and I hope I do make some purchases otherwise I'll have got up early for no reason

Cy_Revenant

I feel I should point out, it's not IKEA charging for parking, it's Fingal County Council.

If you leave the carpark between 4 and 8 you'll be paying €3, which will go to infrastructure within Ballymun.

Thoie

Cy_Revenant wrote: »

I feel I should point out, it's not IKEA charging for parking, it's Fingal County Council.

If you leave the carpark between 4 and 8 you'll be paying €3, which will go to infrastructure within Ballymun.

So essentially the barriers come down during those hours, and you pay in coins at the exit? Or are the barriers always there, and you always have to validate a ticket (for free or paying, depending on time)?

thor17

Bazwah wrote: »

Off peak I would assume would be middle of the day. Can't confirm details for you as I'm not sure, but as said before, it was a council condition we had no say in.

Pretty sure parking is free on weekends, and considering over half our customers shop on the weekends (which is why it's so busy and why we trade late on weekdays - to get you in during the week instead of Saturday & Sunday) you can assume that the majority of people will not be affected by having to pay for parking. To be fair to the M50 commuters, imagine trying to get to/from work if we opened at normal IKEA times!

But not long to go now and you can come and see for yourself our shiny new store....

27th July!

The parking fee is 3 euro 4pm till 8pm. if consumers still use ikea it will go up to 6 euros, If the consumer is still not "discouraged" from using ikea it will go up to 10 euro! If you happen to leave ikea between these times you have to pay the fee even though you where there earlier (I think). This is a most idiotic situation and the rest of the world must be laughing there heads off at us, I'm just going to keep using the belfast store, no way am I getting rode by the council anymore, All the money goes to Fingal county council.

The Hill Billy

thor17 wrote: »

The parking fee is 3 euro 4pm till 8pm. if consumers still use ikea it will go up to 6 euros, If the consumer is still not "discouraged" from using ikea it will go up to 10 euro!

What is your source for these price increases - IKEA? FCC?

Davy

Hill Billy wrote: »

What is your source for these price increases - IKEA? FCC?

It think it was FCC. It was mentioned that it could go to a tenner.

celticbest

Went to Ikea yesterday evening & saw the Parking Ticket machines but there does not seem to be any barriers in place as of yet. I presume that these will be put in place in the next few days.

I got to Ikea at about 6:30 and was able to drive straight into a parking space there was no queuing at all, the traffic management was brilliant!

Vico1612

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/store/dublin

Parking Information
Mon - Fri: 11am to 4pm - Free
Mon - Fri: 4pm to 8pm - €3
Saturday: 10am to 8pm - Free
Sunday: 11am to 7pm - Free
:mad::mad:

Hornet

Vico1612 wrote: »

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/store/dublin

Parking Information
Mon - Fri: 11am to 4pm - Free
Mon - Fri: 4pm to 8pm - €3
Saturday: 10am to 8pm - Free
Sunday: 11am to 7pm - Free
:mad::mad:

LUNACY!!

So Fingal County Council is happy to take the rates and to get the jobs, but then they are sabotaging a business and are trying to force customers away (if the charges can increase depending on customer behaviour it is nothing else)?

If I were Ikea, I would be quiet for the moment and start with the business and then - in a few months - sue Fingal County Council for intentionally damaging my business.

If people are not meant to shop during certain hours, then force the shop to close (as it is done for off-licenses etc) otherwise get the infrastructure sorted!

What a banana republic!

ValerieR

Yeah, poor Ikea - They have had a hard time in setting up in the Republic!! I am surprised (happy though) they stuck to it.
It surely is another case of ripping us off and get the infrastructure paid for twice : through our taxes and then through a parking fee. This is ludicrous!
Coming from the other side of the country, I'll make sure I get to Ikea outside of these 'peak' hours !!!!
Rant over ! (Don't feel any better though )
ValerieR