Beware Ikea

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 12:06pm #1

I recently purchased a chair from the Dublin branch foolishly thinking that if was not suitable I could return it under Ikea's 90 day "No Nonsense Returns Policy" http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_IE/customer_service/ikea_services/change_your_mind.html
which allows the return of unused items in the original packaging for a full refund or so they claim.

The chair did not fit under the desk so was repackaged immediately. I could not back to Ikea straight away but returned a few weeks later but well within the 90 days.. Ikea flatly refused a refund saying that the chair had been. "assembled".

Considering that most Ikea furniture is flat packed their so-called "No Nonsense Returns Policy" is a con job. The Consumer Agency agrees and are looking into it.

Ikea - Swedish Quality - Made in China.

Owen · 03-12-2009 12:08pm

Canacourse wrote: »

allows the return of unused items

Canacourse wrote: »

Ikea flatly refused a refund saying that the chair had been. "assembled".

Don't see how this is a problem with IKEA, it says unused items. You used and assembled it.

actuallylike · 03-12-2009 12:12pm

I agree with above, you didn't just take it out of the package, you put it together, therefore used. Think "con job" is a bit extreme.

jhegarty · 03-12-2009 12:13pm

It say on the link

Return unused items in their original packaging within 90 days with your till receipt, for a full refund.

Sounds like you used it to me.

Paulw · 03-12-2009 12:15pm

PaintDoctor wrote: »

Don't see how this is a problem with IKEA, it says unused items. You used and assembled it.

Have to agree. IKEA did nothing wrong.

Next time, use a mesauring tape before you buy furniture.

Hogzy · 03-12-2009 12:16pm

Is there any way of telling that you assembled it OP? For example was there any plastic/shrink rap ripped of the packaging that you could reseal?

Xcellor · 03-12-2009 12:19pm

From their point of view, what are they supposed to do with a chair that doesn't have all its original packaging and has signs that it has been assembled?

They normally have chairs assembled so you could have measured it and checked against your desk.

Alanstrainor · 03-12-2009 12:21pm

I hate to say it, but i'd have to side with ikea. You used it, end of. It's now unsellable. There's plenty of information about the dimensions of pretty much all their products, so you should have been able to measure it and realise it wasn't going to fit.

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 12:23pm

Hogzy wrote: »

Is there any way of telling that you assembled it OP? For example was there any plastic/shrink rap ripped of the packaging that you could reseal?

Some of the parts where in shrink wrapped plastic other parts in boxes. The chair when back in the same package it came in. The chair when back in a saleable condition.

amcalester · 03-12-2009 12:26pm

I'm afraid I'm with the majority here too.

You build it you buy it.

Paulw · 03-12-2009 12:26pm

Canacourse wrote: »

If was not suitable I could return it under Ikea's 90 day "No Nonsense Returns Policy" http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_IE/customer_service/ikea_services/change_your_mind.html
which allows the return of unused items in the original packaging for a full refund

But, in your own words, the item wasn't "unused" "in the original packaging". You used it. You took it out of it's packaging and assembled it.

You then put it back in the box (not the only packaging, which included shrink wrap), and brought it back.

IKEA are well within their right to turn you away. You made the mistake, not them.

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 12:37pm

Its not un-sellable at all. A product assembled is not used in my opinion. If the policy specifically mentioned assembled rather then used I wouldn't have had a problem with it. I asked few people if that would consider assembled furniture used (Without going into details) and they didn't but I guess people would have differing opinions on that.

Maybe its because I have returned opened but unused items to Argos (And other places) a few times in the past without any problems that I am so pissed off. The wording of the Argos & Ikea return policies are similar.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/StaticDisplay/includeName/ReturnsAndRefunds.htm

So You buy a product from Ikea but never take it out of the packaging you can return it. Sounds like a lame policy to me.

Hogzy · 03-12-2009 12:37pm

Once the seal is broken OP it cant be returned. Its the same with most shops. Its like taking the tag off on an item of clothing, the shop doesnt care if its been worn (used) they still wont let you return it and fair enough, now if the chair was broken or a part was missing that would be a different story

Run_to_da_hills · 03-12-2009 12:42pm

If you cut a few inches off the legs of the chair with a hack saw it should fit neatly under the desk.

amcalester · 03-12-2009 12:43pm

Canacourse wrote: »

Its not un-sellable at all. A product assembled is not used in my opinion. If the policy specifically mentioned assembled rather then used I wouldn't have had a problem with it. I asked few people if that would consider assembled furniture used (Without going into details) and they didn't but I guess people would have differing opinions on that.

Maybe its because I have returned opened but unused items to Argos (And other places) a few times in the past without any problems that I am so pissed off. The wording of the Argos & Ikea return policies are similar.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/StaticDisplay/includeName/ReturnsAndRefunds.htm

So You buy a product from Ikea but never take it out of the packaging you can return it. Sounds like a lame policy to me.

Opened, unpacked, assembled, measured against your table, dissassembled and repacked. How anyone could think that is unused is beyond me.

And it says unused not un-sellable so even if it is sellable it has still been used.

Ikea furniture is not designed to be taken apart once built as it looses a lot of its strenght if taken apart (like all flat pack furniture). So that is why they would accept it back from you.

MissFlitworth · 03-12-2009 12:52pm

Would you pay full price for a piece of flatpack furniture that had been opened, put together, taken apart and put back in the box? If Ikea took the chair back and gave you a full refund they'd end up having to sell it on at a discount, why should they make a loss just because you didn't take measurements before buying? All Ikea furniture is assembled in the store for you to view, they even give you measuring tapes to check it out before buying!

daveyboy_1ie · 03-12-2009 12:54pm

Genuinly, although its bad luck on you with the desk being too low I still ahve to agree with IKEA. In effect, you changed your mind in buying it, there is nothing wrong with the chair so they are within their rights to refuse the refund.

And by the very nature of flatpack furniture being assembled, this does make the item used and unsellable to their store policy. I would imagine they have this polciy iron clad in their own policies and on your receipt, after all they are not some fly by night opetation, rather the biggest in the world at what they sell

stevedublin · 03-12-2009 1:00pm

Try disassembling it, putting back in packaging and return to IKEA (hopefully within the 90 days)?

stevedublin · 03-12-2009 1:03pm

did you unassemble before returning to IKEA or bring back the assembled chair?

IRLConor · 03-12-2009 1:06pm

The only interaction I've had with IKEA's returns dept. was to return a sink. When the box was opened it was in bits - not just cracked - it was properly smashed into many pieces. They were pretty decent about taking it back and I was surprised that they did given that I had no way of proving that it was like that when I bought it.

They definitely do take back stuff which they can't resell. I doubt they would do it unless it's their fault though.

Sleipnir · 03-12-2009 1:11pm

You took delivery, opened the box, assembled the product and then stuck it back in the box? Without a doubt, the product is used.

Cabaal · 03-12-2009 2:46pm

So how was it in the original packaging when you had opened it, was there plastic wrap removed in ANYWAY if so then you did not return it in the original packaging

You had also used it, imho Ikea did nothing wrong as I for one would not have wanted to buy used items like you were attempting to return.

Also OP Ikea provide measurements for everything they sell (pretty much) why didn't you measure the chair before buying it and putting it together? Its not very hard

niceirishfella · 03-12-2009 2:50pm

Paulw wrote: »

Have to agree. IKEA did nothing wrong.

Next time, use a mesauring tape before you buy furniture.

Ikea even offer free paper ones in store.

OP, you're wrong with this, I've bought hundreds of time in IKEA and never had an issue.:)

Cabaal · 03-12-2009 2:53pm

Canacourse wrote: »

Its not un-sellable at all. A product assembled is not used in my opinion.

<snip>The wording of the Argos & Ikea return policies are similar.

<SNIP>Sounds like a lame policy to me.

So in short, in your view the policy is crap, in your view it was unused but yet you built it so it was used

In your view Argos and Ikea have similar policy, but NOT THE SAME.

The very fact that the vast majority of people posting here disagree with your view should suggest something to you

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 3:30pm

Most helpful suggestion so far. Thanks..

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 3:31pm

stevedublin wrote: »

did you unassemble before returning to IKEA or bring back the assembled chair?

Back in the box the way it came...

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 3:32pm

niceirishfella wrote: »

Ikea even offer free paper ones in store.
OP, you're wrong with this, I've bought hundreds of time in IKEA and never had an issue.:)

How many times have you tried to bring anything back?

Canacourse · 03-12-2009 3:33pm

Cabaal wrote: »

So in short, in your view the policy is crap, in your view it was unused but yet you built it so it was used

In your view Argos and Ikea have similar policy, but NOT THE SAME.

The very fact that the vast majority of people posting here disagree with your view should suggest something to you

It does that they all work for Ikea..

Irishrossoblu · 03-12-2009 3:45pm

I brought back three unused, unopened items to Ikea last week. It took me 3 minutes to get a full refund. OP you really have to admit that you are chancing your arm on this. You used the chair full stop. You put it together. Thats using it. So Ikea are totally right.

Hello? · 03-12-2009 3:51pm

I got burned in a similar situation by Ikea once a very long time ago. "Used" is one of those descriptions that means different things to different people. In a contract, it's a gray area that companies often don't elaborate on. Most shops will let you return items if they're unsuitable. You might think a piece of furniture will compliment your decor only to find out when you get it home and assembled that it doesn't. You haven't partied on it. You just put it together and realized your mistake after the fact. The item isn't unsellable. That's why Ikea has those lovely burly lads in the warehouse. They repackage items that haven't been "used" and are still saleable. If there is a bit of damage (real or imagined), Ikea has that little section off to the cash with discounted furniture. They still make money on it just not as much. The other thing about a lot of their products is that they're expensive but cheaply made. But they do have great TV commercials!

03-12-2009 3:58pm

Canacourse wrote: »

It does that they all work for Ikea..

:rolleyes:

Sure Ikea are the official sponsors of Boards.ie. They pay for the domain name and hosting and the likes. We're not real people. Were just programmed bots that defend Ikea whenever it's mentioned.

And OP, DIY chairs are always well packed, and every part, from the wheels to the base to the back, arms and seat, are usually in their own piece of plastic. 80% Of the time the only way to open them is to Hulk out and rip the plastic covers off.

I reckon that if you did a good enough job of resealing it they wouldn't have noticed or cared. You obviously didn't. Tough luck. Learn from your mistakes.

As the old saying goes:

"It's better to measure ten times and cut once, than it is to measure once and cut ten times".

niceirishfella · 03-12-2009 4:09pm

Canacourse wrote: »

It does that they all work for Ikea..

I don't work for Ikea.:rolleyes:

I'm getting the impression you're an argumentative type of punter (from your posts here) who may have pissed of the customer serice agent you were dealing with. Maybe you have a lot to learn in life?

Sleipnir · 03-12-2009 5:38pm

Canacourse wrote: »

It does that they all work for Ikea..

Yah, we all work for Ikea here! Didn't you know that?

Sleipnir · 03-12-2009 5:43pm

Canacourse wrote: »

How many times have you tried to bring anything back?

I bought two leather couches and a chaise from Ikea about ooh, three months ago I think.
When I was assembling them I found that the leg frame did not fit the base of the couch.
It took a few calls but they sent out a "furniture troubleshooter" who came out to my house and sorted the problem. Excellent customer service.

Oh, and I brought back a table which the OH decided she didn't want after all. They took it back without question.

dan1895 · 03-12-2009 5:53pm

I've worked in retail for about 7 years now and the one thing i find that customers regularly don't understand is the fact that you do not have the right to a refund if you simoly change your mind. From Ikea's point of view the chair was fine. it was you that didn't take measurments for some reason.

Get over it and move on.

amdublin · 03-12-2009 8:34pm

Hello? wrote: »

You might think a piece of furniture will compliment your decor only to find out when you get it home and assembled that it doesn't.

They provide pics on their website. Pics on their catalogue. Then when you go to the shop they show a sample there already assembled.

They go as far as providing measuring tapes.

How does anyone buy something from Ikea have any excuse for it not fitting or not looking right. You are not buying it blind

digital_d · 03-12-2009 8:59pm

Hi I've bought many items from IKEA in Belfast and Dublin, and i've had to return things on 3 occassions each has been fine

1) Laminate flooring - returned about 6 packs, a few had had the wrapping torn, Refund to the card given - No issue.

2) Bought a side table on impulse in the store as it was on clearence. I'd noted down the height to check it would fit when I got home. Got home, checked the space i wanted to put it in, decided it was bulkier than I thought. Returned it about 6 weeks later, refund no issue

3) Bought a blind, got home decided that it wasn't the best shade for my room, packaging was clear so I could see this without taking it out of the plastic box. Lost the reciept, returned it and I was given a gift card to the value of the refund

I've not had any issue, with any of my returns, even if packaging has been a bit damaged, or my reciept has gone astray

D

Guy:Incognito · 03-12-2009 9:50pm

Canacourse wrote: »

Some of the parts where in shrink wrapped plastic other parts in boxes. The chair when back in the same package it came in. The chair when back in a saleable condition.

Would you have bought it if they gave it to you in previously opened boxes?

It's fairly standard practice to take back stuff only if it hasnt been opened.

tallaghtoutlaws · 03-12-2009 10:42pm

Canacourse wrote: »

It does that they all work for Ikea..

Do we. I best go claim the wages they owe me so and call for what hours i'm doing next week. I thought I was unemployed.

cormie · 03-12-2009 10:58pm

This is all part in parcel with what IKEA is, good value furniture that does what it's supposed to do. If you want high quality furniture with a much higher likelihood of being able to return it if you change your mind and to see your value as a customer in more than a family card, then you're better off shopping elsewhere.

The staff in IKEA have always been more than helpful and friendly with some of the nightmare situations I've had in their stores, it's the business model that doesn't allow for exceptions.

IKEA is good value for the simple reason that all they basically do is sell boxes with contents and they sell them very well. If the contents are faulty or missing, you get a replacement box or a refund no problem. Their actions and policies are all above board and the very reason the item was the price it was in the first place and the very reason IKEA are as successful as they are is because of this. If they were to let you get a refund, they'd have to let millions of others too, or they could be done for discrimination and all sorts. They wont change their policy just for one customer. You get the boxes cheap, but there's a lot more to consider on top.

yoshytoshy · 03-12-2009 11:52pm

Just as well the op didn't buy a kitchen from ikea.:eek:

Run_to_da_hills · 04-12-2009 1:04am

yoshytoshy wrote: »

Just as well the op didn't buy a kitchen from ikea.:eek:

Or a toilet

gone_crazry · 04-12-2009 8:10am

And IKEA even has measuring tapes all around the corner in the shop which they give to customers for free...and yet u managed to fail to get 1

Squidgie · 04-12-2009 9:38am

you don't even need a measuring tape in IKEA, the dimensions are wrote all over the box

radkeex · 04-12-2009 11:26am

Canacourse wrote: »

Its not un-sellable at all. A product assembled is not used in my opinion. If the policy specifically mentioned assembled rather then used I wouldn't have had a problem with it. I asked few people if that would consider assembled furniture used (Without going into details) and they didn't but I guess people would have differing opinions on that.

Maybe its because I have returned opened but unused items to Argos (And other places) a few times in the past without any problems that I am so pissed off. The wording of the Argos & Ikea return policies are similar.

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/StaticDisplay/includeName/ReturnsAndRefunds.htm

So You buy a product from Ikea but never take it out of the packaging you can return it. Sounds like a lame policy to me.

Would you as a customer, like to buy something that someone has already purchased and assembled, then returned?

GreeBo · 04-12-2009 7:10pm

Canacourse wrote: »

A product assembled is not used in my opinion.

How exactly do you plan to prove that no one ever sat on this seat, thus rendering it "used"?
Do you really expect us to believe that no one in your house sat on the chair even once when it was up against the table?

Scottie99 · 06-12-2009 5:07pm

Canacourse wrote: »

The Consumer Agency agrees and are looking into it.

So what was the outcome of the Consumer Agency?

exaisle · 13-12-2009 12:03pm

I suspect that the Consumer Agency are too busy p***ing themselves laughing that they're too busy to reply.....

Canacourse.... I suspect that your original rant at IKEA had much more to do with being annoyed with yourself for not having the sense to measure the height of the item that the chair was supposed to match before you went to the store. It seems to me that you are in a very small minority here and your attempt to slag off IKEA has very much backfired. Have the good grace to accept that you've simply made a mistake.

In common with some of the other posters to this thread, I've also returned several items to IKEA in their original packing....simply changed my mind about them....and I was very pleasantly surprised by IKEA's customer service....so much so that although I was offered a cash refund, I chose a store credit instead which I have since used.

IMHO, IKEA's refunds policy is refreshingly simple and straightforward. Would that other retailers would follow suit.

E

Fabvin · 13-12-2009 12:09pm

Maybe in these difficult times if we all took a little time to look at Irish Companies and support them.

Hogzy · 13-12-2009 12:23pm

Fabvin wrote: »

Maybe in these difficult times if we all took a little time to look at Irish Companies and support them.

:rolleyes:

slimjimmc · 13-12-2009 12:45pm

Fabvin wrote: »

Maybe in these difficult times if we all took a little time to look at Irish Companies and support them.

While I agree with supporting indiginous Irish business how would that have prevented the OP making the mistake made already?

Do you think an Irish company would have a more lenient returns policy and refund flatpack furniture that was removed from its packaging, assembled then de-assembled because the customer failed to check it for size?

Beware Ikea

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