Ikea, wont sell spare parts

fguihen

Here's the story.

I bought a bookcase from Ikea. When i got it home it had 2 parts missing. I had to go back to the store to get the spare parts! I didn't make too much fuss, they made a mistake, big deal.

Now, when putting the unit together, I damaged a part. I rang them and asked them if they would sell me a spare part, at my own expense as it was my fault it was damaged.

Im told i have to purchase a whole unit, no exceptions! So, even though they screwed up, and i was ok about it, now that i need some help they refuse point blank to help.

Also, their complaints dept is snail mail only. I have not sent a written letter in years! is this a way to dissuade people from complaining?

Anyone else have problems with Ikea and how do you deal with it? Their call center staff for the most part just want to end the call, get you off the line as quickly as possible, rather than actually help you.

They have now lost any future custom from me, however, any idea how i might try to get a spare part so i dont have to throw out a whole unit?

rubadub

What is the part? could something be used in its place.

lostdesign

Thats pretty bad form on Ikea's part, you should always be able to get spare parts, i mean its no skin off their nose's just hassle for them supplying them I suppose!

Hafele and Hettich are two of the biggest furniture component suppliers, see if you can find the part your looking for in their catalogues through the links below.

http://www.hafele.com/ie/ (Enter as a guest on the right hand menu to browse catalogue)

http://www.hettich.com/blaetterkataloge/TA_2008/en_DE/blaetterkatalog/

Both these companies are more geared towards business users and usually sell items in quantities but Hafele may be able to help you out, failing that once you find the part required and the correct name, checkout B&Q, Homebase, Woodies, local DIY supplier etc and you should be able to pick something up that does the job and salavges your unit!

Nody

lostdesign wrote: »

Thats pretty bad form on Ikea's part, you should always be able to get spare parts, i mean its no skin off their nose's just hassle for them supplying them I suppose!

You clearly don't understand the Ikea model if you don't see why Ikea would not sell spare parts.

stepbar

Nody wrote: »

You clearly don't understand the Ikea model if you don't see why Ikea would not sell spare parts.

But you clearly do. Please do explain...... I await with bated breath.....

Ste.phen

I'm not sure why they don't sell the spare part the OP wants, but they *do* sell some spare parts, there's a vending machine with the smaller screws and things, and the customer service desk has a spare parts ordering sign too..

smelltheglove

If you went in to get some parts that were missing from the original item I could almost guarantee, through working in DIY before, that they simply opened another box to get your parts and will return it to their supplier as an incomplete unit.

If I were you I would go up to the customer services, explain you were already left short some parts and now one part is damged, ask in the nicest way possible is there any chance they could get you that part from the package they opened. Remember be nice, this is the department I worked in and trust me, from experience of dealing with customers in these situations, I was always happy to help in anyway possible but if someone became irritated I had to call management and they werent always so willing to help.

You could even try the floor staff covering that department or call and ask for someone in the warehouse and ask them as thats where the incomplete item would be. Its no loss to them, a unit will be sent back as incomplete anyway so it wont cost them at all. It was common practise where I worked before anyway.

Just be nice and courteous about it, afterall they wil be doing you a favour by doing this. Also do it quickly as if the suppleir has already collected the returns you'll have no chance of getting your part.

fguihen

Ste.phen wrote: »

I'm not sure why they don't sell the spare part the OP wants, but they *do* sell some spare parts, there's a vending machine with the smaller screws and things, and the customer service desk has a spare parts ordering sign too..

Im afraid its not some of the smaller parts. Its a bookcase, and its the very top of the bookcase. I stepped on it and cracked it.

If I were you I would go up to the customer services, explain you were already left short some parts and now one part is damged, ask in the nicest way possible is there any chance they could get you that part from the package they opened. Remember be nice, this is the department I worked in and trust me, from experience of dealing with customers in these situations, I was always happy to help in anyway possible but if someone became irritated I had to call management and they werent always so willing to help.

I was going to try this, but I have lost the receipt and so this wont work without the receipt.

Their customer services is awful also. I rang up the first time, and was told they might have spares, and to call to the store. I said its too far for me to drive up on the offchance there "might" be something for me. she said there was nothing i could do. I asked if they could ring the store and confirm. for a few mins she tried to pretend that they dont use phones in the store, but eventually she tried ringing them and again told me they dont do spares.

rang a 2nd time got a different guy who said ikea was happy to sell me a spare part, and to call to the store. I dug a bit deeper with him and found out that he was assuming they would open a finished unit and take out the spare part for me. again, i got him to ring the store and he found out he was wrong and they wouldnt open a finished unit, which is fair enough.

I then asked if they could order in a part and id collect it when it got in, but then the guy decided to go with the "no spares at all" policy, so thats that. a lot of inconsistency with thier customer support though.

Im done with them anyway. Argos stuff, although not as pretty, is as good ( well, as good as chip board flat packs can be), and is the same price, if not cheaper.

just very annoyed how they have zero interest in after sales consumer issues.

looksee

As someone else has hinted, there is a good reason for Ikea not offering spare parts. People shop at Ikea because it is cheap and good.
It is cheap because it is mass produced with maximum efficiency. If they were to keep a warehouse full of parts of everything they make, just on the off-chance that it might be needed, they would need extra staff and storage.
They would have to organise not only taking an order for a part, processing the order, the part would have to be sourced at the warehouse, packed and despatched, transported (from the UK or wherever), received at the store, stored, the customer advised, item removed from the store, and invoiced. The customer then comes back complaining that he has paid good money for the part and it doesn't match the rest of the piece of furniture.
If you did the same to an item of Argos furniture I think you would have the exact same situation.

AlwaysAmber

What do you expect them to do? This isn't a screw or nut that's broken (which they would replace), you've broken the actual bookcase.

I think it's insane that anyone would expect Ikea to carry spares for what you want. For one simple item like your bookcase, that would mean they'd probably have to stock an extra 10 items at least.

penexpers

AlwaysAmber wrote: »

What do you expect them to do? This isn't a screw or nut that's broken (which they would replace), you've broken the actual bookcase.

I think it's insane that anyone would expect Ikea to carry spares for what you want. For one simple item like your bookcase, that would mean they'd probably have to stock an extra 10 items at least.

I would agree with this. A shelf is not really a spare part, more an integral part of the bookcase.

Ikea do have a supply of spare screws etc.. I had to get a replacement screw for a bookcase and they had no problems supplying it.

lostdesign

fguihen wrote: »

Now, when putting the unit together, I damaged a part. I rang them and asked them if they would sell me a spare part, at my own expense as it was my fault it was damaged.

I wrongly assumeed by spare part you meant a screw or hinge or other such component which I believe Ikea should supply if needed but not a shelf or other major part.

I have to aggree with the other posters on this about it being way to costly for them to hold spares of this kind.

I know you say you wont deal with Ikea again but I doubt Argos would supply a spare part/major part of this nature either!

palooza

fguihen wrote: »

Im afraid its not some of the smaller parts. Its a bookcase, and its the very top of the bookcase. I stepped on it and cracked it.

What type of bookcase is it? For some types IKEA sell additional shelves which could be used to replace the top, with a little rework.

Edit:
The ones I am familiar with are Billy. Extra shelves come in packs of 2.

The neat approach would be to use dowels, which would mean drilling some new holes to accomodate them, and using wood glue on them to hold the structure together.

The less neat approach would be to use screws suitable for chipboard. You would need to drill holes of suitable diameter (a bit less than the diameter of the thread) to accomodate the screws , and then countersink the holes the accomodate the heads of the screws. Then , after assembly, use a little wood filler to hide the screw heads.

JimsAlterEgo

OP would you expect this from any furniture shop?

fguihen

I know you say you wont deal with Ikea again but I doubt Argos would supply a spare part/major part of this nature either!

Ive had similar dealings with Argos before, where a part broke druing assembly. Rather than make me bring back the whole thing, they just took a part from another set, and gave it to me. I offered to pay, assuming i broke the part but was told its fine, they will just flag it as a missing part.

I have to aggree with the other posters on this about it being way to costly for them to hold spares of this kind.

Regarding your point that it would cost them lots to supplyl spare parts. Sure, yea, i get ya. But i offered to pay. I offered to wait until the next shipment is in so they would not have to ship it specially. pretty much zero expense to them in this case.

would you expect this from any furniture shop?

If its an oak cabinet, nice solid wood type job, then no. i wouldnt expect it. when its chip board/paperboard flatpack disposable furniture, then yes, i do expect it. I can see this type of thing happening quite abit ( yahoo groups has lots of posts on this).

The neat approach would be to use dowels, which would mean drilling some new holes to accomodate them, and using wood glue on them to hold the structure together.

I have done this, wood glue, dowels, screws, and eventually a bit of iron on formica will leave the cabinet in a useable state as long as its not moved too much.

Along with the zero expense to them, I actually liked ikea and would have seriously considered purchasing a fitted kitchen from them in the next year or so.

so, its not just a small 1 item sale they are losing out on, I will not purchase anything there.

Yea, im just one guy, what difference will my money make? Prob none, but Im still of the opinion that you vote with your feet. if your not happy, go elsewhere. Last angry man, probably , but this is half the problem of why this country is how it is, folks will just fork out money, not ask questions, not shop around for a better deal ( price wise or service wise), and keep giving money to companies who have been shafting them for years.

As im not going to get a resolution here, and Ikea have made their stand, this thread is now pointless and should be locked, that ok Mods?

Bogger77

perhaps you should be more careful when assembling flat pack furniture, it seems to be a habit that you have in breaking them during assembly.

as said above, a major part of the carcus of a bookshelf is not a spare part.

fguihen

Bogger77 wrote: »

perhaps you should be more careful when assembling flat pack furniture, it seems to be a habit that you have in breaking them during assembly.

as said above, a major part of the carcus of a bookshelf is not a spare part.

jes, thanks for the advice. Only for you have brought this to my attention I would have driven over the next flatpack i get i hopes it will make it easier to assemble! Much obliged friend!

Im well aware this was my fault, ive stated it many times on the thread. The point of the thread is how companies like Ikea deal with after sales queries.

chewythefirst

IKEA have over 9000 products "fact" and you want them to hold onto spare parts for all of them. ridicules! even just to hold onto spare for the furniture would be crazy. as for getting the spare part sent from the supplier never going to happen. and it would cost them in some way even if by a mericul that they could do that.

i think you need to stop moaning about a very good company and start forking out to get some professional in to build your furniture for you next time.

dudara

chewythefirst Please note that the original thread is approx. 18 months old. There is no need to resurrect it.

dudara