To feel that IKEA is just a joke?

[TeaCake5]

What is the deal with general shit service from IKEA, lets excuse the fact for a moment about the stupid layout, shit food and divorce inducing stress of a trip there.

I wanted to pick up an item today - I go on-line to check - yes listed as being in stock. Go to the showroom part, staff member gives me code as it was missing from item - checks computer showing "4 in stock". Go to collection part - none on shelf, out of stock label placed.

Approach staff member at desk - tells me there are four in stock, rolls eyes when I tell him none and shelf, asks are you checking the right place? Much muttering and sighing then takes me to place - sure enough, out of stock as I knew! When shown the website on my phone showing "in stock" (as their system did) just shrugged, walked off said "pop in another day". Could have thrown a "billy" bookcase at him the surly bastard.

Well fuck off IKEA, never again. Why to people rave about this place? If I wanted this 30 quid item delivered then it would be £35 delivery charge.

That magnet board will be in the Home Organisation department in the Marketplace. It's where all the plastic boxes, coat hangers etc are.

NotMe, what a fab story.

You have to keep that receipt to show your DC when they're older.

I don't understand what magnet board - isn't that what your fridge door is for?!

Nope, mag board is for my office

Not with the other boards. I think it's sometimes with kitchen stuff

Besides, fridge is built in

The problem with the online stock check is that it's getting information from a system that's only updated in the morning before the store opens. If stock goes missing (and there's so many ways stuff can go missing between delivery and getting to the tills) it can't be wiped off the system until the next day - this is because those missing items could be in someone's trolley stuck 'round the corner whilst they go for coffee, or someone's picked them up and then changed their mind and dumped them in a random space on the other side of the warehouse. Having said that, whilst it's impossible to have 100% stock accuracy it is possible to have bloody good customer service so a bit of a fail there.

I'm pretty fond of IKEA, they pay me decent wages and try really hard to be good employers (we've had our differences in the past) but it's not the easiest place to work. Lots of stressed people equals a fair amount of verbal shenanigans and after 8+ hours at the weekend tempers can be short.

NotMe, what a fab story. You have to keep that receipt to show your DC when they're older
Welling up. Lovely!! Have a friend who is trying to adopt. She will love this - thanks for sharing.

I was in checkout at Ikea on a Saturday morning, massive queues, when the ENTIRE IT system went down. That was interesting.

I do not love it, but then, I do not love shopping generally.

However, the value for money cannot be beaten, at least half of my furniture comes from there & their office furniture is top notch.

I ninja it - no cafe stops.
Always bring the biggest possible vehicle you can beg, borrow or steal. I have never paid for delivery.
I am a dab hand with an Allen key.

I love IKEA and I loved the idea of their kitchens but in reality it was the worst least fun 3000 piece jigsaw ever.
And half of it didn't fit or even arrive

Still I like going for a wander and buying pointless crap.
Ours is 4 hours away tho so it's a novelty

A month or so ago there was a bit of a craze where teenagers would go to IKEA, hide within one of the display rooms until the shop closed and have a sleepover
Genius!

There is one opening near me verrrry soon and I cannot wait! DH refuses to go and my car is tiny but I will be frequent visitor once it opens.

I love the 'IKEA hacks' website - like making a child's bookcase out if the £2 spicerack, or turning a 2x2 Kallax into a dolls' house.

Is it only me who calls the Kallax the Chillax cos I can't remember its chuffing name? It'll always be Expedit to me....

Wicks Love the sleepover idea! I've always wanted to have a party/sleepover in a large furniture store.

Just a thought - if stuff doesn't fit in people's cars, why don't they sell trailers/roof racks near the checkouts?

I wanted a certain type of cutlery set from Ikea that I'd had my eye on but never got round to buying.
By the time I actually went to get it, the store had no stock of it left so was gutted.
Went to Australia a few weeks later and found it in the Perth Ikea and bought it from there!
That cutlery set went into my suitcase and then onto Hong Kong and back to blighty.

@BBCNewsRave They used to many years ago, or at least the one in Croydon used to hire them out. I guess it got too complicated, too many different cars and sizes needed.

I love IKEA. The meatballs, the mattresses, the hilarious little USB reading lights. But I go with a list, and take a sense of humour.

Aww NotMe that's made me go all warm and fuzzy! And even if you could have done it somewhere else - John Lewis or Mothercare or whatever, it would have cost at least 3-4 times as much, I bet!

moan was that ikea Milton Keynes? That was evacuated twice on Wednesday. I had to drive a long way home without my purchase

I bum Ikea so much.

My children think it is a gigantic theme park and pretend each room set is some fantasy world. They pretend to be babies in high chairs and with toys, business people in the desk areas and various types of couples in the living rooms/kitchens. I once rounded a corner to find one pretending to have a poo and the other in the shower. They are 11 and 13... My favourite was when a couple opened a wardrobe and my daughter came out asking them (clearly on the verge of divorce) where she was and what country. "But I'm supposed to be in Abu Dhabi!" she despaired before going back inside. We have to go to Ikea at least twice a year otherwise they get twitchy.

And I've had some of the furniture for years. I once bought wardrobes from Argos and they fell apart around us only a few days after purchase.

I love your daughter's country travelling wardrobe!