I've got to go Ikea and it shouldn't be this hard.

[TheQueef]

I like the stuff ...but...
It's like planning an Arctic expedition I even factor in a snack for my old Dad so he doesn't flag half way through.
I only want some shelves and sandwich bags
I want to give them my money, why do they make it so hard?
It's more endurance than Iron Man.
You shouldn't need the ordinance survey map just to grab some drinking glasses.
AIBU, it's too hard isn't it?

Wish me luck, remember me if I fall.

Last time I went for a proper shopping trip, they didn't have what I wanted. I had to go to wilko across the car park. I was shocked!

There was a car park fight in out local one ( car vacating space on a corner , lines of traffic both sides of the right angle . Both car drivers believing the space was "theirs" )

I have a 365 milkpan I picked up in the clearance for £2 , it is brilliant . I would definately buy the non stick 365 full price .
(No-one mentioned The Clearance Corner ? Near the exit in ours)

Tie the end of a long ball of string to the front railings , unroll it as you go.
Buy Daim bar minis
Ignore the cinnamon rolls (for they are naff)
Buy lots of glassware
And scissors
Snigger childishly at the names of items
Have an ice-cream with bat's blood (raspberry) on the way out .

Job Done

Evening is the time to go, very quiet then. Or when a football/ rugby final is on.
Our cafe is perfectly placed half way round, and even the teenage boy comes to ikea ( usually attached to his bedroom) for the meatballs and apple cake.
We did once have to wake up the driver of the car in front after we’d waited to exit the car park for 30 mins, but that was just before Christmas when there was still a Toys R us next door.

I love IKEA! I'd love a trip but IKEA and PGP don't mix so I had to order online. It's not the same.

My DH is some kind of IKEA ninja, he knows all the shortcuts and can whip through and grab the thing he wants in minutes. I make him go alone because I can't stand it.

I swear there are people there, who have been wandering round since the day it opened looking for the exit!

Are literacy levels particularly low in Coventry? 😂

Ikea is a hellhole. Anyone pretending otherwise clearly just needs to visit any other shop in britain to see how totally shite it is.

I used to live near one and this was okay, could go anytime had a decent layout, wondered what all the fuss was about.

Then we moved and now it's an hour away and its fucking aweful. Like I can navigate it fine but it's just endless, the furniture is not organised. And the reason it's so quiet on a wednesday morning or whatever is because most people work and can't go midweek. I'm still scarred from last time and the furniture is all crap anyway

Anyone pretending otherwise clearly just needs to visit any other shop in britain to see how totally shite it is.

Nope.

Going to go today now for meatballs and chips. And to check out the Christmas decs

What on earth are you talking about? You want shelves and sandwich bags. Go to the Ikea website, look up the shelves and get their location. Go straight through the tills and see if the sandwich bags are there (they normally are). If not go to the market section, pick up bags and come back to the warehouse to pick the shelves up. Ten minutes maximum!

I don’t understand why it takes people so long to walk through it when they claim they just want to grab a few things and go. If you aren’t stopping every few steps to look at stuff it only takes 20-30 minutes to get in and out, less if you use the shortcuts and walk fast. If you know exactly what you want and check where to find it beforehand you can easily be done in 10 minutes.

It’s only an ordeal if you make it one.

I went yesterday in school holidays dc loved it. 45 mins in crèche, they were fab with ds who has asd , while older dd and I had coffee and meatballs. Then walked round and they chose a toy each in the kids section. Ice cream at the end. Don’t see why people find it stressful.
Don’t understand

Ignore extra don’t understand!

We used to live near the MK one.
Escalator to first floor not second. Cut through toll to warehouse. Locate item, back through tills and out.

Anyone pretending otherwise clearly just needs to visit any other shop in britain to see how totally shite it is.

I take it you've never been to an Argos.

@Toddlerteaplease found your post a bit strange as IKEA Coventry has a decent layout. There’s literally lifts to take you exactly where you need to go eg child’s crèche, tills/warehouse, marketplace etc as they’re each on separate floors - it’s one of the stores that you can absolutely avoid the showroom and avoid getting lost?

To be fair notso I also hate argos! I hate any shop where you are supposed to look at the item and then get it from a different location

Ikea might be alright if you know exactly what you want and can go straight to it in the warehouse, but if you want to see the furniture in the flesh, or browse it's a nightmare. I've never been in just to buy sandwich bags because Tesco takes about 1/10 of the time

I don't really think I should have to look on a shops website to browse and then find where it is in the shop to make going to a shop a simple experience. That's still a lot of work compared to the majority of shops.

I only went the once. I still have nightmares. I have been in escape rooms easier to get out of than that hell hole.

It’s only an ordeal if you make it one.

Honestly.

I have been to 3 stores across the UK this month as I have just moved cities. Each with different layouts, yet my several visits have been problem free each time.

It’s absolutely possible to be in and out in less than 10 minutes - just don’t faff? Prior to your visit, add the items you want into a shopping list on their website. In store, go on their website on your phone, select your local store and it will tell where to find each item within the store.

Easy - if you know what you want, don't go through the showroom. Then, use the shortcuts which are on the map to cut out bits of the marketplace that you don't need to go through. You could be done in 10 mins, tops.

Their home delivery costs are astronomical so I wouldn’t advise that unless absolutely desperate.

I always feel the same way, I think most people do. I only go if we desperately need something, DH and I usually end up arguing in there.

Get there at opening.
Use toilet.
Eat £1 bacon roll with free tea.
Collect yellow bag with small trolley.
Go around showroom. This will take 60-90 mins. Take photos of furniture and warehouse location. Put anything you want into the yellow bag now because you'll never find it later.
Meatball time! Plus more tea.
Toilet break.
Hit the warehouse.
A true professional would put all purchases in the car and go back to go round the food section and buy a coffee and an ice cream for the road.

It's the parking that gets me, despite being a huge car park it is always jam packed, no matter what time of day! I would get public transport, but don't really fancy trying to carry a bedframe on the bus. I like it inside though, there are usually shortcuts if you follow the arrows which allow you to miss out chunks.

I really wouldn't bother going, order shelves from literally anywhere else online, and buy sandwich bags from Tesco.... why go to IKEA?

Don’t forget to buy tealights