or were they being total 'jobsworth' meltdown in Ikea

[Ceci03]

So bit of a long one but... I applied for the ikea finance thingy, it's no interest so seemed good. Got the virtual card - its like a bank card, and on the website it said you had to show it at the till and then they would key in the numbers. So went on Fri eve, took about 3 hours to do all the shopping, mainly a bed, but you know what it's like there. Got to the till, and the guy said I had to have the app. What app? Ikea finance app, he said. So there I was trying to download this app at the till with people queueing behind me. When it finally downwloaded it said I couldnt use it as it needed 14+ update.

So then a 'manager' came over and said I could "do it" online. So she directed me to this website for the finance company. But I couldnt log in as it said I needed a family card number, but I don't have a family card.

She suggested I go over to the doors to get better reception on wifi. I said it wasnt the wifi that was the problem!

I then tried to login in the ikea finance website, but for some reason my phone kept doing the 'circle of doom'. - When I got home I tried it again, and it still did it, only conclusion is that my phone isn't new enough.

So I begged her, to let me use the card. She said no as she "didnt know it was me". So I had to just leave all the stuff and go home.

So back again on Saturday. I tried logging in on my laptop, which is how I applied for the loan and it worked perfectly. So I rang customer service, and said could I show my laptop at the till, no problem.

When I got there to be sure, I found a manager at the till, and explained the problem. I said I didnt want to do all my shopping and then get to the till and the same thing happened, so could I show her beforehand. OK she said. So I pulled out the laptop but couldnt login!!!!!!!!! I think it was the ikea wifi wasnt strong enough. So I went away and was able to connect using my mobile hotspot. Went back and tried to find her but she kept moving away and chatting to her colleagues and ignoring me. In the end after about 15 mins of me standing there trying to get her attention I went up and said 'excuse me' and tried explaining again. I showed her how I had logged in, and she could see the card etc. But... she said the rule was I had to show it at the till when I got there. I said but what if my laptop plays up and I cant get logged in, you've seen it now, cant you say that I can definitely use it? No, she said. I said that it didn't say anything about that on their website, and shouldnt it be a bit clearer. She said no, it was very clear, and nobody else had ever had a problem. It was getting a bit heated now, well I was getting upset. I asked her a few more times but she wouldnt budge. I jsut burst out crying, I was just at the end of my tether. I felt like screaming at the bloody mindedness of the whole thing. Eventually another manager came over, and he took me to a seat, and he phoned another manager, and then another manager, and eventually they said ok, they had seen me login, and "knew it was me", and if I did my shopping I would be able to use the card.

I'm still upset, stupid I know. I'm thinking as well is this just discrimination against people who don't have top of the range phones? I mean my phone works perfect for everything, just not this for some reason. It's a 12 update I think. So it's not ancient or anything. Surely they need to have some flexibility if the technology is not working?

Thanks for reading if you've gotten this far. I honestly don't know what I could have done different...?? I've tried to contact the bank they set up, Ikano , but impossible to get a response...

thanks I never heard of wayfair. Safe to say I will never be going to ikea again. I suppose if I had cash I might - oh no, wait, they dont accept cash ha ha ha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I never gave signal in IKEA either OP. Was it MK? Sounds like a ridiculous situation.

@Fubitch omg thank you :) I feel like crying again that a couple of people seem to understand. I was really made to feel like I was the biggest thicko that ever walked the planet.

Twitter is your friend OP, ask Ikea on there!

You don't seem to understand what a virtual card is.

@ivykaty44 Don't worry, it's not complicated at all if you read the simple instructions 😉

@SheABitSpicyToday

I’m sorry but it’s not ikeas fault you have an old phone.

But it is ikeas fault that their app and finance options don’t appear to be available to anyone who doesn’t have a certain spec of phone, it’s ridiculous if there’s no other way than having a particular piece of tech.

Just don't shop there again.

I am with you OP, my phone is only a couple of years old but won't let me download NHS covid app (what a shame..........

@callmeadoctor

Twitter is your friend OP, ask Ikea on there!

Yes publicly complaining that someone couldn't follow a process so it's ikea's fault... I don't think that's the best solution...

That sounds like a bloody nightmare - not surprised you were frustrated. Have you tried contacting them by email or via SM? Apologies if I’ve missed that.

It does feel like we’re being conditioned into renewing our phones more often than we’d like - and whether or not it’s discriminatory from a local POV it’s obvious that there’s a level of discrimination at play, whether that’s financial, IT literacy, or whatever. Services should be open, accessible and available to everyone, not just those with the latest OS.

Annoyed, thats not hugely sympathetic is it?

Get an android phone stop buggering around with apple

You don't need latest tech if you aren't wanting a credit🤷🏻

But why should a requirement of getting credit be having access to a certain phone.

Legal not local

@LawnFever

You don't need latest tech if you aren't wanting a credit🤷🏻

But why should a requirement of getting credit be having access to a certain phone.

The requirement to access a credit can be ehatever the provider wants it to be imho.

I also highly doubt it's only for the latest Iphones. Would make very little business sense...

@LawnFever

You don't need latest tech if you aren't wanting a credit🤷🏻

But why should a requirement of getting credit be having access to a certain phone.

Surely it's only a requirement if you want credit with a virtual card? Apple make it quite clear that after a certain point, phones will no longer get software updates, which makes certain apps unusable.

Yes publicly complaining that someone couldn't follow a process so it's ikea's fault... I don't think that's the best solution...

The OP can’t follow the process because the phone she has available won’t allow it, it’s not her who can’t follow it, it is Ikeas fault that they’ve linked access to their credit with having a particular type of phone, which is nothing to do with the actual credit process.

It comes down to poor customer service, op. You did nothing wrong and they were lucky that you returned a second day to give them your custom. Don't think any more about it. I would have been banging my head against the wall in frustration.

OP, I’ve had a look at the app in question and have changed my mind since my initial reply, the reviews for it are AWFUL, no wonder you were frustrated

@SheABitSpicyToday

I’m sorry but it’s not ikeas fault you have an old phone.

So anyone who wants to use this credit facility has to have a fairly recent phone?

What a bonkers idea, when we're encouraged not to make unnecessary purchases for environmental reasons. I don't replace my phones until they break, and I think it's a real waste of resources to do otherwise.

@fabulousathome

Can you order online in future and have it delivered? It might be worth the delivery cost?

The IKEA delivery cost is £30 so not cheap but felt worth every penny last time I went as we needed a bed and sofa ( which would obviously need delivery anyway) and we were using public transport. They let me put EVERYTHING we'd bought in the delivery right down to a couple of packs of biscuits which we left by accident. £30 we'd have paid anyway not to have to carry a thing felt almost a bargain!

It does sound extremely frustrating OP..I get upset with technology problems like that to and it would have been enough to me me cry especially coming at the end of the IKEA shopping experience which is enough in itself to make me want to lie down sobbing with exhaustion

And, of course way too late as usual...... If I remember, you needed a Family Card (and therefore number) to log into the Wifi... So maybe that caused the login problem...?

(Your own data plan might have allowed you to connect?)
Regardless of the phone/OS/whatever... which seems very wrong and counterproductive..... although only very loosely "discriminatory", I would think.

I do realise this is after the horse has bolted.... But it did just occur to me when I looked at the Ikea site (which is how I got my hard copy Ikea Family card) to see if it still gets holders free coffees. (It does.)

@Fubitch

It comes down to poor customer service, op. You did nothing wrong and they were lucky that you returned a second day to give them your custom. Don't think any more about it. I would have been banging my head against the wall in frustration.

I agree. However - what model is your phone? If you still have 12 it may be at least as old as iPhone 6 from 2014? If so YABU to be surprised that the app doesn't work as this is exactly Apple's way of working!

@AlfonsoTheMango

I'm still upset, stupid I know. I'm thinking as well is this just discrimination against people who don't have top of the range phones?

What is your protected characteristic that makes it discrimination?

Discrimination is an actual word you know, it’s been around a lot longer than the equalities act. As has condescending.

@LakieLady
So anyone who wants to use this credit facility has to have a fairly recent phone?

Although I sort of agree with you, how long do you expect developers to work within constraints of old phones? The “latest” iphone that doesn’t support “14+” was released seven years ago, in 2014. Anything released after that supports it.