Are the IKEA queues as bad as the look? Really want to go to Gateshead

[worldsworststepfordwife]

Decorated the two teenagers bedrooms last week and would love to take one of the girls to ikea for the stuff that would finish the rooms off but there’s queuing and there’s what I saw on the news yesterday. Was anyone in that Gateshead queue yesterday? How bad was it really?

I read somewhere people were queuing up to 3 hours outside. No piece of furniture it worth that.

In normal times I always go to Ikea in the evenings cos it’s so quiet. I guess even now it will probably be quiet if you can go later? I think they are open til 10pm (or at least my local one is). Could you go after 8pm?

Only if you are bonkers.
I mean in normal times it's bonkers to do what's been shown on the news but in a pandemic?

Don't get me wrong I need sandwich bags as much as the next but fuckin ell.
Look at the BBC news pictures.

I think the opening hours have been reduced so open until 8pm, not 10.
I would not go at the moment, looks like hell on earth with the queues.

Someone shared a video yesterday a woman had made whilst in the queue. She was moaning the queues were a 'joke' and how there must be about 1000 people there, she was about number 500. She had absolutely no idea the queue was only a joke because of her and people like her.

Anyway, back to the question, don't go to IKEA. Nobody needs anything that badly.

Lol I know you’re all right half the people are there are just bored and desperate for something to do I’d be daft to put myself through it

I’ll leave till the 15th when the bored people are outside Primark instead lol!!

I dont understand. Have they heard of the internet.

Surprised to see people queuing with little children. If I turned up with a three year old and saw a queue like that, I wouldn’t join it. 5 mile line in blistering sun with no shade. Way too much of an ask of them.

My friend drove 45 minutes to Warrington yesterday. Took one look at the queue. Turned around and drove home again!

They deliver - I know it's expensive at £29, but if you're ordering a load of stuff / furniture surely it's worth it.

Isn't most stuff still being delivered online anyway? I don't really understand people queuing for hours for stuff you can buy online. We've bought plenty during lockdown without leaving our homes!

@Langsdestiny

I dont understand. Have they heard of the internet.

Ikea themselves would be the first to admit their online shopping has been a shit show these last few months, they could have improved their offering, kept customers ticking over and made an absolute killing in the process, instead it’s been so bad they may as well have gone off the radar completely, hence the queues now

I mentioned to DH yesterday that I fancied a trip to IKEA just for the queue... 3hrs without the children (leaving them at home with him) sounded like bliss!

We needed some furniture recently. I knew IKEA was reopening, but the thought of the queues put me off and their online message didn't give me confidence that items would be delivered any time soon, so I ordered from Wayfair instead and it came within days.

We were only charged £9 delivery for our grandchild’s nursery furniture prior to all of this. Maybe it was an error?

We ordered a 4/5 bits of furniture - maybe that's why the delivery was £29, but it came no problem.

I did order about a week before the stores re-opened and got a call from the local store to say the first thing they were doing was getting online orders out from the store stock, so they moved my delivery forward and I had the stuff the next day.

I went to Ikea in Exeter yesterday late afternoon. It had calmed down and we only queued for five minutes.

I guess it depends how close you are, I’m only ten minutes away, so if it had been busy I’d have just come home. Wouldn’t want to risk driving a long way.

Go towards the end, I do this with all shops, gardening centres and supermarkets and never queue

I arrived at 6pm and walked straight in, got what I needed as was out within 45min v civilised and there was a lovely clean smell all around would happily buy whatever cleaning products they use

Yes they are, we went at 6am and was waiting for 4 hours, such nightmare.

Everything we'd want isn't available for delivery (desks, wardrobes). I think we'll go elsewhere or wait a few months.