I don't see why anyone likes IKEA, they suck

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Okay, they may have nice furniture for okay prices. But definitely not beautiful furniture, and definitely not "cheap." That's just to start.

I had never bought furniture from IKEA before. However I was aware of the way the store worked. Browse the show floor, go find what you want in the warehouse, check out and leave.

I picked out a bed, mattress, desk, and chair. The first thing I was not aware of, was that even if you want it delivered, you still have to get it yourself in the warehouse and bring it to delivery. Okay, that's pretty lame, but I guess I can do it, and my total order was only going to be 8 boxes, and they charge $59.99 per 10 boxes to ship, so that's not too bad. Then, I find out that the yellow tag items are not in the warehouse on the first floor, but instead are in the warehouse "across the street," which actually means about a half mile away beyond a very busy traffic light. My desk and bed frame were both yellow tag items. Well that's even more lame, considering I came in my Cobalt. Then I find out that there is no option to even pay someone to go get these items at the warehouse across the street for you.

So I go home pissed and empty handed. No problem, I said, I'll just order it online. More IKEA stupidity follows...

First, the FAQ on the site says ordering online consists of choosing products, filling out addresses, providing payment information, and then completing your order. Funny, because right after I filled out my address it took me to the "order complete" screen, and then they sent me an email saying there was an error with my order and no payment information was received and that someone would call me within 24 hours to rectify the problem. I say okay fine. 24 hours, no call. Next morning I call them. 20 minutes waiting, no answer. Later that day (today) I try again. Woman answers and tries to tell me that the site is supposed to not take payment information at that time. Funny, then why did it say there was an error with my order? Then, she tells me shipping is $300. This is for the same products that totaled 8 boxes in the store for a grand shipping total of $59.99. I ask her why that's so much cheaper than the online shipping price. Her reason? "Because it's a totally different system and you're paying people to do your shopping for you." What a load of BS.

My total with tax and shipping would've been almost $900, for a very basic bed, mattress, desk, and chair. Oh, and they only deliver during 9-5, so I guess I would've had to take off work to receive it.

No thanks, IKEA.
 

thetxstang

Senior member
Sep 30, 2004
542
0
0
I've never understood the big deal about IKEA, either. I have a number of friends in North Carolina that are furniture brokers, and they routinely state that IKEA furniture is of pretty mediocre quality.
 

Savij

Diamond Member
Nov 12, 2001
4,233
0
71
The central purpose of IKEA?s intricate corporate structure appears to be tax avoidance. By funneling its profits through a nonprofit foundation and through a string of shell corporations in various tax havens, IKEA drastically reduces the tax burden it would face with a more straightforward corporate organization.
 

Ktulu

Diamond Member
Dec 16, 2000
4,354
0
0
No friends with a full size truck? My entire apartment is furnished with IKEA mainly too save money. It's not the best quality but when you're trying to save money and want something decent looking IKEA is a good place.
 

Skeeedunt

Platinum Member
Oct 7, 2005
2,777
3
76
The store is admittedly a pain in the ass, but I generally like the style and find it reasonably priced for what you get.
 

Heller

Diamond Member
Jul 10, 2006
6,551
0
0
Originally posted by: Ktulu
No friends with a full size truck? My entire apartment is furnished with IKEA mainly too safe money. It's not the best quality but when you're trying to safe money and wants something decent looking IKEA is a good place.

safe or save?
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
102,365
8,475
126
ikea's beds suck. unless you're a midget. their mattresses blow too, but that is my opinion of all foreign mattresses.


as for cheap, i got a couch for $120, so i can't really say they aren't cheap.
 

Yongsta

Senior member
Mar 6, 2005
675
0
76
Their couches aren't that great but I bought a cofee table, entertainment unit, bookshelf, and computer desks from them and I'm pleased with them. Cheap price, not the highest quality but good enough, and aesthetically pleasing as well. I bought a few lamps from them and a couple broke off by just moving them, so those were really made cheap... I guess it depends on what you buy from them but overall I like them.
 

paulney

Diamond Member
Sep 24, 2003
6,909
1
0
Ikea quality is hit and miss. Some stuff is great, other - I could do better in my woodworking class at high school.
Yes, it is not cheap, so you have to look at the best bang for the buck.
Same thing with design: it's pretty utilitarian and minimalistic, but every now and then they get something right - and it just clicks: 'whoa - this will fit great and look nice'.
You really have to get an ensemble of their furniture for the design to grow on you; most of the individual pieces look horrible by themselves.
 

Ktulu

Diamond Member
Dec 16, 2000
4,354
0
0
Originally posted by: Heller
Originally posted by: Ktulu
No friends with a full size truck? My entire apartment is furnished with IKEA mainly too safe money. It's not the best quality but when you're trying to safe money and wants something decent looking IKEA is a good place.

safe or save?

My bad, fixed. :D
 

archcommus

Diamond Member
Sep 14, 2003
8,115
0
76
Originally posted by: Yongsta
Their couches aren't that great but I bought a cofee table, entertainment unit, bookshelf, and computer desks from them and I'm pleased with them. Cheap price, not the highest quality but good enough, and aesthetically pleasing as well. I bought a few lamps from them and a couple broke off by just moving them, so those were really made cheap... I guess it depends on what you buy from them but overall I like them.
I'm not really commenting on the quality of their furniture, just the awful store and web shopping experience. They really should offer direct home delivery without having to bring the items to delivery yourself. Or if not that, I shouldn't have to drive across the street to pick up the item, to then bring back across the street to delivery. And $300 for shipping when buying online is a complete joke. Who ever heard of such a thing? Value City Furniture will ship EVERYTHING you buy in one visit for a flat $79.99.

I only have one friend with a full size truck, and I don't really want to ask him to do such a chore for me. I might go to VCF.
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,642
3,512
136
Originally posted by: archcommus
Originally posted by: Yongsta
Their couches aren't that great but I bought a cofee table, entertainment unit, bookshelf, and computer desks from them and I'm pleased with them. Cheap price, not the highest quality but good enough, and aesthetically pleasing as well. I bought a few lamps from them and a couple broke off by just moving them, so those were really made cheap... I guess it depends on what you buy from them but overall I like them.
I'm not really commenting on the quality of their furniture, just the awful store and web shopping experience. They really should offer direct home delivery without having to bring the items to delivery yourself. Or if not that, I shouldn't have to drive across the street to pick up the item, to then bring back across the street to delivery. And $300 for shipping when buying online is a complete joke. Who ever heard of such a thing? Value City Furniture will ship EVERYTHING you buy in one visit for a flat $79.99.

I only have one friend with a full size truck, and I don't really want to ask him to do such a chore for me. I might go to VCF.

No kidding. I've never been in one but if any store told me to go get my own crap out of the warehouse (and then ANOTHER warehouse?) I'd tell them to shove it. Then the whole thing about them "doing your shopping for you". What is that? That would be like Barnes & Noble's website charging extra for pulling the book off the shelf. :confused:

An Ikea just opened here in Portland, but it looks like I'll skip it.
 

LegendKiller

Lifer
Mar 5, 2001
18,256
68
86
I like their Markor stuff. The wood is soft, but it looks great. For furniture that'll last ~5-6 years it's at a great price.
 

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
ugh thats a strange store, the ones i went to didn't seemto be split into two warehouses:p

the stuff is cheap and well, its better designed/made that cheap stuff at other big box stores that don't specialize in such things. if you buy the slightly nicer stuff made with some real wood instead of particle board its actually decent.

as for the b*tching about getting your own stuff, well duh, thats how they offer their low prices. they save on stuff like not giving full service and building your stuff for you, its how ikea works. to complain about it seems idiotic, you should have gone to a fancy prebuild full service store and paid atleast double.


"The central purpose of IKEA?s intricate corporate structure appears to be tax avoidance. By funneling its profits through a nonprofit foundation and through a string of shell corporations in various tax havens, IKEA drastically reduces the tax burden it would face with a more straightforward corporate organization."

yea their ownership structure is mind boggling...
 

senseamp

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
35,787
6,197
126
Aside from the wood hangers, I am not really a big fan of Ikea. I think you are better off buying used quality furniture off craigslist.
 

michaels

Banned
Nov 30, 2005
4,329
0
0
Ikea is just one of those places that pseudo-trendy turds praise like Target, Starbuck's etc.