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Ikea online ordering
I just wanted to give folks a heads-up about ordering from Ikea online and what a horrible (and expensive) process it is.
Recently, I saw the Jerker computer desk collection and immediatlely liked it. Very functional, and you can add shelves and swing out shelves as accessories. I scoped it out at the Elizabeth, NJ store but it was out of stock.
I turned to the Ikea website and saw that the desk was offered online. Well, let me clarify. The desk combination that I saw on display and listed on their website could only be purchased in person. However, I could order the indvidual pieces ala carte to make up the set, which I did. I placed the order on Fri. evening 8/19.
I received an email confirmation the next morning, but with an indication that no shipping date was set and that I would be contacted within 7 days to confirm my order. I waited about 5 days and then made a call to Ikea's customer service. First off, be prepared for extended wait times. It took about 10 minutes on hold to connect to a customer service rep. When I did get through, the rep confirmed that the order was pending my confirmation of shipping charges. When I asked what shipping would be, she couldn't tell me, indicating that my order did not go to their shipping confirmation team and that I should wait until I heard from them, probably in a day or so.
After 2 days elapsed, I finally called Ikea again requesting status on the order and shipping. This rep indicated now that they were waiting on me to confirm the shipping charge. When I asked how that could be since they never contacted me outside of the original order, she laughed an made a joke of it. When I indicated to her I wanted to confirm the shipping and did I need to speak to someone else, the rep indicated "Oh no, I can do that." I was placed on hold for about 2 minutes and then the rep floored me with the shipping price. On a $199.00 desk, the shipping would be $104.00. When I inquired how they were shipping and that I didn't want any kind of overnight shipping, she tell me that this is based on the standard ground shipping rate.
Also, although Ikea mentions that they use UPS, on large shipments they don't. My order would be shipped via a "local shipping company". So, like a dope (because I really wanted the desk) I agreed to the shipping. The rep then tells me that I would be contacted again withn 2 weeks, no later than Sept. 8. When I asked why so long, the rep indicated that Ikea sends the items to the shipper and then it's the shipper who will contact me to arrange delivery.
A week goes by and I still have not been contacted by the shipper, so again I call Ikea inquiring on the status. Now I'm told "Oh, your order was shipped to the shipper on 8/29". I said "Great, when is the delvery?". I get told that she doesn't know. So I ask who is the shipper, since I'll contact them. All the rep can tell me is that an outfit called "Urban Express" will handle the delivery and I should expect a call. I then said that I would contact them to arrange things, so give me their phone number. Incredibly, the rep tells me that they don't have the phone numbers to their shippers. My telephone number is relayed to the shipper and that I should wait to hear from them.
So now here it is approaching almost 2 weeks from placing the order. All Ikea can tell me is they sent the order to the shipper on 8/29 but can't tell me how to contact them to arrange for delivery. I can't cancel the order because Ikea's purchase policy is that once I OK'd the shipping cost and the item left their warehouse, it cannot be cancelled.
All I can say is "BUYER BEWARE" when shopping Ikea online. I should have Google'd Ikea first because on other websites, there are similar stories of folks enduring Ikea's tortured ordering process and delays of up to 2-3 months for items to be delivered or getting lost in their system.
The irony is that they make such a big deal about the convenience of ordering from their catalog or online. Yet their actual process is just about the worst I've encountered from an online retailer.
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