I recently (22nd May 2023) visited IKEA Uppsala to buy an L-Shaped Sofa Bed for my new apartment in Knivsta (A town outside Uppsala). As I went through the store, I reached the Cirkulär butik section of Ikea. They sell second hand furniture, which is barely used, but in a good condition there. It probably also adds up to the apparent “sustainability” initiative for IKEA as it promotes the use of pre-used products.
To start with this horrible experience, we asked a representative working in the Cirkulär Butik, how we could buy the sofa we wanted. She explained the process, and it was very simple. You buy the sofa, take it to the logistics/delivery department, pack it (interesting, as I am paying for it.) and give it to them. They deliver it to you on your booking date.
As step 1, my wife went to the logistics section to enquire about the possible delivery dates for the sofa bed. We get information from logistics that the sofa can be delivered to our apartment between 2nd and 7th June 2023. We double confirmed the availability for the delivery on 03 June 2023 (Saturday) and received a confirmation that the date is available.
We got the confirmation, took the label from the sofa, paid for it ~7000 SEK ($650) and went back to the sofa placed in the circular butik section.
I requested help from the Cirkulär butik personnel to help me move the sofa to the logistics department as it was very heavy. They denied any help whatsoever and asked me to take 2 trollies on the either side of the sofa and manage it myself. I then called a friend to IKEA and he helped me in lifting the sofa (horizontally) and put it on 2 trollies to go out of the check-out gate. Interestingly, the horizontal sofa did not fit through the check-out gate and the IKEA personnel there requested me to flip it vertical to move it out. Me and my friend had another strenuous task to take care of flipping the sofa. We made the effort as we had already paid for it and made it stand up (vertical). The IKEA personnel and the customers around were staring at us and watching everything we were doing for fun. Honestly I felt like a baboon in a cage working with a man-made contraption.
We then started rolling the vertical sofa towards check-out and we managed to rub the “L” part of the vertical sofa to the Utgång (exit) sign hanging from the ceiling. Luckily we did not damage the Utgång sign, god knows how much they (IKEA) would have make me pay for the damage there.
It was absolutely interesting to see that IKEA managed to put this sofa in a position where it cannot be moved easily out from. Even baboons would be smarter than this. No respect towards dimensions of any sort!
We then moved to the exit point and the IKEA personnel there checked our receipt (that we had paid!). She was correct and I had no objection there. We then moved the sofa towards the Logistics department, which is far away from the check-out. As SOP we again asked for tools, and one of the IKEA staff opened a chest of drawers where all tools were thrown (not organized). They asked us to take whatever we wanted from there to dis-assemble the sofa. Me and my friend started dis-assembling the sofa with painstaking efforts with that little allen key. We managed to dis-assemble and package the sofa. In all these steps, the IKEA personnel were watching us like they were watching a circus, which we paid for.
The real shitshow begins now.
We finally managed to pack and load all our stuff on 3 huge trollies and took the ticket for booking the transport to Knivsta. Upon reaching the counter and asking for a booking for 3rd of June, we get information from the representative there that they can only book a transport on or before 30th of May 2023 and it cannot be booked beyond that. Then we asked the staff if it was okay for us to keep the items there in their (IKEA’s) storage and they denied and said these items are your problem. Then we stated again that we were explicitly told that we could book a transport between 2nd and 7th June 2023. Then this IKEA personnel called for a senior representative to diffuse this situation. The senior rep consulted with another IKEA logistics employee and that employee promised the delivery on the 3rd of June between 13.00 and 16.00. He also said that he would need to book the transport the following day online and pay for it online as well. The following day I had finally managed to book the consignment worth ~9000 SEK ($830) with the sofa and some other stuff for 3rd of June 2023 between 13.00 and 16.00. I double checked with the same representative that this delivery was feasible without any delays/cancellations; they double confirmed there will be not be any problems. We planned a house warming party on the 4th and 6th of June based on IKEA’s commitment with some friends and family.
Until mid-day, on 3rd of June, the status was looking good, delivery was booked and expected on time. At exactly 13.00 in the afternoon, we checked for some information and found out that our delivery was cancelled without any notice. We called the IKEA Customer Care and they said they cannot help us with anything as one of the items (sofa) was out of stock!
I was absolutely surprised to get to know that IKEA had managed to double sell the second hand sofa (which I painstakingly dis-assembled like a baboon to someone else). Instantly I boarded a train to Uppsala and jumped on a bus to IKEA (as I did not have a car). I soon reached and went to the logistics department. I got information there that the sofa is out of stock. I then stated that the sofa I had bought was a second hand sofa and the importance of it being delivered on the 3rd of June before midnight CONSIDERING THE get together the following day; we planned on IKEA’s commitment. We got cold replies that we cannot do anything. IKEA further even gave us 3 food coupons for all the “trouble” and told us to book another delivery schedule.
I re-stated the importance of the delivery and requested to escalate this matter as it was not a cheap order. The manager there further argued with me saying she is competent enough to handle this situation (SHE WAS NOT!). She refused further escalations and even said that her manager does not sit in Uppsala and sits somewhere else (Malmö I guess she said).
I then asked this stubborn manager what she would do if she was in my situation considering the efforts I have taken a while ago. She said I should cancel the order instead! I was absolutely pissed with this response. She then talked to some people in-house and came up with a solution. She asked me to get a car (which I did not have) and she would pay for the trailer and fuel and the money I had already for the delivery. I requested her to refund me for a car rental and she simply denied. So I have to pay SEK 1000 ($ 100) for an on-spot rental and IKEA was willing to pay egg shells for the fuel, time and delivery. I must say, this was absolutely and obnoxious expectation and ordeal.
I then agreed to take the next delivery date, which was on the 6th of June 2023. I double checked the delivery and asked for it in writing. The manager said she cannot give anything in writing. Interestingly, 6th of June is a RED DAY in Sweden. So I asked her to check with the drivers/schedulers if they are working on the RED DAY (she should have done this, again before making a false commitment). Upon our request, she (the incompetent manager) then called them and confirmed that they will deliver on the 6th without fail. I went home very skeptical.
I had the house warming party with all the guests sitting on the floor, THANKS to IKEA’s reliable delivery service.
On 6th of June the delivery agent arrived and made a curb side delivery, which I had to carry to my apartment alone. Interestingly again, IKEA does not offer at home delivery for second hand products. It is only possible for Brand new products. They will not offer it even if you offer to pay extra for the at home delivery. They will only give a CURB SIDE DELIVERY.
I must say, this obnoxious ordeal motivated me not to be sustainable at all with IKEA, and not contribute to their possibly fake sustainability initiative. If anything, this experience was absolutely socially unsustainable. I regret buying from the cirkulär butik and further also regret dealing with the dysfunctional IKEA logistics department. At 80 years in existence, it was clearly visible how unimportant a customer is to IKEA; and how the miscommunication between internal departments has higher power and priority over commitments given to customers.
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