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Posted because collectors love IKEA detolfes.
So, I'm moving and I hate my current work station. I carefully shopped around and found the perfect thing at IKEA.
I could have driven the 20 minutes to IKEA on the highway but noticed in my home town they have something called a "Pick up" point. It's a GIANT store filled where you can physically buy 5-10% of their catalog. I don't know why they'd go to the expense but I digress.
So i drive the ten minutes minutes, wait another ten minutes and order the desk there. It's $200, the woman informs me that it will be $220. I ask her why it's 10% higher and she explains there is a $20 shipping fee.
I know a lot about retail, I've been behind the scenes forever. I ask her how many times a week the trucks come to the store to replenish, she admits three times a week. I also ask her why anyone should pay this when Sears, Staples, Home Hardware, Leons, Best Buy, the Brick. Wal-Mart etc offer such a thing for FREE.
She snaps and says "A lot of people like it!" (which tells me she's sick of this conversation) and goes on to tell me if you order a $2,500 kitchen, people are happy to pay $20 extra.
I calmly point out it's even more insulting that IKEA nickles and dimes a customer spending that kind of money. She tells me there is not much profit built into IKEA furniture, I respond with "I don't think this is a not for profit" and she politely asks me whether i want the desk or not.
At this point, I've been there half an hour and really just want this story, so I agree.
She prints out a two page legal document basically saying I waive my rights when it comes to this extra $20. SERIOUSLY, how more obvious can you be that this is bad faith?
I apologize to the clerk, saying "I know you don't make this decision" and she sighs and says "Thank You". I could really tell this hasn't been a dream job and she's very tired of defending this crappy upcharge.
The desk will arrive in a week, when I'll get to drive back to the store, wait in a line and carry it out. When I factor in the time and expense, I'm really saving nothing. I may be paying more and spending more time (I'm super efficient at the warehouse stores).
I write IKEA with my story, they cut and paste a spin about how basically, I should thank them for the convenience. They also told me they will castigate the employee, whom i had said I empathized with. I argued with her.
Did some research and this thing is a PR nightmare, one star reviews abound among some (obvious) shills of support (it's 80% negative on every platform). Horror stories of people being charged $60 for a $40 lamp abound, seriously, it's a 50% up-charge for a frigging lamp?
We're just too close to two stores to charge a premium for delivery. They should have opened this store at least twenty minutes East of me.
I wrote IKEA back asking them to not castigate the employee and pointed out all the bad press this is getting. No reply.
So, I'm sharing this here, I know they don't care. I just want to get my $20 worth out of bad press. Enjoy.
So, I'm moving and I hate my current work station. I carefully shopped around and found the perfect thing at IKEA.
I could have driven the 20 minutes to IKEA on the highway but noticed in my home town they have something called a "Pick up" point. It's a GIANT store filled where you can physically buy 5-10% of their catalog. I don't know why they'd go to the expense but I digress.
So i drive the ten minutes minutes, wait another ten minutes and order the desk there. It's $200, the woman informs me that it will be $220. I ask her why it's 10% higher and she explains there is a $20 shipping fee.
I know a lot about retail, I've been behind the scenes forever. I ask her how many times a week the trucks come to the store to replenish, she admits three times a week. I also ask her why anyone should pay this when Sears, Staples, Home Hardware, Leons, Best Buy, the Brick. Wal-Mart etc offer such a thing for FREE.
She snaps and says "A lot of people like it!" (which tells me she's sick of this conversation) and goes on to tell me if you order a $2,500 kitchen, people are happy to pay $20 extra.
I calmly point out it's even more insulting that IKEA nickles and dimes a customer spending that kind of money. She tells me there is not much profit built into IKEA furniture, I respond with "I don't think this is a not for profit" and she politely asks me whether i want the desk or not.
At this point, I've been there half an hour and really just want this story, so I agree.
She prints out a two page legal document basically saying I waive my rights when it comes to this extra $20. SERIOUSLY, how more obvious can you be that this is bad faith?
I apologize to the clerk, saying "I know you don't make this decision" and she sighs and says "Thank You". I could really tell this hasn't been a dream job and she's very tired of defending this crappy upcharge.
The desk will arrive in a week, when I'll get to drive back to the store, wait in a line and carry it out. When I factor in the time and expense, I'm really saving nothing. I may be paying more and spending more time (I'm super efficient at the warehouse stores).
I write IKEA with my story, they cut and paste a spin about how basically, I should thank them for the convenience. They also told me they will castigate the employee, whom i had said I empathized with. I argued with her.
Did some research and this thing is a PR nightmare, one star reviews abound among some (obvious) shills of support (it's 80% negative on every platform). Horror stories of people being charged $60 for a $40 lamp abound, seriously, it's a 50% up-charge for a frigging lamp?
We're just too close to two stores to charge a premium for delivery. They should have opened this store at least twenty minutes East of me.
I wrote IKEA back asking them to not castigate the employee and pointed out all the bad press this is getting. No reply.
So, I'm sharing this here, I know they don't care. I just want to get my $20 worth out of bad press. Enjoy.
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