Buying something online from IKEA - complete nightmare

Fulano2

Bronze
Jun 5, 2011
3,287
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Europe
Understood, but perhaps you should re-read your own hasty postings.
You did not address the dire needs of the hotel industry during these difficult economic times caused by the Chinese Virus, you attacked one particular employee who did not grant your stuffy demands for a discount, and then took it a step further assigning the discrepancies to possible cultural issues within RD.
Your angst should sit with the respective government bodies who may be in a position to provide the hotel industry as a whole (NOT JUST YOU) some economic support, or higher up the food chain of the establishment you desired to purchase from.....not the poor employee, who was just doing their job.
I think it was more about the rude way to say things and just picking up the cell phone. You can refuse a “demand” the polite way as well. But, the low paid employee have never been taught by her “boss” that your professional behaviour must be different from in the barrio.
 

Pikobello

Active member
Nov 12, 2020
228
223
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Santo Domingo
I think you are right. I have never been in IKEA RD, but the kitchen items are of reasonable quality. We have a construction company in our family and with every reconstruction or new build they (I am not part of it) put always IKEA kitchens . Cheap, easy to install and last forever.
The furniture is not everyone’s (not mine) cup of tea. Quality? I don’t know. A lot of playwood is my impression. Not wood. A bit like the bedroom walls in American houses...speaking of quality 😉.
IKEA is the most succesful furniture store in the world.There are over 430 stores in the world, 246 in Europe and number one country is Germany with over 50 stores. I have bought many items there since I moved to my own space when I get 18.
It's culture in Europe and the Quality of the Furniture is very good. The Kitchen are made of laminated plywood and I don't know how it works at time within this moisted clima, thats the reason why I up today never bought a kitchen from IKEA here. And I don't know what's cheap for you, but a good kitchen cost between 200 - 300k pesos.
And yes, allways when you assembled some stuff from them there left over some screws....
 
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SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
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If I wanted to assemble furniture I would get a job in furniture factory.........................Not for me IKEA........
 
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PCMike

Active member
Aug 30, 2008
315
226
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I have to say, based on personal experience, ordering IKEA online has been a breeze here in Punta Cana. Items usually arrive in 2-3 days, which when you know that in advance, is not bad at all.
 

TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
1,366
614
113
So to continue the story. The 10% discount check never appeared. Eventually I called IKEA and after waiting 55 minutes spoke to someone, who then transferred me to hold for another 12 minutes to speak to someone else who then said he would get the check issued. It finally appeared by email, saying that the check had to be used within a 5 day window, 3 days of which had already elapsed. I went online and tried to buy something, entered the number of the check and the validation code. The website said that the code did not exist in their database. Tried to call and selected the option to buy something. Recorded message saying "Your call is very important to us". Then "Goodbye". Tried the Spanish option. I got the same message in English. Tried various other options, all of which just cut me off for no apparent reason.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
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1606065507040.png
 
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TropicalPaul

Bronze
Sep 3, 2013
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The recorded message says that IKEA is closed at the weekend. I eventually decided to give up and go there, got an Uber, IKEA was completely rammed. Went to customer services. "Yes, the gift cheques that we give for buying online don't work online, only instore." Nobody could explain why. So if someone did live in Las Terrenas for example and bought online they would be given a gift cheque that they would then need to travel 3 hours to the capital each way to use. Went to buy a new kitchen sink. Served by Ms Attitude in the kitchens department who said that they have the sink but don't have any of the drains for the sinks. These can be ordered but I have to come back and pick up another day. I can pay her for the sink but anything else I need to pay at the main checkout downstairs which has a massive line. And then there is a massive line to pick up the sink.

Honestly my conclusion from all of this is that even with such horrible service, IKEA is doing a roaring trade. In the UK or the US if you treated customers like this you'd be out of business in a heartbeat. There is serious money to be made in retail in this country.
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
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Could you please provide to the community the tallies of the expense (phone calls, internet, travel, personal time) spent, vs the amount of the discount you were originally trying to obtain......
Was it really worth it?
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
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South Coast
Could you please provide to the community the tallies of the expense (phone calls, internet, travel, personal time) spent, vs the amount of the discount you were originally trying to obtain......
Was it really worth it?
Sometimes there’s a matter of principle involved. 🤗
 
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reilleyp

Well-known member
Dec 12, 2006
1,190
663
113
Similar to Staples, when I went with my 10% off coupon and free delivery. They said "no, that is for online purchases only" I told them that I was here in the store now ready to buy, and I would save them the cost of delivery because I could take it home myself. They said no. I could not use the coupon. I needed to go home and buy it online and wait for the delivery if I wanted 10% off. I really wanted to tell them to stick that "Easy Button" up their a**.
 

Dolores

Administrator
Staff member
Feb 20, 2019
15,480
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Ikea has lots of items that are intended to be disposables, but it also has a good amount of items that will last a lifetime. You just need to be a saavy shopper and know how to distinguish. Keep an eye on wood, metal and glass items. It also stimulates everyone's creativity. It is romantic. I like to see couples strolling the lanes imagining what they will buy and how it will work in their homes. As you can see, I love Ikea and think it is a big plus in Santo Domingo.
 
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JD Jones

Moderator:North Coast,Santo Domingo,SW Coast,Covid
Jan 7, 2016
11,697
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Ikea has lots of items that are intended to be disposables, but it also has a good amount of items that will last a lifetime. You just need to be a saavy shopper and know how to distinguish. Keep an eye on wood, metal and glass items. It also stimulates everyone's creativity. It is romantic. I like to see couples strolling the lanes imagining what they will buy and how it will work in their homes. As you can see, I love Ikea and think it is a big plus in Santo Domingo.
A couple of years ago I was all set to buy a really nice dark brown leather living room set and the clerk told me I should get the IKEA card first then get 10% off with it.
She stopped me just in time. LOL
I got the card, I still may go back and buy it.
 

NanSanPedro

Nickel with tin plating
Apr 12, 2019
6,474
5,588
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Boca Chica
yeshaiticanprogram.com
A couple of years ago I was all set to buy a really nice dark brown leather living room set and the clerk told me I should get the IKEA card first then get 10% off with it.
She stopped me just in time. LOL
I got the card, I still may go back and buy it.

Tell them you're a friend of TP. You'll probably get his discount on top of yours.