Ikea

The Self-check idea that IKEA implemented is a disaster. It is very bad when a customer's last experience at the check-out counter is frustrating because of long, long lines and people who are not being helped because the one person at the self-check is trying to help eight people at a time and can't keep up. Everyone is exasperated and irritated! Is it worth saving a few $$$ on labor to have half your customers leave frustrated. more

I own Innovative Flooring, a local contractor to Seattle. So i have used, installed and lived on more IKEA than just about anyone. They are incredibly unorganized and understocked regularly. Their customer service is terrible due to undertraining. The materials are mediocre at best. Returning stuff can be a serious pain, especially if you write a check. The flooring is a joke. DO NOT BUY THEIR FLOORING. Transitions are from a third party and dont match, if they are in stock. I ordered 700 feet of laminate, tried to find transitions, and they had none. I asked when they would get some, they didnt know. I alsked to talk to a manager and found that it was the manager that knew nothing about how it worked. I am still waiting on one pice of hallarum base for cabinets i did in October of 2006. Apparently it was a health hazard? But will one day come back. Cabinets are easy to install, but tricky to keep from damaging. The flooring seminar they have to teach you how to install is halarious. They actually instruct you to use a handsaw? IKEA is a basement bargain company that keeps its overhead as low as possible despite growing profits every year. more

This place is enormous!!! Plan to stay awhile so you can check out a bunch of stuff that's worth checking out. They have a great selection of affordable furniture. If you like the Scandinavian style, you'll like this place! more

One would think that for such a big, international company, it would be well organized, right? Not the case! I tried to order two chairs online since there isn't a store nearby. The website and my confirmation email clearly state that I'll have my chairs within 5-10 business days. When I called to check on the status (notice you have to CALL- you can't check online!), the service rep tells me it always takes at least three weeks. I explain my confusion and she says something to the effect of ""I don't know why they tell you 5-10 days. It's almost always three weeks."" It wouldn't be so bad except I paid 30% of the cost of each chair in shipping. Ouch. Also, there is not a form to email with questions or concerns online. They do have good products, but their online service stinks! Pros: cool furniture Cons: crappy service more

I am remodeling my kitchen and decided to use Ikea's cabinets. First they tell me some of the pieces aren't in stock and have to be back-ordered. How long? 3-5 days they say. Ok. Then they tell us they are changing their policy and we cannot put the backordered items on hold...What? Not only that but they can't call us until 2 weeks after they come in. Since we need it sooner we have to call back and keep checking to see if it's in stock. What a pain. So we call back Monday. Turns some of it isthere but not enough! ""When will they be in stock?"" I ask. 7-10 days. 7 TO 10 DAYS???? My contractor will be long gone by then. Tough. Go with Home Depot for the big stuff. I'd rate them higher but other people rate them ridiculously high. Pros: friendly, good selection Cons: inflexible, corporate more

Affordable and stylish for my first college apartment! Although I won't be going here forever, no complaints on my budget and needs. Pros: affordable, stylish Cons: not enough stores more

This place is a good place to go for great ideas, but don't waste your money on the furniture. Sure it might look good at a small price, but if you want real quality, something that will last, this place is not for you. The furniture is unassembled, saving you money, but not trouble! The instruction were hard to follow, probably because they were translated from Sweedish to German to French to Japaneese then to English. The wood is thin, again saving you money, and it is not sturdy and will not stand up to anyone with a family or anyone who uses their furniture. But if you are looking for furniture that you don't want to keep or use, this is probably a much better alternitive to renting your furniture. Pros: great ideas, good parking, nice displays Cons: poor quality, poor costomer service more

Decorating has never been so much fun. This store offers more than just low prices, there's actually something for every taste. I especially like the idea of taking my purchase home with me the same day too. The hassle free shopping, good store layout and customer service are wonderful. Pros: inexpensive, variety of products, take it home with you Cons: parking, crowded at times, not a store near me more

I have owned lots of furniture, from nice Thomasville and Ethan Allen to cider blocks and pine boards, and I'm quite impressed with the quality of design and contruction of what is essentially ""presswood."" But unlike the cheap stuff, Ikea's furniture holds up quite well and looks good. I like the clean lines and contemporary finishes, but would like it if they could organize their store and catalog by wood finish, color, or style. It's often difficult to find matching pieces. Pros: Huge showroom Cons: Need more stores more

The Seattle Ikea is the best one I have been to including the Ikea in Germany. It has everything a modern interior designer would want for their home. Their furniture is so user friendly it almost brings you to tears. Ikea also has an awesome restraurant. In the restaurant, they offer a selection of the best swedish buffet I have seen in the United States. Pros: good parking, inexpensive, quality Cons: limited cust. service, crowded, n/a more