IKEA — Local services in East Palo Alto

Received a bookcase, but it was missing a part. Went to IKEA East Palo Alto to try and get a replacement. Waited for 45 minutes before my name was even called. Then I was told that would take another 15 to 20 minutes for someone to find the part for me. I had a baby with me so I couldn’t wait that long. Asked for the part to be shipped to me, staff person said they would. Went home only to find out that the order for the replacement part was marked as completed and delivered when no such part had actually shown up. My husband went back to the store in person again, exact same thing happened. The first time it was on a weekday during the day, the second time it was on a weekday in the evening. Neither of these are very busy times. Took us a total of maybe four or five hours of driving and waiting and explaining, not including the time spent on the phone trying to resolve this issue with IKEA Central. Staff were polite, but not willing to be helpful and not at all interested in expediting the process, even though it was IKEA’s fault that I was wasting so much time trying to solve an issue they created. The process for obtaining replacement parts when it is IKEA‘s fault that they are missing from a package needs to be separate from the returns and exchanges process. It’s one thing to intentionally make your return process excruciatingly slow to discourage people from making returns, which is obviously what’s happening here. It’s another to obstruct me from getting a part that I paid for and that was missing from my package. I think this is the worst experience I’ve ever had with a major retailer.

Update: it’s now been more than two hours. My husband is still talking to the person at the counter trying to get this part that was missing from our shipment. They are now claiming that they don’t have any of this bookcase in stock, even though it says online that they do and it is one of their most...

This is the most important review I've done yet. Vital info: Okay, Ikea is absolutely amazing! ~ Start smart: Give yourself extra- extra time to find, purchase, & exit the parking structure. I will start by saying that the parking is absolutely insane! It can be difficult to navigate & bit confusing as it directs you to an actual parking place . (Nearest elevator?) #1.). Get a shopping basket FIRST. #2.) Take a yellow shopping bag. Can ONLY use inside store. Must purchase blue bags for $2 ea. @ checkout. #3.)READ the blue & white signs slowly & carefully!! Shopping there is fun! The displays are great. Items are very well priced. Real-life necessities are everywhere & affordable to buy! Order online/ pick up @ Store Installation service available. Purchases can be delivered. IN STORE SHOPPING 100%

• Be PREPARED * ∆ Bring your phne fully charged* ∆ DO download IKEA app in ADVANCE.* ∆. Be prepared to scan items to purchase @ check out. AND... IF YOU'RE SHOPPING FOR SPECIFIC ITEMS, HAVE ALL YOUR MEASUREMENTS READY!! All of them! Beware! Curtains, cabinets, even the pull down shades do NOT come w/ the screws needed to mount them!!!!! Seriously. ( they say they don't know each person's wall type so they just don't include them) But, overall......... • great prices • few, but ok staff.( Kind of) • mini "food court" & all of it u can buy as well as eat there • they have bathrooms, there's elevators & escalators. There's a million things, styles displays & ideas never imagined by most! Very cool! Wear comfortable shoes. Lot of walking. ATTENTION - Pay attention to driving OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE. The reason being, is the surrounding neighborhood is NOT A COMPLETELY SECURE / SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD AT NIGHTTIME, PLEASE DON'T GET LOST IN EPA.

Thanks for reading !! (Hope you'll have FUN if you...

I'm posting my review here because IKEA isn't posting my review on the product page. This seems above right considering how frustrating dealing with them has been.

I'm very disappointed and frustrated with IKEA right now.

I bought a TROFAST Storage combination with boxes, light white stained pine/white, 36 5/8x17 3/8x20 1/2 against the advice of the reviews. Many reviews indicated that the product was faulty due to misaligned holes and other issues. When I got it home, I had the exact same problems: misaligned holes and holes too small for the screws at step 3. I brought it back to the store and told the customer service employee that I still wanted the TROFAST; I just wanted one that actually fit together. She told me that if I exchanged it, that was it. She said I should return it and buy something else. She did not understand that I just wanted a product that worked. I talked to someone else and she said I could get a new one and put it together in the customer service waiting area to make sure it went together. I had to wait for them to get a new one for me, which took over 20 minutes, even though I had more than enough time to walk to the area myself, inspect the remaining stock to see the dates, eat some meatballs, and still sit around. Eventually, they brought out a new one, which I had to open and try to assemble myself in front of everyone waiting for returns. However, I'm glad I didn't take it home because it was also defective. The employees were grateful to me for alerting them to the issue with the product, but it was a huge hassle for me. I told them that Ikea essentially "failed up" because I still needed the toy storage, which meant I needed to buy the larger, more expensive TROFAST. They could not offer me any compensation for all of my troubles. I was not happy when I left...