IKEA USA WON'T REFUND YOUR MONEY, ORIGINAL RECEIPT WITH ORIGINAL PACKAGE IT DOESN'T MATTER THEY DON'T CARE, NO DEPARTMENT STORE IN THE USA HAS EVER REFUSED TO REFUND ME WHEN I HAVE A RECEIPT AND ORIGINAL PACKAGE, BUT THIS IKEA IS SOMETHING ELSE, BEWARE!!! Sunrise Florida

NEXT TIME...

SHOP AMERICAN!

You're just saying that because you're upset and you're trying to paint a picture of your disappointment, not stating facts.

Secondly, it seems that you're upset that IKEA was founded outside of the United States. So what. Their point is valid. They have NO WAY to know how "tested" your item was, and therefore have to take your word for it. I'm not insinuating that your claim is false... I'm just saying, they have to draw the line somewhere or they'd get screwed over 800 times a day.

Sure, Ikea's products are cheaply made... that's so that they can sell them cheap to you. That's the whole point of the store. Sure their return policy sucks. However, it is there for a reason, it was made for a reason, and they do their best to make you aware of their policy before you walk out the door. Your lack of observation, or misinterpretation of what you thought the policy SHOULD be, is not their fault, or Jackie's fault, or Kate Murphy's fault.

Also, you're right, Home Depot doled out refunds left and right... and that's why HOME DEPOT IS GOING OUT OF BUSINESS!!! It doesn't make good business sense to do it your way, taking the word of customers left and right. I've never worked for Ikea, nor do I shop there... but I've worked in many places where the "customer was always right" and honestly, I hated every minute of it. I despised giving people EVERY unwarranted thing they asked for simply because they were a patron. It never made any sense to me. Yes, you want them to return, and yes you want them to spend their money there, but some businesses just aren't right for certain people. Obviously, you and IKEA weren't a match made in heaven. It sucks that you had a bad experience, but now you know better.

Ikea's return policy is very clear. The merchandise must be unopened, not just unused. You may not agree with that policy, but it is posted clearly throughout the store.

They were under no obligation to refund your money. Ikea is not at fault here.

OK, When returning an opened item to Ikea and to avoid any hassles, let them know the item is damaged and that is why you are returning it. By law, they have to take back a broken item, but not an unused item with no damage. Works for me all the time. Do not ask for a refund, TELL them you want a refund!

As for all the other stores, items are either returned back the manufacturer or the group where they bought the products from for a future credit. Some will donate to charities to reduce their tax burden.

IKEA sells cheap stuff like what you buy at WalMart or Target but Walmart and Target have better return policies. There is just more at Ikea to choose from.

Again, Ikea MOSTLY makes and sells junk, but they do have some quality products as well. Wait for clearance like during the Labor Day weekend and you can get great buys, otherwise, shop elsewhere.

:]

I was an employee at IKEA for over a year and a half in the Returns department. I saw MANY forms of attempted retail fraud. The most memorable, I had a couple with a receipt dated the previous day try to return a $1500 leather sofa that smelled like urine, had dog hair between the cushions, and had holes in a few places. They tried to tell me it came like that. If we had taken the customers word for it, the store would have had to eat that $1500, and prices would be raised on items.

IKEA keeps prices low for everyone by having a strict return policy. As soon as it was removed from the package it was considered used. We did not EVER under ANY circumstance try to pass something out of the package on to another customer as new, i.e. repack items. That $50 light would have cost you much more if purchased anywhere else. Love IKEA or hate it, you will never find cheaper prices on identical items.


Also, the return policy is stated throughout the store, on the map, and on the receipt. By purchasing items at any store, you are agreeing to their return policy. If you don't like it, don't shop there. Not all stores have the same policies. Just because 99.9% of companies do something, there is that .1% that will not.


As far as calling into the store, you're talking to a call center in Baltimore. They managed to pull all kinds of stuff out of thin air and pass it on to the customer. I was told that we could look up receipts for customers (we never did this and if we could we didn't know about it!). This is why they create "cases". Calling in automatically creates a case. When they direct you to go back to the store, they will always give you a case number to take in to the Returns desks. We look it up, print it out, and read the notes entered. If there is a dispute with what the customer says to us and what we read, we go with what we read and show the customer what was said to them.

IKEA has a Manager on Duty, she may indeed have been that person on that day. In that case she truly is the person in charge of that store (the store manager is considered to be beneath them in the chain of command!). That person makes every decision in the store. I'm curious how you managed to talk to the store manager on the phone, IKEA co-workers do not give out the direct number to the store, or the extention of any one. It is not likely anyone directly lied to you. I can tell you from very personal experience, we are not paid enough to actually lie in order to "blow someone off". We were there for our scheduled hours regardless of whatever issue the customer may have. I always wanted the customer to leave happy and never wanted to deal with irate people. After being called every name in the book, seeing one of my managers actually be physically assulted, and being threatened, I still liked my job there and still didn't want anyone walking away upset. It wasn't worth it. This wasn't just me. It was anyone who worked in the front of the store in customer service! The return policy is decided on by people much higher than anyone in any store, all these policies are the same in every store in the US.

I was an employee at IKEA for over a year and a half in the Returns department. I saw MANY forms of attempted retail fraud. The most memorable, I had a couple with a receipt dated the previous day try to return a $1500 leather sofa that smelled like urine, had dog hair between the cushions, and had holes in a few places. They tried to tell me it came like that. If we had taken the customers word for it, the store would have had to eat that $1500, and prices would be raised on items.

IKEA keeps prices low for everyone by having a strict return policy. As soon as it was removed from the package it was considered used. We did not EVER under ANY circumstance try to pass something out of the package on to another customer as new, i.e. repack items. That $50 light would have cost you much more if purchased anywhere else. Love IKEA or hate it, you will never find cheaper prices on identical items.


Also, the return policy is stated throughout the store, on the map, and on the receipt. By purchasing items at any store, you are agreeing to their return policy. If you don't like it, don't shop there. Not all stores have the same policies. Just because 99.9% of companies do something, there is that .1% that will not.


As far as calling into the store, you're talking to a call center in Baltimore. They managed to pull all kinds of stuff out of thin air and pass it on to the customer. I was told that we could look up receipts for customers (we never did this and if we could we didn't know about it!). This is why they create "cases". Calling in automatically creates a case. When they direct you to go back to the store, they will always give you a case number to take in to the Returns desks. We look it up, print it out, and read the notes entered. If there is a dispute with what the customer says to us and what we read, we go with what we read and show the customer what was said to them.

IKEA has a Manager on Duty, she may indeed have been that person on that day. In that case she truly is the person in charge of that store (the store manager is considered to be beneath them in the chain of command!). That person makes every decision in the store. I'm curious how you managed to talk to the store manager on the phone, IKEA co-workers do not give out the direct number to the store, or the extention of any one. It is not likely anyone directly lied to you. I can tell you from very personal experience, we are not paid enough to actually lie in order to "blow someone off". We were there for our scheduled hours regardless of whatever issue the customer may have. I always wanted the customer to leave happy and never wanted to deal with irate people. After being called every name in the book, seeing one of my managers actually be physically assulted, and being threatened, I still liked my job there and still didn't want anyone walking away upset. It wasn't worth it. This wasn't just me. It was anyone who worked in the front of the store in customer service! The return policy is decided on by people much higher than anyone in any store, all these policies are the same in every store in the US.

I was an employee at IKEA for over a year and a half in the Returns department. I saw MANY forms of attempted retail fraud. The most memorable, I had a couple with a receipt dated the previous day try to return a $1500 leather sofa that smelled like urine, had dog hair between the cushions, and had holes in a few places. They tried to tell me it came like that. If we had taken the customers word for it, the store would have had to eat that $1500, and prices would be raised on items.

IKEA keeps prices low for everyone by having a strict return policy. As soon as it was removed from the package it was considered used. We did not EVER under ANY circumstance try to pass something out of the package on to another customer as new, i.e. repack items. That $50 light would have cost you much more if purchased anywhere else. Love IKEA or hate it, you will never find cheaper prices on identical items.


Also, the return policy is stated throughout the store, on the map, and on the receipt. By purchasing items at any store, you are agreeing to their return policy. If you don't like it, don't shop there. Not all stores have the same policies. Just because 99.9% of companies do something, there is that .1% that will not.


As far as calling into the store, you're talking to a call center in Baltimore. They managed to pull all kinds of stuff out of thin air and pass it on to the customer. I was told that we could look up receipts for customers (we never did this and if we could we didn't know about it!). This is why they create "cases". Calling in automatically creates a case. When they direct you to go back to the store, they will always give you a case number to take in to the Returns desks. We look it up, print it out, and read the notes entered. If there is a dispute with what the customer says to us and what we read, we go with what we read and show the customer what was said to them.

IKEA has a Manager on Duty, she may indeed have been that person on that day. In that case she truly is the person in charge of that store (the store manager is considered to be beneath them in the chain of command!). That person makes every decision in the store. I'm curious how you managed to talk to the store manager on the phone, IKEA co-workers do not give out the direct number to the store, or the extention of any one. It is not likely anyone directly lied to you. I can tell you from very personal experience, we are not paid enough to actually lie in order to "blow someone off". We were there for our scheduled hours regardless of whatever issue the customer may have. I always wanted the customer to leave happy and never wanted to deal with irate people. After being called every name in the book, seeing one of my managers actually be physically assulted, and being threatened, I still liked my job there and still didn't want anyone walking away upset. It wasn't worth it. This wasn't just me. It was anyone who worked in the front of the store in customer service! The return policy is decided on by people much higher than anyone in any store, all these policies are the same in every store in the US.

I was an employee at IKEA for over a year and a half in the Returns department. I saw MANY forms of attempted retail fraud. The most memorable, I had a couple with a receipt dated the previous day try to return a $1500 leather sofa that smelled like urine, had dog hair between the cushions, and had holes in a few places. They tried to tell me it came like that. If we had taken the customers word for it, the store would have had to eat that $1500, and prices would be raised on items.

IKEA keeps prices low for everyone by having a strict return policy. As soon as it was removed from the package it was considered used. We did not EVER under ANY circumstance try to pass something out of the package on to another customer as new, i.e. repack items. That $50 light would have cost you much more if purchased anywhere else. Love IKEA or hate it, you will never find cheaper prices on identical items.


Also, the return policy is stated throughout the store, on the map, and on the receipt. By purchasing items at any store, you are agreeing to their return policy. If you don't like it, don't shop there. Not all stores have the same policies. Just because 99.9% of companies do something, there is that .1% that will not.


As far as calling into the store, you're talking to a call center in Baltimore. They managed to pull all kinds of stuff out of thin air and pass it on to the customer. I was told that we could look up receipts for customers (we never did this and if we could we didn't know about it!). This is why they create "cases". Calling in automatically creates a case. When they direct you to go back to the store, they will always give you a case number to take in to the Returns desks. We look it up, print it out, and read the notes entered. If there is a dispute with what the customer says to us and what we read, we go with what we read and show the customer what was said to them.

IKEA has a Manager on Duty, she may indeed have been that person on that day. In that case she truly is the person in charge of that store (the store manager is considered to be beneath them in the chain of command!). That person makes every decision in the store. I'm curious how you managed to talk to the store manager on the phone, IKEA co-workers do not give out the direct number to the store, or the extention of any one. It is not likely anyone directly lied to you. I can tell you from very personal experience, we are not paid enough to actually lie in order to "blow someone off". We were there for our scheduled hours regardless of whatever issue the customer may have. I always wanted the customer to leave happy and never wanted to deal with irate people. After being called every name in the book, seeing one of my managers actually be physically assulted, and being threatened, I still liked my job there and still didn't want anyone walking away upset. It wasn't worth it. This wasn't just me. It was anyone who worked in the front of the store in customer service! The return policy is decided on by people much higher than anyone in any store, all these policies are the same in every store in the US.

I cna't believe they did the exact same thing to you like they did to me. I dealt with the same store and the same return manager. She was totally rude to me and told me to leave the store and never come back.

I would really like to get together with some of the other ripped off Ikea customers and set up a forum website titled " Ikea - The worst customer service in the USA!!!"

Every other major retailer here in the great USA will take back opened merchandise with a receipt. Weather it is a light, saw, clothes, cabinets, desks, anything. Even if you did use it, even if you tried it out for a week and didn't like it. That is what a no hassle return means. It means that you can return whatever you want for whatever reason you want and the store eats the cost of the return.

It is all done to promote good customer service. Something IKEA USA knows nothing about. It is called a no hassle return policy. The store bares the cost to send these items back to the manufactures or the manufactures pay. It is all part of good customer service. Something you Juke and IKEA have no concept of. Stores here in the USA take care of their customers and IKEA doesn't. IKEA doesn't care about good customer service and if you shop there you will get treated like dirt.

When a package is opened and returned the store DOES NOT send it back to the manufacturer for REPACKAGING. That is rediculous. Even if that was true don't you think YOU should pay the shipping costs to and from to get the item repackaged. After all you damaged it.
Why would you buy a light, open the package, then plug it in. Just to SEE if it works? I dont think YOUR all together packaged correctly. Some items are missing from your box.

IKEA USA and all you IKEA employees who are responding to this report want the American public to believe that IKEA's rediculous return policy makes some sort of sense.

As I keep repeating and what none of you IKEA employees fail to mention is that every other department store that I have mentioned will take back merchandise such as a light that has been opened. None of the other great American department stores treat their customers in such a fashion when it comes to a return. All you people are doing is changing the subject and talking about weather the light was actually used or not. The real issue here is IKEA's return policy. And the return policy at IKEA is designed to leave the customer stuck with merchandise that they can not use or return, and it also is designed to leave their customers very unhappy and likely to never shop at IKEA again.

IKEA has never heard of what we Americans call a "NO HASSLE RETURN POLICY'.

IKEA'S return policy is exactly the opposite of a no hassle return policy.

What is the difference if a item is opened in the store or later at someone's home? Even if it was plugged in? If a light cannot handle being plugged in without damage occurring to the unit, I sure do not want to use it at all.

I know some items once it is even attempted to be used as being something that should not be returnable, a light that has been opened, even if it has been plugged in and turned on once, is not one them.

Nice to know not to shop at IKEA, even if I have not returned anything in over 5 years.

The reason why Home Depot, Lowes, Expo Design, Office Depot, Staples, Macy's and all the other major USA department stores take back opened merchandise is because they care about customer service. They care that the customer is happy and that the customer had a great experiance at their store and they want the customer to come back. IKEA USA doesn't care if you never come back and they don't care how unhappy you are when you walk out their door. IKEA USA doesn't care about customer service! It is as simple as that. As soon as the American public realizes what I am now talking about they will take their business elsewhere even if it costs the consumer more money. I was prepared to buy kitchen cabinets from IKEA for around $1800 and now forget about it. I am going right over to Expo design and spending the extra $300 and I know that the store manager is going to make sure that I am satisfied. In fact when I asked to speak to the store manager she came right away and I didn't get a huge run a round like I did in IKEA.

In addition you have asked me what the store does with the opened merchandise that is returned. The opened items are sent back to the manufactures and the stores receive a credit. Then the manufactures repackage the merchandise and send it back to the stores. This is how it is done here in AMERICA.

My suspicion is that since IKEA USA is a franchise operation and it is a Sweedish owned company they can't simply send back items to their manufactures. Their manufactures are probable overseas and this is the crux of the problem and the reason why IKEA USA will not take back any opened merchandise.

Again 99.9% of the USA department store will take back opened merchandise with a receipt. All you IKEA employees that are responding to this report can not say anything to contridict that fact. USA retalers care about customer service and the other major USA retailers care if you leave their store happy. IKEA USA does not care about us, the US consumer.

IKEA USA will leave you the consumer with merchandise that you can not return simply because you opened the box and took a peak inside.

Do yourself a favor and shop at store where you know what you will get. IKEA USA doesn't care if you and your wife leave so unhappy it ruins your day.

IKEA USA doesn't care about the consumer. They only care about their bottom line.

The IKEA policy states that they will return an UNUSED item within 90 days. There is a difference between "opened the box" and "plugged it in". Your Original Report failed to mention that and clears up the reasoning from IKEA.

"...Plugging in a light doesnt make it used...."

Sorry but plugging in a light DOES make it used. You had plugged it in to see if it would work where you wanted it. When does it become used in your mind? Is it 1 Day, 2 Days, 1 Week?

Keeping in mind that you did not attempt to return it for 10 days and IKEA has no idea how long you had it plugged in to "test". Had you returned it the next day rather than 10 days later would they have taken it back, perhaps. At least your argument that it didn't work where you wanted it would have been a bit more viable.

"...Ikea planet where every item that leaves their store is immediately used and considered non returnable...."

That is not what IKEA said. Had you not opened the box it would have been no issue. Had you not used it(for who knows how many days) it would not have been a problem.

I think you should NOT get a return. You could obviously see the lights on display at ikea and decide if you want them. You don't have to the OPEN a package to SEE if it is something you want. Who is going to buy the lights now from a damaged package that you opened. Why should IKEA pay for YOU damaging the packaging. Nobody buys open box items if there is one in the original packaging right next to them unless it is marked down. You lose. IKEA was right.

... How does something that has been "opened" (aka, removed from its factory-sealed packaging) qualify as "NEW"?

Would you buy an item that has been opened, repackaged, and/or clearly returned, with the assurance of the sales clerk that "the customer swears that he never used this item"?

What do you think retail stores end up doing with such merchandise after it is returned?

I eagerly await your reply.

Are you the Peter from IKEA Sunrise who gave me the run a round? Are you the Peter from the Sunrise store who instructs your employees to not refund anything that is opened no matter what the reason? Do you get a kicback for all the unhappy people that you send out the door wihout a refund? Under what circumstances does a customer get a refund from IKEA. Your response states that I should have been able to determine the lights fitness for my purpose by looking at it in the store. I disagree.

There are different lighting conditions and different configurations for this light. I am entitled to take it home and see if it meets the purpose for which I intend. What if it doesn't fit where I intended to install it? What if it is not bright enough? And when It doesn't fit or I am not happy with it am I entitled to return it according to the stores stated return policy on their receipt.

Plugging in a light doesnt make it used. I dont know know what planet you are from but I sounds like the Ikea planet where every item that leaves their store is immediately used and considered non returnable. As I stated before no other store in he USA will treat a custimer like this. Just go to Home Depot and return something, It is no probem and they sell many lights.

If you dont want to be treated like you dont matter by a store that doesn't care if you ever shop there again stay away from IKEA USA.

Additionally I witnessed several other customers in the return line who attempted to return merchandise with receipts and they were told no refund on opened merchandise. Their return policy says clearly that they wont take back used merchandise. Yjere is a big difference between used and opened merchandise. Most of these people merely opened a box as I had and were not satisfied with the quality and they were immediately send off without refunds or store credits.. Home depot, Sears, Macys, Expo, Target, Wallmart all will refund your money with a receipt weather the item is opened or not. What kind of store it this IKEA that they don;t care about their custpmers. I will never shop there as long as I live and If you dont want to get aggravated and ripped off you shouldn't either.

It sounds as though it were obviously used, and you are just trying to claim that it is "unused" so that you can get a refund.

Let's assume for a moment that it is truly "unused" as you claim. What sense would it make to purchase and return an UNUSED item because it did not meet the purpose for which you intended? How would you know this unless you plugged in and tried out the item? You could have looked at and admired the item on display in the store, could you not? This would have given you the same amount of information as buying the item and looking at it at home, right?

In clear simple terms, THE ITEM WAS INDEED USED, even if only for a few minutes. You are not entitled to a refund under the store's return policy.