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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 11:18 AM #1
TickTock
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Default Ikea

I'm dying to go to Ikea but we are waiting for all the excitement to die down. I believe they turned thousands away over the bank holiday weekend as they just couldn't cope. I was just wondering, how good is their stuff really? I ask this in view of seeing several Ikea items here on JT. I was looking at their bookshelves and they look great on their website. Anyone got any helpful comments on Ikea? I'm always too late to pick up nice bookshelves here on JT.
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 05:25 PM #2
cavalin
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l got 2 sofa's in Belfast which worked worked out about 120 euro each, best sofa's ever.We can remove the covers for washing and even get different color covers if wanted. I must also add it was so easy to put these together.Yes they were flat packed!
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 06:02 PM #3
Narizota
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We got Billy bookcases from Ikea and they are fab,would so recommend them! Also the Trofast storage is great,we had them when we lived in the UK but didn't bring them home with us when we moved :(
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 06:15 PM #4
elbo
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My daughter got bookcase/shelves and they are great. Real sturdy. They came flatpacked and were quite easy to put together I believe.
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 06:20 PM #5
yaut
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our landlord furnished all house with ikea stuff. yes, sofa we've got is very nice, removable covers too, but what I like about it is that it is filled with duck feathers that make it hard but not too hard and sturdy, you just don't sink into it when sitting on it.

bed is not that good though. it's squeaky and just not nice all, I'm not crazy about all that veneered mdf stuff. bedside lockers started peeling already (8 months of use).

We went to ikea on the 3rd opening day. it wasn't that crowded that we were afraid of. There's some good quality stuff in there but these things are priced accordingly too. I liked their fabrics section the most. You can buy any size piece of fabric you want and they have some funky colors.
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 07:56 PM #6
summersun
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HI Ticktock,


Before moving back to Monaghan, I worked for the Dti in London Dept of Trade and Industry, and cannot remember ever having received a complaint about ikea products...


I also bought several ikea things over the years , furniture, mirrors, kitchen bits and bobs, soft furnishings, and would stand by them , for the price they are amazing... and are still going...

In their flagshop store on the North Circular in London ... as you walked along the various show rooms you were met with mechanical demonstrations of a machine (meant to be a person) sitting down hard onto a chair, settee, bed etc and then getting up again, and then a box showing you how many times this had been done.... this was ongoing every day... the same thing was done to kitchen drawers, cupboards, bedroom furniture, childrens etc etc... to prove their stuff lasted...

The only thing about ikea is that it is all flat packed.... and you have to choose it from the shelves , so ensure you collect all the bits...

But i fully stand by their stuff .... the new 2010 catalogue is due out on the 17th Aug.... but if u r lucky enough to be in the border area, ikea in Belfast is much cheaper than Dublin!!!!!


Happy Shopping , follow the colour arrows on the floor to ensure you see the whole shop and dont miss anything.....


Summersun



I am also planning a visit down to see it.... cant wait, will leave my kiddies in the play area inside whilst i shop in peace...
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 10:16 PM #7
minnie pal
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twin got me a few ikea items off Gumtree London and they are proving to be fantastic.
the set of drawers especially so as SO easy to open and so smooth.
Its malm ikea, alot goes on sale on Gumtree London, never seen it on Gumtree dublin though.
I love my drawers!!!!
xxminnie pal
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Old Posted: 05-08-2009 , 11:50 PM #8
cormie
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Hi,
I run an Ikea pick up and delivery service on VanTasks.ie and from my experience, Ikea is good for some things and ok for others.

As far as getting a "sofa" or a "shelf" or a "table" goes, you probably wont find it much cheaper than in Ikea but if you want a top quality piece of furniture, you may be better off looking elsewhere.

The mechanical demonstrations in the Belfast store don't say much. They have one of a kitchen drawer opening and one of the sides is black from rubbing against the side of the unit with dust all around it. I suppose if it's in operation opening and closing for hours upon hours a day, this is still ok, but to be honest, the mechanical set up wouldn't really reflect the same circumstances of it being opened when you're in a rush, when it's overpacked and wont close properly, when you slam it closed, put too much weight in it etc etc. It also looks like the weights they have in the drawer is supported by the arm opening and closing it.

There is also a fair bit of cheap junk in Ikea, the kind you think you need, when you don't really.

I think if you take a visit, keep a clear head and don't get dragged into buying things you don't need. Know what you need and make sure it's quality is high enough to suit what you intend to use it for.

As far as things like Kitchens go, Ikea can be really good and you can get a decent quality kitchen for a great price.

Of course, if you want something unique and of superior quality and craftsmanship, Ikea is not the place to go and you'd be better off going to a cabinet maker or furniture designer.

Apart from the products themselves, it can be a nightmare shopping in Ikea. The staff have ALWAYS been friendly and helpful to me, but there is just not enough of them. I could be going in with shopping lists for a few different customers and I've spent hours there trying to find someone to chase something up and then having to go back and find somebody again when another item is in the wrong place, showing as in stock but not there etc. The prices can tend to change quite a bit too and the stock level system online can never really be relied on either. Even though most pieces are given an Aisle and Location number, some pieces will be out of place, or changed to a different location without the website having changed and as for the smaller items in the Market Hall, it's a stress inducer to the highest order if you go in with a shopping list. It's just too big and not enough staff. Also, you can't get back into the warehouse easily from the market hall and have to walk around for ages to get back to where you were, even through the short cuts, it still takes ages.

Also note that if you're not able to lift heavy items that it wont be a pleasant experience as you have to go and pick and pack every item yourself and again, it might take you 10 minutes to find somebody available to help load it onto your trolley. Then of course you have to load it the right way or there will be a major delay at the till trying to scan the item at the bottom of the pile with 200kg of items on top of the barcode. If you forget a full serve item, they can't print it there at the till, you have to go back to the warehouse and get them to print it there and if you've already put your trolley through the till, you'll have to take them back into the warehouse trying to get the massive queue to excuse you and move out of the way. So then you might scan everything and realise the price is showing up way off, so will have to painfully check every price and code against your list. Then you'll have to wait another while for your full serve items and can then finally go about packing up.

As I said, it can be a nightmare to shop there, especially if you've a lot to get and under pressure. If you think you'll just be there for a short while, think again :) You really have to take all this into consideration when thinking of buying from Ikea and then of course there is the assembly aswell.

So if you don't mind the extra effort it's great, but if you have a lot to get, give yourself a lot of time and choose wisely.
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Old Posted: 06-08-2009 , 12:13 AM #9
colmsmum
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I was in it today for the first time, yeah it's good but I wouldn't go rushing back. It's quite a bit more expensive than the Belfast store, even after the exchange rate, but still fairly cheap for some items. I hadn't gone to buy anything in-particular, just to have a look and I got a few nice things. I already have a few accessories from the Belfast store and they're fine so I had no reservations about the quality of the stuff.

I think if you were kitting your house out for the first time or totally revamping a room it would be great but if you already have your house furnished you'll only end up buying stuff you don't need. The furniture is very contemporary/modern which doesn't suit everyone but the accessories and gadgets are quite nice and good value.

Tip: Remember to follow the arrows or you'll be completely lost! We didn't in the beginning and ended up retracing our steps and starting back at square one! Also if your planning to have lunch there be sure to have it before you shop as you can't go back in with bags/trolley after you've checked out. Alternatively you could put the bags in the car and go back but it's a hassle if your parked miles away. All in all it's just another shop, nothing gob-smacking really.
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Old Posted: 06-08-2009 , 12:15 AM #10
TickTock
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Thanks everyone for all your good advice, much appreciated - I'll certainly take it all on board.

It certainly looks like it will be quite an adventure! (If I ever get there!)
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Old Posted: 22-12-2009 , 11:48 PM #11
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Well friends I did eventually get to Ikea a couple of months ago and bought two flat pack units which are in use and are just brilliant. I didn't go for the Billy as it looked a little shaky on display (it wasn't screwed to a wall). The fact that they recommend a lot of stuff be screwed to a wall put me off a bit and the items I bought were drawer units on castors which didn't need any anchoring. We had lunch but weren't very impressed with it but maybe it was just an off day and we will be back again sometime. Thanks everyone for your input here and on pm.
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Old Posted: 23-12-2009 , 10:30 PM #12
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Old Posted: 16-07-2010 , 11:52 PM #13
junkista
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TickTock
Well friends I did eventually get to Ikea a couple of months ago and bought two flat pack units which are in use and are just brilliant. I didn't go for the Billy as it looked a little shaky on display (it wasn't screwed to a wall). The fact that they recommend a lot of stuff be screwed to a wall put me off a bit and the items I bought were drawer units on castors which didn't need any anchoring. We had lunch but weren't very impressed with it but maybe it was just an off day and we will be back again sometime. Thanks everyone for your input here and on pm.

hiya,
ikea has been open some time now , i wonder how everyone is getting on with the things they bought?
i love ikea! some things are fantastic others not so great..
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Old Posted: 17-07-2010 , 10:07 PM #14
cavalin
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my sofa's are still as good as new and they're at least 3 yrs old now :)
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