# Ikea: what a bunch of bastards **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 27, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332 "2008-02-27T02:51:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/41 "2008-02-27T16:44:12Z")
Between the receipt and Dead Badger’s account of a trip to IKEA, I am practically snorting over here. I just went to IKEA last weekend, and man does that place take it out of me. Plus, you get home and HAVE TO ASSEMBLE THE FUCKING THING BY READING PICTOGRAPHS. And yet, practically every goddamn piece of furniture in my home came from IKEA. When will I learn? FLARN ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/42 "2008-02-27T17:03:30Z")
As a datapoint, we bought a changing table there for our daughter. We’re still using some of the components. She’s 26 now. Most of my bookcases are Ikea, and they’re the best for the money I’ve seen (I use lots of bookcases.) I’ve had pretty positive experiences with them. I enjoy assembling the stuff, but I do 3-d jigsaw puzzles. I think I may stay away from the chairs, though. ---
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/43 "2008-02-27T17:03:32Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] You missed out hordy gordy bordy. [/QUOTE] I just read this and guffawed. My manager in the next aisle called out “Let me guess - you’re on that Dope thing, right?” A couple of heads turned. ---
**Author:** ![Jonno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jonno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonno)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/44 "2008-02-27T17:07:54Z")
[QUOTE=scout1222] Between the receipt and Dead Badger’s account of a trip to IKEA, I am practically snorting over here. [/QUOTE] > **[Ikea - Jonathan Coulton](https://www.jonathancoulton.com/track/ikea/)** Please to be clicking on the video tab. Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/45 "2008-02-27T17:28:35Z")
Oh Helheim! Loki the Asgard broke, and threemae has a Thor Hind. 😃 Helheim is the place where the Norse that sat on their asses instead of fighting went when dead. 😉 Yah Hind is Greek myth. Live with it. ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/46 "2008-02-27T18:17:48Z")
I’m not a big fan of Ikea, but if I ever turn on the TV and see they’ve gotten the Swedish Chef from the Muppetts to be their spokesman, I will become a devoted and outspoken fan. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/47 "2008-02-27T18:38:35Z")
[QUOTE=susan] I’m sorry your chair broke and it took more effort than you think is right to replace it, but I’ve never had a problem with any piece of IKEA furniture. In addition, the book cases I bought more than 20 years ago and have dismantled and moved numerous times have never sagged, unlike any other knock-together book cases. I don’t think the laminate has chipped on anything, the solid stuff is in great shape, and the issue is really that I can now afford better furniture so as I need new items I tend to upgrade from IKEA. I can’t speak to their return/exchange policies, but of the ~30 pieces of furniture I’ve bought there (including chairs), I’ve never had to return anything. [/QUOTE] No problems with my IKEA book cases either. If I bought fewer books, I could afford [fancier](http://www.levenger.com/Pagetemplates/Product/Product.asp?Params=Category=5-19%7CLevel=2-3%7Cpageid=4998%7CLink=Txt%7Ctab=Reviews#Content) cases. But then I wouldn’t need as many of them… ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/48 "2008-02-27T19:20:58Z")
[QUOTE=Cheesesteak] Thing is, cazzle, Ikea’s return policy is more onerous than other retailers, and they NEVER have “bought it at WalMart, returned it at KMart” problems, or “crappy supplier” problems, because practically everything they sell is a unique Ikea brand product. You can have a product new - unopened in the box, one that they sell every day, and they tell you they can’t even give you store credit because you can’t prove you bought the (entirely unique to Ikea) product at Ikea? [/QUOTE] As **mhendo** pointed out, there are obviously cultural differences at play here, and policies like Ikeas are widespread here. For companies like my employer, a policy like this isn’t soley to prevent merchandise being returned that was purchased elsewhere, it’s to prevent shoplifters getting refunds and exchanges on products they stole from us in the first place. Ikea products clearly came from Ikea, but that doesn’t mean that they were purchased. Ikea do not want to reward theft with more free product. It’s not “you can’t prove you bought the unique-to-Ikea product at Ikea”, it’s “you can’t prove you _bought_ the unique-to-Ikea product”. We (the company that I worked for) periodically get hit by organised gangs of shoplifters despite our “onerous” return policy, but I believe management when they say that we would provide a much more attractive target to them if they knew they could get cash refunds or store credit from us without a receipt, which in turn would drive up the amount of store security needed to protect our merchandise. Reading any thread on here about the outrage people experience when asked to show their bag/receipt when they leave a store and you’ll understand that these methods of attempted shrinkage control are considered intrusive and undesirable. It’s a fine line that retailers walk, to keep thefts to an acceptable minimum while not pissing off genuine customers with too much surveillance, harsh return policies or restrictive security devices. That’s why I say to blame the dishonest people who ruin it for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/49 "2008-02-27T19:49:13Z")
[QUOTE=Cazzle] it’s to prevent shoplifters getting refunds and exchanges on products they stole from us in the first place. [/QUOTE] How exactly does one shoplift an office chair? The last one I bought came in a box over 2 feet (0.61 meters) on a side. It would have been tough hiding that under my trenchcoat. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/50 "2008-02-27T20:28:16Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] How exactly does one shoplift an office chair? The last one I bought came in a box over 2 feet (0.61 meters) on a side. It would have been tough hiding that under my trenchcoat. [/QUOTE] You didn’t read my earlier post? As far as I know, Ikea doesn’t manufacture their stuff onsite or instore - there are a myriad of opportunities for products to disappear before they ever hit the shelves during shipping, transportation and storage. It’s also quite difficult to effectively word and enforce a policy that requires receipts only for items small enough to be shoplifted. Far simpler to require receipts for all returns that to require your staff to measure all boxes and assess the likelyhood of it fitting under a trenchcoat. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/51 "2008-02-27T20:37:23Z")
Canadian Ikea stores [require receipts](http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CA/customer_service/faq/faq.html#0005) as well. > [@Muffin](#): > > It has been legal to sell those in Texas for almost two weeks… You went and bought one of the [lesser-known Ikea products](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=81396), didn’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/52 "2008-02-27T20:41:06Z")
[QUOTE=Septima] Besides, most scandinavian businesses insist on reciepts. They don’t where you are? [/QUOTE] Some here don’t. Usually when they do, there’s either a good business reason or a sneaky money-making reason. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/53 "2008-02-27T20:41:33Z")
Oh man, I remember that thread! > [@](#): > > ANGRI > Bean bag chair upholstered in synthetic itchy sweater material. Limited time bonus! Alice in Chains Dirt on compact disc. $79.99 Took me a minute, but awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/54 "2008-02-27T20:48:04Z")
At least [they](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtHEZpA9g2A) [have](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TO90OV1IME) [great](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVOM700EGGs) [ads](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFHRAuvjOtQ)[.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXmaYjpGBNg&NR=1) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/55 "2008-02-27T20:49:35Z")
Is IKEA the manufactuer? If so, sue for personal injury if you pull something or throw out your back when its chair falls apart. You don’t need a receipt for that. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/56 "2008-02-27T20:50:38Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] How exactly does one shoplift an office chair? The last one I bought came in a box over 2 feet (0.61 meters) on a side. It would have been tough hiding that under my trenchcoat. [/QUOTE] Put one on top of another, and dress it in a duster and hat. Help him out the door. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/57 "2008-02-27T20:56:47Z")
You should get advice on your office furniture from this guy: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkItKzqHBII](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkItKzqHBII). ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/58 "2008-02-27T21:00:04Z")
[QUOTE=Cazzle] You didn’t read my earlier post? … there are a myriad of opportunities for products to disappear before they ever hit the shelves during shipping, transportation and storage. [/QUOTE] But that’s not shoplifting, it’s a problem with thieving employees, shippers and factory workers. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/59 "2008-02-27T21:09:08Z")
Who designs their stuff? I’ve had two Ikea chairs that have suffered from structural failure. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332/60 "2008-02-27T21:19:50Z")
[QUOTE=mks57] Who designs their stuff? I’ve had two Ikea chairs that have suffered from structural failure. [/QUOTE] An anorexic collective in Delft. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ikea-what-a-bunch-of-bastards/439332.md?page=4)