Ikea Customer Charged $69 Delivery Fee for Stickers Only

A recent incident involving an online order from Ikea has sparked frustration for a customer who ended up paying a substantial delivery fee for a minor purchase. Rana Ghosh placed an order for four dining chairs shortly after the opening of Ikea’s first store in Aotearoa in early December 2023. Despite checking stock availability beforehand, Ghosh’s order was cancelled, but the delivery fee for a set of stickers intended to protect the chair legs still applied.

Ghosh recounted her experience to RNZ, explaining her eagerness to secure the dining chairs through the Ikea app. She stated, “Per their app recommendation, I added stickers ($1.25) for the legs of the chairs to prevent these from scratching the floor.” To her surprise, the delivery fee of $69 was still charged for the stickers, which arrived in a large box on Christmas Eve.

Upon receiving the order, Ghosh was notified that the cost of the chairs had been refunded without prior notice. She expressed her disbelief at the situation, noting that the communication from Ikea felt more like a mockery than a festive gesture. “The friendly person from Mainfreight laughed out loud when I shared this anecdote,” she said. The email she received from Ikea carried the subject line: “Have fun with your order from Ikea.”

Customer dissatisfaction has been a recurring theme since the store’s launch, with reports of similar issues emerging. Another customer mentioned receiving only the legs of a desk while being charged $79. In response to the growing complaints, Ikea announced plans to temporarily close its customer support center to focus on resolving outstanding issues.

Ghosh criticized Ikea’s handling of the situation, stating it reflects poorly on the company’s investment in staff training and understanding of the New Zealand market. In a statement addressing the ongoing challenges, Ikea acknowledged the difficulties but emphasized their commitment to improving customer service. “While we don’t comment on individual cases, instances like this are not aligned with our high expectations for customer service at Ikea,” the company stated.

They reiterated that all teams across the organization are working diligently to ensure such issues do not occur in the future. Ikea expressed confidence in their ability to resolve the majority of cases and deliver pending customer orders effectively.

As the company continues to navigate the complexities of operating in a new market, customers like Ghosh hope for a more reliable service experience moving forward.