IKEA On A Miserable Day
To say that today is miserable is an understatement.
I needed to go to IKEA to pickup a shelf and after a breakfast at Carluccio’s in Upper Street, I got a 341 bus to the store in Tottenham. It was another big red taxi, with a personal driver.
The Upstairs Lounge On A 341 Bus
I even had the upstairs lounge all to myself. Although the view wasn’t up to much.
The Terrible View From The Lounge
I did get to IKEA in a reasonable time, as the roads weren’t that busy. I did speak to a friend by phone on the journey, who was tending to his father’s grave in a woodland cemetery in the rain. I think I got the better bargain.
At least coming home with my shelf, the empty bus meant I had no problems about where to put it.
Bringing Home The Shelf
But then there always seems to be space for parcels on the 341 from IKEA. Perhaps most people take the easy option and drive. Although this guy didn’t with a chair.
I should also say that the LACK shelf I bought was an ideal product to buy in the rain, as it comes tightly wrapped in plastic.
IKEA By Car
I needed to go to IKEA and an old school friend said he’d take me, as he wanted to have a look round where we lived in Southgate and towards Tottenham and Clapton.
We looked at the house where I used to live and the sink outlet from the downstairs toilet was still covered in concrete. Why had my father done that? Partly to stop it freezing, but mainly to stop thieves nicking the lead pipe.
In this age of metal theft, some things never change! Even after fifty years!
IKEA’s Non-Delivery Service – Part 2
I posted this about a delivery, I’m expecting from IKEA on the 15th November.
Today, I received an e-mail from them telling me that they had unilaterally put back the delivery to the 17th of December. It is not convenient, and I have e-mailed them to say that it isn’t.
I have a feeling this is a saga that will run and run.
Note that I originally placed the order on the 7th of November and they said then that the product will be delivered on the 17th of November.
IKEA’s Non-Delivery Service
Tomorrow, I’m expecting a delivery from IKEA.
But I doubt, I’ll get it, as after speaking to DHL this morning, it would appear that the earliest day I can get it is December 8th. So I’ll probably cancel!
A few months ago, I did get two or three successful deliveries, but the last two have had to be cancelled, as the delivery dates offered were just not convenient and bore no relation to what was originally offered on the web site.
At the moment, I can’t put all my clothes away, as I don’t have a wardrobe in my bedroom. Unfortunately, the fittings were delivered last time, so do I have no chance, but to wait until the eighth? Let’s face it, it’s only a frame that costs £50. I doubt though, it would have fitted in the back of my Jaguar.
As I was expecting the delivery tomorrow, I arranged my schedule around it. Now, I’ll have to rearrange everything again!
Tracing an IKEA Refund
In mid-September, I ordered some things using their web site from IKEA. Because they couldn’t deliver at a time convenient to me, I cancelled the order. I’ve done this in the past and usually, I get an e-mail within a few days.
But this time I haven’t, so whilst I was waiting for the football to start, I gave them a call. I did have to wait quite a time for it to get answered, but I’ve had worse delays.
They told me that the refund was on its way and would I check with my bank.
It was on my John Lewis Partnership card and I couldn’t find it. But have you ever tried to find a trabsaction on the Partnership Card website. Compared to something like Nationwide or PayPal and I suspect many others, it’s a load of old cobblers.
- Recent transactions doesn’t seem to include any payments you have made.
- You can’t look at a specific time period, like the last three months, as you can on many credit card web sites.
- You can’t select just payments in. This meant a couple of months ago, I paid the bill twice.
At least though, I’d accessed the web site recently. I think if you don’t in 60 days, you need to get a new password, through the post.
I wouldn’t keep the card, but I think it gives me extra benefits when I shop in John Lewis or Waitrose. One of those extra benefits was that I could use the QuickCheck method of shopping, but no stores near me have it and I prefer to use the delivery option. So the reasons for keeping it are quickly getting reduced to the one that I like to have both a Visa and a Mastercard. Especially as my Visa is useless on-line, as it has that awful Verified by Visa security system.
Infuriating IKEA
I sorted my bedroom out and ordered some new inserts for the wardrobe from IKEA. They were supposed to be delivered on the 22nd.
But now, I find that IKEA can’t deliver until some time in October, which isn’t much use to me.
So I’ve cancelled the order and will reorder it again after my trip.
Despite having my landline, they always ring on my mobile number. The calling number is always Private so I don’t know who’s phoned. So I’ve now removed the mobile number from their database.
Getting Home From IKEA
The trip back from IKEA with the things I’d bought, was the second easiest ever. The easiest was when my son brought me in his car, but as he only has a proper mini, that isn’t easy, if I have bought a lot.
IKEA provided me with a large minicab with a cheery and helpful driver from Edmonton to Dalston for just a score. As to get what I’d bought delivered after an Internet shop would have been more, I’ll count that as value.
Double Busing
It is easy for me to get to IKEA at Edmonton, as I just get a 341 from the Balls Pond Road. However lately, when I go that way I get a 141 from a stop closer to my house. I find that the two routes seem to race themselves up through Manor House and if you time it right you can change to a 341 without delay. I cuts a couple of minutes off the journey and avoids a few minutes walking to the stop.
This is the great advantage of very frequent buses.
I believe Transport for london are going to allow bus tracking over the Internet. This will mean, I can choose the route before I leave to meet a bus at the stop.
IKEA’s Silly Screws
I’m putting the IKEA Stolmen wardrobe insert together now that I’ve got a complete chest of drawers. But why do they use such silly screws?
IKEA's Silly Screws
They are absolutely impossible to use, if you have a gammy hand and their little bent wire socket keys are definitely something for one person per end and as I live alone, what am I supposed to do?
I’ve given up on them as and as you can see, I’m using conventional nuts and bolts from Clerkenwell Screws. They were just a few pence each.
The great thing about the conventional hexagonal head nut and bolt, is that they are an almost perfect piece of design. They are easy to put together, they don’t roll away, when you leave them to their own devices and they can be screwed tightly together with a couple of spanners. I always have a nut driver handy for one end. Usually, you only find these tools at proper tool shops, like Clerkenwell Screws, Franchi or Mackays in Cambridge. But having one in the right size for a job you do often is worth the saving in anger.
In this example I’ve used standard bright zinc-plated bolts, but I could have used brass, as I did in the staircase.
I’m an electrical engineer, but remember the definition of a mechanical one; A nut who screws, washes and bolts.
And Now There Are Six!
I had a special delivery today from IKEA containing a set of draw sides for my cabinet.
Six Left and Two Right Sides
As you can see they did the safe thing and set a complete set of two left and two right sides.
I can’t fault IKEA on this one and must give them 10 out of 10 for customer service.
I can make an appeal to anybody who has a Stolmen two drawer chest in white with missing left sides, I’ve got four spare ones.
