OK, I love Ikea. Esp their restaurant and cafe with US$1 hot dogs. I have nothing against them and think their arrival (for the 2nd time in Japan, but I will write more about that in a later post) is wonderful. Wish they were around when we moved into our house.
However, my colleague related this little experience he had with them recently that had me up in stitches. And amazingly, he is not mad at them. He is looking at the whole incident philosophically.
My colleague is new in Japan. He went to Ikea, saw some furniture which he liked, paid for them and arranged for delivery. Then shortly thereafter and before the sofas were delivered, he found that he preferred sofas from another place better. So he calls Ikea to cancel his purchase. Ikea said that he can cancel and get a refund, but the furniture still has to be delivered to him first, before it can be returned.
Huh? Yes, even though he is cancelling his purchase, the sofas must be delivered to his house first. At the time of delivery, he will tell them that he does not want it anymore. And then they will take away the furniture. So my colleague was obviously saying no, I am telling you NOW that I don't want the furniture, don't want then delivered at all. He is also a busy guy at the office and the last thing he wants to do is stay home to take delivery of furniture that he does not want and has cancelled.
Ikea would not budge. And this is the compromise.
The delivery truck would indeed bring the furniture to his house. At the gates, instead of unloading the furniture straightaway, the delivery guys would call his secretary at the office. The secretary would confirm that my colleague does not want the furniture and to please take it away. And the delivery truck would drive away with the sofa still in it and my colleague would thereafter get his refund.
And that actually happened last week.
About Me
- Heidi
- A mum of 2 kids who still thinks that she is 25. Works in Tokyo so that she has time off her kids and time to blog! She is originally from Singapore. She has been in Japan long enough for her English to be mangled already! Her huband is Japanese, as are her 2 sons. Although her elder son is starting to think that he is Spanish, after watching all those American DVDs for kids where it plays in both English and Spanish. He has been ending all meals with "de-li-sio-so"!
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2 comments:
That is hysterical! My husband says that the rules in Japan serve the "system" and not the people. His point is confirmed everytime I hear a story like this.
I am still shaking my head over this story!
Dh is still laughing that I met a comparable talker to myself. Loved meeting up- What do you get when you stick to geminis in a room? Perhaps for the other diners around us a headache but I had a great time.
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