IKEA kitchen ÄDEL cream fronts DEFECT

Hello dear Ikea fans,
I am - presumably - NO longer a fan!, although I have been a customer since the IKEA opening (1987) in Fürth.
The following happened: I bought a complete IKEA kitchen 2.5 years ago. Now, 2.5 years later, the front veneers of the Ädel cream kitchen are coming off. Since I happened to read that IKEA offers a 25-year warranty on their kitchens, I called the HOT-Line (which is actually really HOT until you finally get to speak to a person!). The lady told me that I can only make a complaint with the receipt, which unfortunately got lost somehow during my divorce. Well, I thought, if I complain about a VW or BMW within the warranty period, I don’t need a receipt either; besides, there are court rulings where you only need to name a witness to prove the origin – and IKEA kitchens are only available at IKEA, RIGHT??? I called the HOT-Line 3 times up to this point, and on 29.04.2010 they sent me a letter with a case number. (Thanks, that was the best reaction from this useless HOT-Line – I am still hot!) Afterwards I clarified with the HOT-Line that I have to go to the furniture store to make the complaint. Okay, removed 3 fronts and went to the store. A very nice employee explained to me that I can’t do anything without the receipt :( ... then I remembered that I had paid for the kitchen with my Family Card). That should be understandable. It wasn’t a problem either, the employee checked the computer and was even able to tell me the date of purchase! She said she would send a field service employee. I was satisfied. Since the beginning of May, I have been waiting for him; he wanted to call in advance. A call NEVER happened. At the end of May, I started calling the HOT-Line to ask; I was always put off. Yesterday it was enough, I have been calling every other day for a week. After employee number 1 hung up on me while transferring, I was angry. On the 2nd call, I said it was outrageous how these people treat customers. Then I was connected (which worked) and a very unfriendly employee told me that the case in the store in Fürth was closed at the end of May. THAT is unbelievable!!! They let me call for over 2 months only to tell me eventually that the case was closed!!! and still very rudely! OUTRAGE! So I have now contacted the IKEA Family Bank and they told me it is no problem to get Family Card statements retroactively back to 2001 and with that the furniture store in Fürth can issue a replacement receipt! Is this how customers are treated???
Has anyone had similar experiences? Ingvar Kamprad would certainly not approve of this, despite his millions!

Hey there.

Now, very slowly:

Bought kitchen 2.5 years ago and paid with the Family Pay Card.
Now the veneer on the fronts is peeling off.
Various calls unsuccessful, except for the processing number.
Presentation at the "IKEA" store with problem description.
Promise that someone will take a look.
No one comes, hotline explains that the case was closed.

1.

The lady told me that I can only make a complaint with the receipt, which unfortunately got lost somehow during my divorce.

There is only one correct answer to that: Tough luck.

2.

Well, I thought, if I complain about a VW or BMW within the warranty period, I don't need a receipt either

Your purchase date is electronically saved and in the dealership’s documents. You are mixing things up here. BMW models start at €22,100 and not at €750.00. Unless you buy a used one... If it's a new car, you also get a service booklet with a sticker that summarizes the serial number and the complete equipment. Moreover, every BMW dealer can tell you exactly to the minute when your car rolled off the assembly line, from whom the cylinder head gasket comes, and who installed it.

We are talking about a kitchen here, not a car. The comparison simply doesn't fit.
Forget the car-kitchen example.

3.

... furthermore, there are court rulings where you only have to name a witness to prove the origin -

Yes, those exist. But only within the statutory warranty of 2 years and not 25 years guarantee.

4.

A very nice employee explained to me that I can't do anything without a receipt :( ... then it occurred to me that I had paid for the kitchen with my Family Card). That should be traceable. It was also not a problem, the employee looked it up in the PC and was even able to tell me the day of purchase

I didn't know that was possible, but fine. Thus the employee violated applicable data protection law. She is not allowed to do that, even if permission is given. This would allow the employee to access the customer's personal shopping behavior. As far as I know, this is not even possible. But let's leave it at that.
Example:
I go to store xy with my Payback card and say I bought a bike here 2 years ago, I need the receipt.
That is not possible and consumer protection agencies would immediately raise hell and these cards would be banned within a very short time. Makes sense, right?
You surely provided data about yourself, like name, place of residence, etc.

5.
Now we come to the actual mistake that to date is IKEA's fault:

Then I was connected (which worked) and a very unfriendly employee explained to me that the case had been closed by the Fürth branch at the end of May.

Neither of these things is certainly in the inventor's interest.
Whether the gentleman was unfriendly, I cannot judge. Maybe he is, and he just doesn’t feel like working, or he had a bad day because his girlfriend broke up with him, his BMW is in the workshop and it costs a lot again, etc. Maybe he is simply dissatisfied. That is not right, but everyone, including me, cannot always be nice and friendly. Impossible. Period.

Why was the case closed? Maybe no one reached you despite multiple calls? Is it noted in the file waiting for the customer's response? Or a letter sent but no reply?
A case isn’t just closed without IKEA having done something...

6.

They let me call over 2 months only to eventually tell me that the case was closed!!! and that very rudely! OUTRAGE!

Why didn’t you go to IKEA again and sort it out with the family billing?
As far as I know, a bank statement is enough...

7.

So I have now contacted the IKEA Family Bank and they told me it’s no problem to get Family Card statements retroactively back to 2001 and with that the furniture store in Fürth can issue a replacement receipt!

Why not earlier?

That was my comment on your statement for now.
Now just take a deep breath and stay calm. IKEA employees are just employees too, some better, some worse. Like everywhere.
If you have your bank statements from the IKEA bank, go to IKEA with 2 fronts, the statements, and the processing number. Show them the processing number, the statements, and the damaged fronts. Make a list beforehand of which fronts you need and which are damaged. Is it by chance the front next to the dishwasher, so the right and the left?
Or are other fronts damaged as well?
I know other cases where a customer waited half a year due to adverse circumstances. IKEA apologized and helped the customer. Sometimes it takes a little longer. So bring some time. But with 25 years guarantee, that’s not a problem...

IKEA will help you, but why the case was closed I can’t tell you. But I can tell you one thing: stay calm and present your problem factually. Then you can expect everything from IKEA. Only if you get upset and complain, everyone feels attacked by you and it won’t get any easier.

Regards Maverick1854

P.S.: And please no private messages, I read here regularly and would have already commented. Even if it sometimes takes a bit. I also have other things to do. I do this here voluntarily. Many thanks

Hello,

currently there is a 25-year warranty on Ikea kitchens. Are you sure that 2.5 years ago there was also a 25-year warranty?

Otherwise, there is nothing to add to maverick's post.

NfU

Nadine