Problem Solved: Help, my IKEA furniture order is missing

Both of Chip Elam's IKEA furniture orders, placed during the pandemic lockdown, are missing. And IKEA won't respond to his requests for help. How can he get the company to deliver on its promise?

Q: I was hoping you could help me with two IKEA orders I placed during the lockdown. I think IKEA is sending bad information. It claims one order is ready to be delivered, but that's not true. It's also difficult to contact IKEA.

I have talked to customer service representatives a couple of times over many weeks, and the last time I tried it took dozens of attempts over many hours to get through, after being on hold for long periods.

The information that customer service representatives have is either limited or incorrect. Stated policies, such as being able to cancel orders online, are not correct. I read a previous article you wrote about IKEA in which the company claims this is a technical glitch of short duration. But my experience is to the contrary. IKEA has consistent and enduring problems. I have emailed the executives you list on your site but have received no response from either of them.

I want to get my first order delivered soon. My first shipment date was months ago. I also want to cancel my second order. When I canceled the second order online, it warned me that I would be forfeiting my $49 delivery charge, which I think is ridiculous under these circumstances. I would like to get a credit for the entire second order and delivery charge. Can you help? -- Chip Elam, Columbus, Ohio

A: IKEA should have delivered both of your orders promptly. The company was wrong in its earlier assessment that this was a temporary glitch. I've received a steady stream of complaints about delayed IKEA orders during the pandemic.

For your missing IKEA furniture order, I would have recommended escalating your problem to an executive. But it looks as if you already tried that. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of the IKEA managers on my nonprofit consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

All of which raises an interesting question: What happens when even the managers won't respond? I think you only have one option -- the nuclear option. Yes, I'm talking about a credit card chargeback. Take that $49 delivery fee and the rest of your order back by force. If IKEA won't even give you a straight answer about your furniture, and it continues to drag its feet, you know what you have to do: call your bank.

At the same time, it wouldn't hurt to have a little patience. I think a lot of people stayed home during the lockdown and ordered furniture recreationally. For a variety of reasons, companies like IKEA had a difficult time fulfilling orders. I would have applied what I call the two-and-two refund rule. Give the company two weeks after your scheduled delivery date. Then, after complaining to the executives, wait another two weeks. Then call your credit card to reverse the charges. Simple as that.

I contacted IKEA on your behalf about your missing furniture order. You received an automated call from IKEA with a new delivery window, and the company eventually delivered your furniture as promised. It also canceled your second order as requested and didn't charge you.

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Christopher Elliott's latest book is “How To Be The World’s Smartest Traveler” (National Geographic). Get help by contacting him at http://www.elliott.org/help