IKEA and Asda

[mfewell]

1) Has anyone ever managed to navigate IKEA in Croydon without getting lost and having to ask a staff member the way out ? Also, what was the retail reasoning that made them build a store where the first thing you encounter is a large staircase up ? Bloody good place though if you avoid the hot dogs, which are encased in thick plastic.

2) Has anyone ever gone into Asda, seen horrendous queues (partly because everyone is paying by plastic), and turned straight round and gone to their local Spar ? Then realised you've just wasted 50p on petrol so what was the point in the first place.

[the>one]

no sorry! interesting question though

[Loosehead]

yes I have, whatever time I go there's always a massive crowd. Supermarkets could do a lot to speed throughput though but to avoid upsetting one person they'll upset 100 by inaction. Cheques bl*&dy cheques don't get me started.......

[Loosehead]

I'm talking about 2)

[sod_the_m25]

Here's how it goes Loosehead.

"That'll be �3.17, madame"

Customer fumbles in huge handbag, eventually finds glasses and peers closely at the till for confirmation. More fumbling in handbag and out comes a cheque book and pen. Insists on writing the cheque by hand rather than letting the store print it. More fumbling in handbag for purse, opens purse to reveal 30 or more bits of plastic, eventually finds cheque guarantee card. Then decides to pack shopping - but the tops of the plastic carriers are stuck together. And so on.

[shaneystar]

I have only ever been to Ikea in Croydon once.
All I can say is never again!!

[hopalong]

Yes, fewell, my brother and I where in the Ikea Breahead (near Glasgow) the main showroom is on the upper floor and when we came down it took us about 20 minutes before we finally found the lift

[mystress]

2 Answers!! ,

1.if you cannot navigate something as simple as IKEA,how do you drive there in the 1st place?!

2.People get up my nose crticising IKEA,they just want Harrods service at IKEA prices,well sorry it just aint gonna happen!

[mfewell]

I was not criticising IKEA - good stuff at incredible prices (I have 4 colourful LACK tables in my conservatory). Except when picking up stuff, I always always cycle. I just head vaguely towards the 2 huge towers and I eventually bump into the store.

I still however maintain that the layout of the store is, well, idiosyncratic. It's different now, but early on if you just wanted something from the Market Hall, candles say, you had to wander around all the top floor just to get there (or sneak in the exit)

[spat]

ikea croydon is the devils work

i found that the best time to go is late night during the week

i kinda like the quirky layout though

it makes it feel bigger than it actually is

[mystress]

mfewell,

I wasn't picking on you especially,just all the answers in general.

Just as there is a "short cut" to the cafe on the 1st floor,if you ask the (helpful) staff they will show the ground floor "shorcut" to the Market Hall.I suddenly get the feeling that I have been going to IKEA too much!

When you realise that my nearest IKEA is either Thurrock or Croydon,both about 30 miles away,they must be having an effect on me! LOL

[shaneystar]

The reason I say I would never go to Ikea again was the fact that the day we went ,a few years ago now,was that it was packed to the gunnels.It was a boiling hot day.We don't drive so went over on the tram .The bathroom cupboard we wanted was out of stock .I can't afford to shop in Harrods either.

[jean88]

answers to your questions:

1. Ikea needs to put more signs up for directions.

2. Dont go to the supermarket if you only buying a few essentials (milk, bread) go to spar.

I think Ikea is always packed with customers anyway and there is always traffic jams near Ikea at most times causing local residents lots of inconvenience and its not that cheap.

[smurfchops]

If you don't want to go around the 'room sets' on the first floor, in IKEA Croydon, you can just walk around the 'bottom floor' . I haven't been there for a few months but you go in by the stairs but start on the ground floor instead of going upstairs,you still have to go in a designated way around the store, (which is good because you don't miss anything) but it takes half the time, especially if you know what you are looking for. You can just pop upstairs to the restaurant if you want to, and the loo, by the stairs or go in the lift.  And go early Monday morning when there are no school holidays - I think it opens 10.00 am. Hope this makes sense :)