[Dartmouth] IKEA | Complete

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

As a sidebar, I've heard complaints from both friends and strangers who find the space too big and confusing, usually concluding with, "I'll never go back". Most of these people seem not to have figured out you can bypass the second floor showrooms and go right to the department you need.

I have avoided the place not only because I don't really feel the need to have anything they sell or because of the reported crowds but also because I am awaiting knee surgery and do not expect that I could make it through their lab-rat maze. I can only assume that they herd shoppers up to the second floor by some means and discourage other routes. Also I suppose that for one's first few visits you do not know where everything is so you are forced to take their scenic-route tour of the place to figure that out.

Do they have complimentary ride-along scooters available like I see in some other megastores?

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I have avoided the place not only because I don't really feel the need to have anything they sell or because of the reported crowds but also because I am awaiting knee surgery and do not expect that I could make it through their lab-rat maze. I can only assume that they herd shoppers up to the second floor by some means and discourage other routes. Also I suppose that for one's first few visits you do not know where everything is so you are forced to take their scenic-route tour of the place to figure that out.

Do they have complimentary ride-along scooters available like I see in some other megastores?

I assume they have scooters like all the other stores.

There are also shortcuts throughout the showroom areas. They are little gaps in the corners, although I am not sure if you can get through them in a scooter. If you follow the signs they will guide you along a circuitous path so that you look at just about everything in the store. I guess this is really no different from any store or mall; they are not designed to get you in and out as fast as possible (many restaurant seating areas are). IKEA is more frustrating because it's so much bigger.

Even with the shortcuts and even if you skip the upper floor, it still takes a minimum of 15-20 minutes to get in and out of those stores on a good day.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by mleblanc

When delivering, they bring the furniture straight to the desired room.

Quite so. I was impressed (and grateful) that the crew humped sixteen heavy boxes down the stairs to my family room without complaint. And to think I was prepared to lug them home a few at a time in the Accord.

Originally Posted by someone123

Even with the shortcuts and even if you skip the upper floor, it still takes a minimum of 15-20 minutes to get in and out of those stores on a good day.

True enough. Eavesdropping on one of the complainers in the checkout line I was tempted to ask them if they've never been to the Dartmouth Crossing Canadian Tire. Heaven help you if you need light bulbs (aisle 83) and wiper blades (aisle 14) on the same visit. (And, inexplicably, they've closed the auto parts entrance meaning you have to double back through half the store to exit.) Online shopping anyone?

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

... I've heard complaints from both friends and strangers who find the space too big and confusing, usually concluding with, "I'll never go back". Most of these people seem not to have figured out you can bypass the second floor showrooms and go right to the department you need. ...

I've been a few times now - not yet to the cafeteria (the line always looked too long). I've chosen to do the scenic route, just to see what's on offer and get a sense for the product.... but if I need something, I just skip the entire showroom and pick up what I need. IKEA's shopping app will tell you where everything is, so I've been able to get in, pick up several things and check out within 20 minutes. Pretty good, I'd say.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

Another useful revelation: you can take your list to customer service and for one reasonable charge, regardless of how many boxes you're buying, they'll happily collect it and deliver it right to your room at the time you specify, often the same day. Their service has been top notch, in my experience so far.

Just curious, how much do they charge for this delivery service?

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

Just curious, how much do they charge for this delivery service?

It was a flat fee of $79 regardless of weight or number of boxes but it may have gone up Jan. 1st...

[PEI highway guy]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

Quite so. I was impressed (and grateful) that the crew humped sixteen heavy boxes down the stairs to my family room without complaint. And to think I was prepared to lug them home a few at a time in the Accord.




True enough. Eavesdropping on one of the complainers in the checkout line I was tempted to ask them if they've never been to the Dartmouth Crossing Canadian Tire. Heaven help you if you need light bulbs (aisle 83) and wiper blades (aisle 14) on the same visit. (And, inexplicably, they've closed the auto parts entrance meaning you have to double back through half the store to exit.) Online shopping anyone?

Cdn Tire also locked the auto parts entrance in my town 5 or so years ago and I am pretty sure it was to combat shoplifting, Hopefully, IKEA will not have this issue.

[Takeo]

Originally Posted by someone123

Even with the shortcuts and even if you skip the upper floor, it still takes a minimum of 15-20 minutes to get in and out of those stores on a good day.

There are no crowds on weekdays anymore. You can easily walk the entire route in no time if you’re just trying to get to a particular section. The kitchen section of the showroom for instance is the middle section and there are no shortcuts to the middle. There are three showroom shortcuts I think but they all skip from early sections to late sections... not to the middle. So that’s probably the worst case scenario, and on weekday evenings I’ve bolted straight to the kitchen section in about a minute or two. Also you are not “herded” into the showroom. You can go directly to the marketplace skipping half of the entire store or even enter from the warehouse sided. If you want something in the self-serve warehouse or something near the end of the marketplace just go through the checkout area backward and you’ll be in and out in no time. People just like to hate. It’s a pretty awesome store with very unique and clever products and systems that no one else offers. And once you know the store it’s a breeze to navigate. Doesn’t really take much longer than a store laid out in an open grid.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Takeo

There are no crowds on weekdays anymore. You can easily walk the entire route in no time if you’re just trying to get to a particular section. The kitchen section of the showroom for instance is the middle section and there are no shortcuts to the middle. There are three showroom shortcuts I think but they all skip from early sections to late sections... not to the middle. So that’s probably the worst case scenario, and on weekday evenings I’ve bolted straight to the kitchen section in about a minute or two. Also you are not “herded” into the showroom. You can go directly to the marketplace skipping half of the entire store or even enter from the warehouse sided. If you want something in the self-serve warehouse or something near the end of the marketplace just go through the checkout area backward and you’ll be in and out in no time. People just like to hate. It’s a pretty awesome store with very unique and clever products and systems that no one else offers. And once you know the store it’s a breeze to navigate. Doesn’t really take much longer than a store laid out in an open grid.

You obvs need to know the layout and what is held where. Is that readily posted or otherwise available? Otherwise how would someone know?

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

You obvs need to know the layout and what is held where. Is that readily posted or otherwise available? Otherwise how would someone know?

You can get little paper maps at the entrance.

[q12]

https://www.ikea-canada.com/hp2016/u...-guide-HAL.pdf

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

You can get little paper maps at the entrance.

The app will also tell you where things are (and how many are left).

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

The app will also tell you where things are (and how many are left).

When you find goods you're interested in, just click to put them in your shopping list. Then go to the list, select print, and the app will bring up a complete rundown of where everything is located, what's in stock, and even when you can expect things that are out of stock will be available. You can also order the list anyway you want; for example, you can arrange stuff by weight so you know what items to pick up first.

My best advice for people who know what they're looking for is to bypass the main entrance and head straight for the doors marked "Exit". They lead you right into the Market Hall. (Just walk straight ahead to the left of the check-outs.)

I was chatting with a restaurant worker on the weekend who reported their sales are up measurably since Ikea opened. In fact, they had their best night in ten years within the weeks after the store opened. This seems to validate the thesis that Ikea would be a significant draw for other area businesses.

[q12]

Here is an Aerial Photo taken on Friday December 22nd, 2017, to give a sense of how busy it has been at IKEA and Dartmouth Crossing:

You can also see Kent under construction along with the nearly finished Cabela's (Exterior signage is now up on Cabela's).

View Image here:
http://www.visionairimages.com/Geogr...re/i-Mc8PPvN/A

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

My best advice for people who know what they're looking for is to bypass the main entrance and head straight for the doors marked "Exit". They lead you right into the Market Hall. (Just walk straight ahead to the left of the check-outs.)

Are you impeded from going to that area if you use the designated entrance?

[SpongeG]

most of the IKEAs you can go up the escalator to the showroom or to the left there is a set of doors that go directly to the markethall.

or you can go to the cashiers and walk through against the flow, that way and backtrack through the warehouse to the markethall.

[q12]

• Video Link

Can a mod change the thread title to | Complete?