There are few things more frustrating than when something you bought is broken or damaged. No matter what you paid for it, spending your hard-earned money on something only for it to break is really annoying. Luckily, some items come with a warranty that allows you to get a replacement in such events.
IKEA is no different from other stores as they, too, have a warranty policy. Usually, you should have no issue with returning or replacing a damaged item, as long as you have a receipt. If the receipt got lost in the trash—as it often does—it gets a bit complicated. But not hopeless!
IKEA is not obliged to honor a warranty if there is no receipt because the receipt is required in the terms and conditions. However, IKEA can honor these returns at their discretion if the purchase can be verified in another way.
Official Policy Is That Receipts Are Required
IKEA’s official warranty policy states that, in order to be covered for the product, you need to have the original receipt as proof of purchase. Without it, you are unlikely to be able to claim for your damaged product.
Why Receipts Are Important for Warranties
Receipts are vital when claiming against a warranty as not only do they prove that the item(s) were bought and not stolen, but they also provide the necessary information needed for the processing of the claim.
For instance, the receipt will have the date that the product was purchased.
The length of time for warranties varies from product to product. For instance, some of IKEA’s bathroom products have a warranty of one decade, whereas their kitchen products go up to 15 years.
The date of purchase is necessary to calculate whether your claim is valid or not.
Additionally, the receipt will indicate how much you paid for the product. This will allow you to get the full value of your return or replacement, especially if the item is now being sold at a discounted price or is no longer in circulation.
Lastly, the receipt will show at which store the product was bought. This will allow the IKEA employees to verify the purchase against their system as well.
Furthermore, you have a greater chance of getting a replacement product if you know that the store had a stock of your purchase.
Non-Receipt Returns Are Possible
If you are part of the majority that lose their receipts or throw them away, then you may be feeling despondent.
Do not fear, though! If you don’t have the original receipt, you may still be able to return your product without one.
The store will need to verify that you made the purchase (see the next section) and then they may accept your return. However, not all stores are willing to do so, and you would need to ask.
It’s the same as returning an item after the return period is up; IKEA may process the return, but because it’s not official policy, they are not obliged to.
Other Means of Verifying a Purchase
IKEA employees are human and understand that having the original receipt of purchase may not always be the case.
All they really need to know is that you bought the item and you didn’t steal it and are trying to scam them.
To do this, they would just need an alternative form of proof that you bought the product.
This could be as simple as them asking for a bank statement that clearly shows the date of purchase, amount, and store. This could help them search their system history for your transaction for verification.
Additionally, they may be able to use the information from your credit card, or order number (perhaps you still have the exciting email that your package was on its way!) to find the purchase.
If you purchased it using a gift card, and still have the gift card or know the number, then this may also assist them in locating the transaction.
What Increases Chances of Warranty Being Honored?
If you don’t have the receipt, and you have limited faith that IKEA will be able to locate your purchase on the system, there may be certain conditions that increase the likelihood of your warranty being honored by the store.
For instance, if your product is still closed in its original packaging, they are probably going to accept the return quite happily.
They would not have to spend time and money repackaging the item. They would simply be able to place it back on the shelves or in their stock.
It also ensures that the product was not tampered with or has no damage (depending on the item—glasses, etc., can break while the package is closed). Warranties typically don’t cover user-caused damage.
The same applies to products that are in good condition.
These are still sell-worthy and can still be made available to customers, usually at a discounted price. The store doesn’t lose out on a purchase and a lucky customer will get the product for much cheaper.
IKEA is also likely to honor the warranty if the product you purchased is currently still in stock.
This makes it easy enough for them to find you a replacement piece than having to give you store credit or a refund if the item is no longer in circulation.
If you bought the item relatively recently, IKEA may also be willing to honor the warranty without the receipt as the product is still new and should not have been nonfunctional or broken.
This transaction is also more likely to be found easily on their system.
Lastly, the chance of the store honoring the warranty also depends on what the item is.
If it is a large and expensive item, such as a piece of bathroom or kitchen furniture, then they will probably return the product for you. These items tend to be more expensive and durable and are likely to have a longer, if not lifetime warranty.
However, if it is a smaller item with a shorter warranty they may be less willing.
Tips for Success
Now, it is important to keep in mind that not all stores or employees will be willing to honor a warranty without a proof of purchase, even if the product meets all the above conditions.
The process of verifying a purchase takes time and effort, something which not every employee may be willing to do.
It is advised to go in person. This way you are able to make eye contact and speak to the employee face-to-face.
Online or telephonic interactions can sometimes make a person come across as cold, which won’t be well-received by either party.
Furthermore, if you are there in person, the employee is less likely to simply say no and send you on your way (like they could on a phone call).
If you are in the store with the item, they may feel obliged to complete the process as they can see you have put in the effort to travel to the store.
Just remember to be polite—they are not obliged to honor the warranty when there is no receipt, so it is best to nicely explain why you are returning the item. Rude and brash customers are unlikely to be helped.
A top tip is also to tell them upfront that you are happy to opt for store credit as opposed to a cash refund.
This is more profitable for the business as they won’t need to give you any money back and you will still be making purchases in their store, sometimes for even more than the credit amount.