Rob really likes IKEA. IKEA doesn’t seem to have any strong feelings about Rob, but the store’s web site hates him. They don’t want to do business with him. It’s nothing personal, surely, but the web site believes that he doesn’t exist, and not even anyone at IKEA has ben able to figure out why this is or what to do about it.

The ZIP code Rob he lives exists, even if he doesn’t have an IKEA store nearby.

Now, I should start before anything else: I love IKEA. They’ve much improved over the years, and in the days when it’s hard for me to find a lot of stuff I like for my home, I’ve really liked their stuff. Unfortunately, since I live about 75 miles from the nearest store, it’s not always economical, but thankfully they have a website.

That hates me. Let me explain. When I first moved into the area, I got myself an IKEA account. No problem, everything went well. But then when I moved into the current place I live, I started having repeated problems with the website because IKEA’s website is convinced my zip code does not exist. I went for weeks and weeks trying to get this fixed before finally someone figured out it was a bug in the system and fixed it.

Fast forward to about a few weeks ago. It was my first time in one of their stores in a while, so I signed up for their new IKEA Family rewards card plan. No problem, I’m happy, my wife gets free coffee whenever we go to the store thanks to the card, everything’s great.

Except…

Suddenly my regular website account is suddenly locked out. I wonder why, so I contacted customer service. The CS folks helpfully explain that sometimes this happens. I asked if this was tied to the fact that I got the IKEA Family card and have the same email address for both. they said no, it isn’t an issue, just ask the system for a new password. So I did, and unlocked it. Yay!

An hour later, I get an email saying the account is locked again. So I ask for a new password, use the new password, get in, it gets locked again shortly after. Rinse, wash, repeat for four days.

Finally I get a hold of a different guy in CS who points out that I would need to close out my browser, and maybe even turn off my computer in order to accomplish this; that it’s a result of a “network error”. Well, no one mentioned this before. It’s also funny, because in the course of those four days, I’ve used this reset on my work computer, my home computer, my laptop, my tablet, my phone and even my mother-in-law’s computer, some of which are on different networks and different browsers…and in at least three of those cases, different OSes. So I write back and explain.

I get told by a different CS that “well, you don’t need to log in to purchase from the website, you can always do so as a guest account.” Great! Except…when it guest mode…that zipcode bug from way back when? It’s baaaaaaaaaaaack….

Again, I have no problems with IKEA normally, but I’m convinced their website really and truly hates me.

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