memories of Dave Nichol

Dave Nichol passed away over the weekend.  For those who are newer Dave Nichol is the reason you all know Galen Weston.  The so called 'pitchman', but really a bit of a pioneering marketer who brought us what we all know as a store brand before there really was one.  First with No Name and then with President's Choice - which continues to be the mainstay of my day to day sustenance. 

There was always a well worn Insiders Report in my childhood bathroom and I still take a good look at what I might try next when they arrive.     

your blanket policy isn’t very warm and cozy

I'm a bit of an Ikea fan.  Even known by close friends to be a bit of a 'Sherpa' and I have to say tonight I'm flummoxed.

Ikea.  Basically your policy lacks rationale.  And your explanation even  a little less.

A little background.  I have a very small bathroom and I need to stash towels and, er, um, toilet 'tissue' somewhere.  I also have no car.

I currently have a dorm like contraption in use and yes , it does the job. But I'm a grown up so I'd like to have something a little more substantial.

Ergo Ikea.  Decent.  Well priced.  Quasi-disposable furniture that when you are an apartment dweller you feel is a reasonable option considering you might have this for a short time.

I also have a fixed ceramic hook in the middle of the only usable wall.  So I got my handy measuring tape out and then went to the Ikea showroom.

Except the piece I was interested in was not on display.  So I figured the most logical idea was to go look at the pieces in the box and see where the predrilled holes were.  Except there's a company policy that they can't open a box on the floor because that makes the item unsellable.  A policy which I completely question but since I was trying to get what I wanted I didn't question to very strenuously.

Needless to say several stores were called looking for a display unit and a manager got involved.  Mostly because I said hauling the item home and back was not an option I was interested in if it didn't fit.  And which silently begged the question of where does all my unsuitable MDF stuff go?  Surely not to landfill based on the sole rationale that they'd never keep their prices as low as they do.  (Although usually I get to measure the furniture at the store and now I'm into a circular argument.)

What I found the most perplexing of the entire exchange was that the exact reason I was given by the manager for why the item wasn't on display - which was 'we can't possibly have everything on display' was the exact reason I felt my request to look at parts in the box before I made a purchase was pretty amenable.

I understand that policies have to be put in place to help staff with their jobs.  But sometimes blanket policies don't make sense.  Toronto is a pretty big city. And a large section of the population do not have cars.  Ikea is always on the edge of a city to keep costs down.  But if you want the customers to traipse all the way to you, you have to be willing to help them out.  So when I, and I did do it politely, asked if they'd be willing to come retrieve the item if it didn't fit - based entirely on their suggested rationale that my only course of action was to purchase and return the item if it was unsuitable - I thought opening the blasted box was still the best option for both parties.

I didn't win my argument.  I didn't really lose either because finally after all this work the warehouse woman who was stuck with me agreed to measure the display when it went up and call me one way or the other I felt that was a reasonable option.  I suspect it's pretty far off her job description and I did think the manager had a bit of gall to end the discussion with 'there'.  But I appreciated the gesture. 

So now I'm out 2 hours of my evening and I don't have a shelf.  But maybe the promise of one.

Stay tuned for the outcome.