Sounds like a nightmare.

I've been to the Ikea near me (like 10 minutes away) a bunch of times. I've had the horror show experiences, like gathering up nearly $1k worth of stuff in the funky cart, tucking the cart out of the walk way for 2 minutes to look at their clearance stuff, then finding that an employee treated it as abandoned and returned everything.

Also, the place overloads your mind. You need to write down what you went in there to get. I've gone in there on several occasions to get one specific item I want and come out with 5 items I didn't and didn't realize I missed the one thing I made the trip for till I got home.

Once you learn the shortcuts those things don't happen as often.

I love their rechargeable batteries, they're basically Eneloops for like 1/5 the price. I also love the Ikea bags, all 3 types play a great roll, with 2 big ones you can carry all your groceries for the week comfortably in one trip, with the small ones you can actually stack stuff well, and the zip up ones are great storage, I put my winter clothes, etc. in them, write on it with a sharpie, and they're good to go almost anywhere till I need them.

I guess I just have some love along with my hate for IKEA.