Just what we need another party goods store. We have plenty of them around here and cannot keep a reasonably priced fabric store. If Walmart closes theirs, our one and only quilt shop will probably raise their prices more due to no competition.

What I am learning about Wal-Mart fabrics is that they are mostly over-runs and misprinted bolts. No one can tell me where they come from , but my own experience is this....the maker name and dated codes are 5 or more years old. There is something wrong with nearly every piece I buy. When I am stream pressing them, I often note dye-over-laps and misprinted prints. I have purchased some that have had the selvage on one side completely cut or hacked off. These are especially the $1. and $2. bolts of fabric.

The higher priced fabrics may be OK, but I don't indulge in those very often. I make most of my quilts to give away and simply use whatever I can find at a reasonable price. Hancock Fabric and JoAnn seldom have sales at these low prices.

Many women are not going to be able to afford to make quilts, even the ones they want to give to their children, if they have to pay $6 and $8 a yard for their fabrics.

I signed the petition at 4346, which was Dec 28. It is a shame the executives do not care about what their customers want or need. They probably buy that fabric for pennies on a bolt and would say they are passing the savings on to us. If their minds are made up, then we know what we can do....to hurt them in the pocket. There are other places to buy the things we get at Wal-Mart after they close the fabric departments. One Fabrics Mgr told me she was told it will be another year before they close. I will be watching as I am sure many of you will be also.

I signed the petition, also.
As the previous poster stated, I, too, am considering not buying anything from WalMart if they close out the fabric dept. I can shop elsewhere for my groceries, and their clothing dept. leaves alot to be had, anyway.
Not much else that I need from WalMart, except toilet paper and they sell that at the Dollar General Store.

If they close it down and I have to drive 30 miles for a yard of fabric, I'll
use Hobby Lobby for my fabric.

We hav a JoANN's and the pricey stores too, but I like to use flannel or backs and they use to have a good selection/ not anymore. I can't afford $8/$9 fabric all the time and their flannels was relly good. Its a shame.

The big Question is:

Should we organize a boycott? As they close down the Fabric depts we can ask others to shop elsewhere. I don't know anything about the legal aspects of something organized, but we surely could do this by word of mouth just as the petion was done via e-mails.

Any suggestions? I can do this!!!

As justifiably upset as we are, I'm not sure we should go as far as trying to organize a boycott.

1. Are there really enough of us that WalMart would notice the loss of our business?
2. Would we be asking people to drive farther and spend more than they could afford to support us? Remember - WalMart may have turned into a heartless corporate giant but they may also still be the best alternative for thousands in small towns and relatively remote areas. I'm not sure I could afford to always spend 20-100% more for my groceries. Wouldn't want to ask anybody else to make a sacrifice I can't make by their side.
3. Not only is WM not a charity, they're no longer a family company. The Waltons sold out last year to another company.
4. In addition to letters, emails and petitions, the best thing we can do is to continue supporting the WM fabric departments still out there. Show them it'll make money for them. Corporate reality #1: Spreading the Green works better than Seeing Red.

Just my [usual] oversized bag of 2-cent pieces.
:roll:

I'm all for a boycott.

Does WalMart have an email address where I can notify them of my intentions?
I looked on the website but didn't find one.

I was already dissatisfied with Walmart when they stopped their layaway department. The local one here will be discontinuing off the bolt fabric March 12. In our area it sounds like on selective Walmarts will have the pre packaged cuts. Thanks for the petition. While I doubt a bunch of signatures is going to help, I was happy to put mine on there. I think a boycott is a good thing. We have a grocery store in town that I can get my groceries at and perhaps everything else too. I made my complaint with the store manager and let him know that there were plenty of little stores in town that I could take my business too. It's a shame. I do think the boycott is a good idea, but I have no organizational knowledge on this type of thing myself.

Melissa

I think Patrice is right. There are so many million of WalMart shoppers, a boycott by us would be unnoticed. As for supporting the fabric department while it is there, that would benefit us most in money savings for when the department is no longer there. Most of us cannot afford to shop elsewhere or do not have a choice. This is the way WalMart has been engineering the shopping scene for all of these years. That is their goal, to give us no other place to shop. It is too late in most areas, but some of us still have choices. We should exercise them, and do the best we can with the balance between our conscience and our pocketbook. I have started buying bags of clothes at the thrift stores when they are $2 a bag to make scrappy quilts. I choose all cotton and most of them are new or little used. That saves me some money.

I visited Wal-Mart last week to get more materials and the salesclerk told me everything was 25% off because they were soon to do away with the fabric dept and add more craft stuff. Is this going on all over or just my store. If not for Wal-mart I don't know where else to get fabric. We have 3 quilting stores in town but I just window shop there, I can't afford their prices. When Wal-Marts fabric goes to 50% off I'M GOING SHOPPING