i have been buying fabric on line for over 12 years...once in a great while i receive something that is not up to par...i ALWAYS contact the place of purchase and let them know i am not happy and why...some have given me a store credit, some have exchanged it with something else i chose, a couple have said...oh well, that's the fabric...those are the ones i never go back to, the ones that at least try to fix the problem i give second chances. if the next fabric i receive from them is also sub-standard i make note to not buy from them. but for the most part i have had very good luck buying on line and have a huge stash and amazing variety of scraps to prove it ;)
so, don't write off all on line opportunities because of one bad apple. there are plenty of very good quilt shops on line that carry fabulous fabrics!