Like everyone else, I've had mixed luck with quilt kits. Usually I buy them while on vacation in a location and I know I will not be back there (if ever)but I like the colors/prints.
While these kits are from the LQS in those areas, the fabrics are not always the greatest. So frequently, I've had to substitute with something similar from my LQS at home.
I finally have pretty much decided to get the patterns from those vacation locations, and get the materials from my home LQS. That way I have a backup plan in case I run out of material. If I do purchase material on vacation, it will tie with the pattern being purchased, and I can see the quality when I buy it.
A number of those vacation LQS have the material you can buy and the kits below them so you can see exactly what you are getting. That's my preferred method for now.
I haven't tried to reach these out-of-the-area stores when I've run short (as of yet), mostly because the areas visited are only open for part of the year. Example - cruising to Alaska - many of the ports of call quilt stores are only open during cruising season. Most of them do have websites now and that is how I am communicating when I need to ask questions about the kits.
Good board on this topic - hopefully some of the LQS will keep these points in mind.