I don't buy much online because I want to see & feel the real thing before I give up my hard-come-by money. I shop every fabric shop in the area. While we may not like big box stores, they do pay wages to more local people than the small businesses do. Small businesses tend to "keep it in the family", which big box stores can't do (nepotism). That said, I dearly love the fabrics at my area LQSes, so I shop their often. Right now the owner of one of them is vacationing in Italy. No, it is NOT a business trip. If I could afford a trip to Italy I wouldn't be counting pennies when I go to her shop.