I have never had a problem buying online and getting a "surprise" color. That said, I don't usually shop trying to exactly match colors - more of an impulse buyer, who then makes stuff from her stash. Years ago I bought a Moda marbles sample board - all of the colors laid out rainbow fashion. I suppose I could match the color of my sample to the color of the Moda marbles onscreen (nearly every online seller I've seen sells Moda marbles) to see how close they are and then extrapolate to the other onscreen fabrics. Never done it yet, but I suppose this could work to compensate for my computer monitor's color quirks. 'Course...there's the investment in the sample board to consider...