I experimented this year - no Fabricland membership and I would do all my shopping at the LQS or elsewhere if I needed something the LQS didn't have. I went into FL once - I needed some bra hardware and the other shop I could have used was out of stock. All in all - I haven't felt a void.
My new policy is to not reward bad behaviour and the way that FL jacks prices up so they can provide members with "deals" and "sales" is "screaming temper tantrum in the toy aisle" bad behaviour. That's 1950s car sales, not a business who wants to keep customers in the Internet age. My wide backs come from the LQS or the studio where my LA came from - I never pay more than $25 (retail) per meter and usually $20 or under.