Originally Posted by
Foxglove
I haven't had a fabricland membership for the last two years, same as you I can find what I want at a LQS or other fabric stores for a comparable price. Fabricana in BC has 50% off notions priced up to $15 a few times a year and no membership fees. I don't appreciate being forced to pay for a membership just to get a reasonable price on fabric and I've got to read the selvedges to make sure I'm getting decent quality, last time I went it seemed there were more fabrics "made exclusively for fabricland" than before.
The thing that gets me is that on the average - the LQS isn't more expensive or if they are, they're not much more for comparable products despite the buying and negotiation power that FL must have. The 24 x 36 Olfa mat that FL sells for $129.99 when it's not on sale and then on "sale" for 50% off ($65) is $69.99 at my LQS which is sometimes a little higher than the shops in the city. The added benefit of buying at the LQS too is that I'm supporting a local business - even if I do pay the extra $5 on the mat. The batik I bought today at that same shop was $16/m - which is only $2 more than the batiks FL has on "Sale" for 50% off this week for $14 - and I had a way better selection to choose from. Where FL has one 4' shelf, sometimes 2 of batiks, the one quilt shop has probably 15x that and the ones in the city I use probably have double to triple what the closest shop has.
The other thing shopping elsewhere does is make me think about my purchases more. When the fabrics/notions are regular price, I don't want to horde as much. This is the first year (of 3) that my stash has actually dwindled by year end, rather than swelled. There's actually room in my cupboard right now!
I've been buying my mats and rotary cutters at Michaels when they have 50% off coupons, and even 40% off coupons are significant when the same mat is $80 regularly there. I also noticed recently that they had packaged batting - I think it was Hobbs 80/20 - so really, it's mostly fabric that one has to find a source for.
The last exclusive FL fabric I bought was a beige blender that was green in spots (I didn't see it when they were cutting it) and a really loose weave. It's all been used for practice sandwiches that become dog beds afterwards. I figure she's color blind and won't care.
