the store owner basically eats the cost. why do you think so many smaller mom and pop shops are closing. they usually have great fabric. the prices are probably more than joanns. but look at the quality you get in joanns. yet, most of us shop joanns.

So many of us are on tight budgets that being able to afford JoAnns can be a treat. I do go to the LQS if I can, but usually only for things no one else has. Same with JoAnns, but my quilts will never be heirloom quality. I want to leave fabric hugs to my loved ones. I do find an awful lot of LQS quality fabric at estate sales and second hand stores so I do use the best fabric I can get.

Many stores are doing this. Good to ask 1st. Heck some quilt stores don't pay their employee's in cash. They pay them in Store Credit. Yep. I used to want to work at a quilt shop, but not so much anymore.

I always ask at small shops if an item is returnable for a refund. If I'm told no only store credit I don't buy it if it cost over $20. And if they have a restocking fee which most are going to, I don't buy at all.

Before I purchase anything at the LQs, I ask about policies. One gal actually asked if I was a "repeater". No I was just asking about policies. If I'm going to return anything it would be mechanical that didn't work. I did go to one shop and they had a fabric I wanted. It was end of bolt. She was getting ready to cut it and I told her to stop. Someone had cut a piece off like at an angle. I asked her if she was going to discount that piece and if not, then I didn't want that section but I would take the rest of the other part of the bolt. She created a big stink so I told her to forget it the whole thing and left. I had other items I was going to purchase but left those also. Haven't been back.

I had purchased some orange fabric that no matter what I did, it wouldn't stop bleeding. I had planned to use it in a baby quilt which would probably receive numerous washing. I returned to the LQS I bought it from, and explained my problem. She took back the fabric, refunded my money, and was very nice and understanding about the whole thing. Needless to say, I spent the refund plus some, before I left. Great customer service!

I don't understand not being willing to accept a return of something that is still in sellable condition or that is a manufacturer defect.
I do understand not being willing to both refund the purchase price and replace the item (as a customer of a friend's business insisted on and bad mouthed all over Facebook when an instant response to a Facebook post wasn't made - like a business owner is spending all day on Facebook)

I am from Buffalo, NY. I do a lot of shopping up in the Adirondack area. These small mom and pop shops are wonderful. I love doing business with them. They are courteous, helpful and customer oriented. I cannot tell you how great they are. I have never had a problem with any of them. I wish you all the luck in finding LQS like the ones I have found.

What I was returning was not out of the package at all. They could put it right back on the wall.