Rose L

I find this subject to be so interesting. It appears to me, from reading this thread and others like it that marketing techniques that used to work for the decision makers in stores is no longer working. This thread points to the fact that pricing is too high in most stores and people are moving to more and more online purchasing which just wasn't the case even five years ago. It must seem to the store owners that sales solely determine what is popular and what is not but they apparently are only looking at half of the picture. They are not taking internet sales into consideration or most importantly the reasons why. Obviously quilting is alive and well in the US and I'm sure in many other countries according to the reports from other countries on how ridiculously high fabric prices are in their own areas. I'm all for healthy competition, it's the American way but the trends do not seem to be being read correctly. The decision makers appear to be making decisions based only on their personal revenues and are misconstruing the real reasons why. I hope they get a clue very soon before all the brick and mortar stores close up and leave online shopping as the only avenue for quilters. I know I would rather shop in person but the high prices the shops are trying to charge is driving me away from them too. Many seem to be boycotting the really high prices but are still buying at the online venue and it is skewing the picture for retailers. Really, they are cutting their own throats by not looking at the whole big picture and at the same time cutting our options to do business the old fashioned way which seems to be what people would really rather do. I have thought for a long time that greed was the driving factor for these shops and it may still be but the more I look at the issue the more I am beginning to believe that it's just narrow mindedness on the part of store owners. Very interesting indeed!

Tootsie

Can I add one more complaint about JoAnn's? The music! Holy cow! The music in our store is loud and mostly older rock and roll. The manager said the music, and even the temperature, was controlled by corporate headquarters. I don't mind a bit of background music, but this is so loud and obnoxious that I, and others, have left the store without purchasing. I wrote to "corporate" and received a reply that my complaint would be given to the appropriate department. I think that's code for "garbage can" because nothing's changed.

GrannieAnnie

I'm going tomorrow. I doubt our store has dropped anything to do with quilting. Not many choices here any more.

darlin1942

I bought fabric for a black&white quilt from JoAnn's online and the fabric was very good. I know where Loxley is and if you like quilting fabric, boy did they have a lot of colors online.

LindaM49

They do not have music in either of the Joann's here in my area. I LOVE music but would agree that music that is too loud is a major turn off. I find myself singing along to it when we are in the grocery store. I get so caught up in the music that I'm almost at the end of the store and find that I missed several things on the list and have to go back and get them. lol

patdesign

Checked out Jo Anns today, well stocked and very tidy and orderly. Looks like some notions were moved but everything still there.

windycitygal

Our JoAnn's is the same, but with the price hikes on the quilting fabric I only buy thread and batting there now. I would rather have the LQS get my $9.99/yd.