One Reason Local Quilt Shops do not have Booming Business
07-15-2010, 04:45 PM
#161
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Blackwood, New Jersey
Posts: 147
Don't blame you one bit. I had a similar experience at a LQS (had to interrupt their private conversation to ask a question). I couldn't believe it. My husband and I owned a pizza shop for twelve years and no matter how busy we were we always had time to say hi and tell them we would be right with them.
Originally Posted by nancya
As a new quilter, I went to our local quilt show. I was appalled at the way I was treated by the a quilt store that we have in Tulsa.
They stood around talking while I was trying to determine if I wanted to buy something or not and I had to interupt them to ask a question and you would have thought I had committed a crime by saying "excuse me, can I ask you a qustion".
I bought the kit anyway because I fell in love with the cat quilt. Their sign said everything included to make the wall hanging on display ($55 by the way).
After I got it home a week later, I decided to pull out the instructions and start cutting. I soon discovered, the backing listed on the content list and used on the display was not there. The instructions showed that it was.
Well, I called them and geeze, same cold treatment I got at the show. I was also told they "never" include the backing. I asked her why it showed up on the kit content list. Would you believe she told me to show us what backing they use but that I should know they would never include backing. Then she hung up on me!!!
Uhhhh excuse me, but how the heck was I suppose to know that??? No where on the instructions or on the display, did it say "backing not included). For $55 it very well could have been.
Anyway, I will never step foot inside that Tulsa quilt store. It is a shame that it is the largest one in our area. I will just plan and order on line or go to JoAnn's or Hancocks.
They stood around talking while I was trying to determine if I wanted to buy something or not and I had to interupt them to ask a question and you would have thought I had committed a crime by saying "excuse me, can I ask you a qustion".
I bought the kit anyway because I fell in love with the cat quilt. Their sign said everything included to make the wall hanging on display ($55 by the way).
After I got it home a week later, I decided to pull out the instructions and start cutting. I soon discovered, the backing listed on the content list and used on the display was not there. The instructions showed that it was.
Well, I called them and geeze, same cold treatment I got at the show. I was also told they "never" include the backing. I asked her why it showed up on the kit content list. Would you believe she told me to show us what backing they use but that I should know they would never include backing. Then she hung up on me!!!
Uhhhh excuse me, but how the heck was I suppose to know that??? No where on the instructions or on the display, did it say "backing not included). For $55 it very well could have been.
Anyway, I will never step foot inside that Tulsa quilt store. It is a shame that it is the largest one in our area. I will just plan and order on line or go to JoAnn's or Hancocks.
07-15-2010, 04:56 PM
#162
Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 79
I loved the stores where I use to live.When you walked into the shop the people were right there in the front of the store,most of the time they were very helpful and we always found what I was looking for and if they didn't have it they would try to order it for me.I will truely miss those quilt stores.
07-15-2010, 05:51 PM
#163
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Michigan
Posts: 923
I've had great stores and bad stores I've been in. It takes a second to greet a person with a smile in your voice. at work that's how we try to answer our phones. When I was an office mangager in a physician's office I always told the staff you are the first and last person the patient sees. You can make or break a doctor's practice by being rude. I use to deal with all the patient complaints. This is the same thing inany other field.I've also encountered the opposite when I walk in and the salesperson follows me like I'm going to put the bolt of fabric in my purse and run. There has to be a happy medium somewhere!
07-15-2010, 06:04 PM
#164
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Saugus, MA
Posts: 659
Originally Posted by QuiltingGrannie
Originally Posted by bob1414
I hope quilt shop owners are reading this!!!!!!!!
Odd thing is, as much as I've heard negative things about the service at Hancock, IT is the only one my current customers talk about (I currently work at WM in the fabric dept.). They never mention the other two at all!
I am working on all the details to open my own shop! Wish you all lived closer! You'll get great service, lots of choices and have a good time!
07-15-2010, 06:13 PM
#165
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,260
I live at least 50 miles from both Joanne's and Hancock. Hancock is has been there for a long time and the store I've had to use for over 10 years. Their hired help is good on some shifts and not so good or should I said not so intelligent about materials they have nor do they know much about how things work. So I have to plan my trips in according to who's working, not always the easiest thing to do. As far as Joanne's, they have only been here for a few months (it's a new shopping center that was built this pass year). Anyway, Their hired help is, well lets say not the tastiest cookies in the jar. If you ask them about something they avoid giving a direct answer and one of the people told me that they were instructed not to give advice because their "opinions may not be right"? I have meet one very young lady that is always pleasant and she doesn't mind me asking her opinion about how some of the fabrics look together. But the last time I way in there, the person "helping us" had no clue as to what quilt backing fabric was nor did they understand what seam binding was so I left and went down the street to Hancocks.
I feel that I'm on my own for the most part and if I can't figure out where something in the store is or what some new gadget that I find is then I either have to forget it or come home a google it to see if I might want to buy it. It's a pain in the butt because I'm not willing to travel 100 miles round trip just to by one or two things, it's minimum of $150 and most times much more. I'm beginning to look into online shopping verses traveling that far and not finding what I need.
I feel that I'm on my own for the most part and if I can't figure out where something in the store is or what some new gadget that I find is then I either have to forget it or come home a google it to see if I might want to buy it. It's a pain in the butt because I'm not willing to travel 100 miles round trip just to by one or two things, it's minimum of $150 and most times much more. I'm beginning to look into online shopping verses traveling that far and not finding what I need.
07-15-2010, 08:13 PM
#167
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: North Fork Ca
Posts: 8,234
Whenever I am in Oklahoma, I fill in to give the local Lqs owner a break. I have fun, and would never dream of not greeting a customer, laughing with and helping in any way I can That's the way Ruthy treats everybody, and her shop is always so much fun
07-16-2010, 08:51 AM
#168
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Daytona Beach Shores, FL
Posts: 2,352
When we first moved to this area I went to a LQS and they were so busy with a class they hardly looked up. One gal came over and asked ," do you need something?"The next time I was looking to buy a machine and felt like I had come to a members only party and was to told to come back some other time and make an appointment. Needless to say I went elsewhere and spent several thousand dollars on my machine. The last time I went in there I needed hand quilting thread and they looked at me like I was an alien.They had none! I know machine quilting is more popular now but a quilt shop I would think would carry hand quilting thread in basic colors These trips were months apart and I don't think I'll ever go back. I'm sure all of this is because of under staffing and I understand that but there was no attitude of welcoming me and making me want to come back when they could spend more time with me. As a rule I'm all for supporting small businesses but these folks need some class in customer service.
07-16-2010, 10:30 AM
#170
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: East Texas
Posts: 3,021
Originally Posted by G'ma Kay
is there a registry of quilt shops? kinda like you click on it and it gives you a map of where all the quilt shops are?
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