A fellow at our LQS told us that the rise is due to cost of cotton, printing materials and process and transportation. As others have said the retail costs never go back to previous levels even if costs go down. Oh yes, labor costs just go up too.

In addition to this wisdom, I believe the economy has hurt all industry, and it will take some good profits for the makers to recuperate from the losses. They all have business loans to pay back, layoffs to hire back, and so on. I don't look for prices to go down until the economy goes up a few more steps.

slmeyer: It is just like the price of gasoline. Once it goes up, no matter how much crude oil is a barrel, they will not return the prices to previous dollars for once the public pays the higher prices, they tend to stay at that level; simple economics. Tks. GiGi

The Wal-mart strategy of rolling back prices is in fact based on their ability to force manufacturers and wholesalers to sell to them at lower prices. Many of these suppliers will sell to WM at a loss to get their foot in the door, but soon they either have lower their cost of production by cheapening their quality and/or outsourcing manufacturing to lower priced labor markets, quit selling to WM, or go out of business. This "WM effect" is one of the reasons that so many products are now manufactured in China. It's also the reason you don't find many if any high-quality goods at WM. It's also the reason that you see a lot of products show up at WM for a short time and then disappear.

The price of raw cotton has very little effect on the final cost of fabric. Greater influences on the prices of finished fabric are the rising costs of fuel and labor in developing (and in the case of high-quality fabric made in So Korea and Japan, developed) countries where the fabrics are made. So as long as the wholesale price of fabric continues to rise, as it has and will in the foreseeable future, the price at the retail level will continue to rise for quality goods. For cheaper goods, like those sold in large chains, the goods may continue to get more poorly made to keep the prices down.

When you see deep discounting of quality goods, the main reason is that retailers are trying to generate cash flow to pay for new goods coming in -- so they're often selling at a net loss. That really can't be sustained for long, which is why you see so many LQS's going out of business.

Great comments, lots of good thoughts here. But, what irks me....
 

Love reading all the comments, lots of good assessments. We all hated it when prices started going up from $8 to $9, 10, now sometimes $12 or more.

I can understand the need somewhat, but, what irks me is when the store goes back and reprices fabrics that have been in the store since before the price or shipping and cotton skyrocketed. That tells me that they are not passing on savings to the shopper.

I hate to not support my LQS(s) but I have to use my stash now. I only buy on sale and if I buy online, it is with free shipping or excellent sale price ($4/yd or so)

Sad but true :(

Don't hold your breath. Remember beef prices. Prices paid to ranchers are in the gutter over the pink slime situation. The ranchers are the ones being hurt by people boycotting beef. It never seems to affect the price at the grocery store for steak. The fabric industry will blame something else. Remember, 90- 95% of fabric is made overseas. It shouldn't cost what it does. At the LQS, the new Moda is about $12.00 per yard. Every time it comes in, the price goes up. Don't you wish we could raise the price of quilts. People around here don't like to pay over $50-$60 for quilts at the local auction. I bought a lovely, hand embroidered, cross stitch quilt, completely finished for $30. Try that on $12. per yard fabric.

September 9th is Buy Nothing Day. We, the Con(nod)sumer should designate on day of the week or month, when we buy nothing at all. It is the only control we can exercise over high prices.

You're kidding - right? Prices for ANYTHING going DOWN????? It'll never happen - unless, of course, we quilters don't buy for awhile...

I have been using up my stash and doing small or crafty items. Have not been spending too much time at LQS. Cotton prices may be down but have you looked at cotton clothing and towels in the stores. Most are so thin you can see through them!

If you were actually tracking prices you would know that as soon as the "rollback" is over the price goes up higher than it was before the "rollback." Wal-Mart doesn't lose a cent, they just delay the profit for a month or two.