For those of you who order online, I have a question:

If you order several fabrics that are part of a collection, and the store is sold out of one of them, do they ever contact you before shipping your order, to ask if you still want the other ones? Or do they just send what they have?

I can imagine a situation where you need them all for a project with a deadline, and might not want to wait for a backorder... or where you'd be quite inconvenienced by having to search elsewhere for the "missing fabric".

Just wondering what your experiences have been...? Or what your expectations are?

Some of the sites have a list where you choose what to do - send what you have, cancel, follow directions I type into empty box below.. . I'm a fan of those

If its a store that doesn't have the box to check...(contact me i, etc.) then I make sure I type that into the notes on the order to contact me if any item is unavailable.

I absolutely expect to be contacted if any part of my order can't be filled or if it is different than the ad suggests. This doesn't apply just to fabrics in a collection. I had that happen recently when ordering online, on ebay. The store contacted me to say that the shade of one of the fabrics was listed incorrectly, and did I still want it. I did, but it was very professional of them to ask. (In case you're wondering, it was crowsnestquiltingfabrics, a wonderful ebay fabric seller.)

I've have always been called to tell me they are out.

I have another comment. I really expect a site's online inventory system to prevent showing yardage that they don't have. It would be very frustrating to put together an order and then find out that fabrics were listed, and orders taken, on yardage that didn't exist. I probably would not order from that site again. Most of the sites have this feature; they show the current number of yards available and you theoretically can't order more than they have. I'm sure the system can get out of whack occasionally, but it should work most of the time.

this is the norm at Joanns and that is why i will not order fabric from them. if there is a great sale like free shipping on $25 i will order batting or thread but NEVER fabric since each and every time i have ordered fabric i never received it as they were sold out. even after receiving an order i have gone as far as re checking Joanns and they will still have that fabric listed. i have called the manager asking why they would do that and i was not given a real answer just some round about Bull SH**

Many times I have been contacted.

Many of the online sites are women running the business right out of their home. I have met some wonderful women by ordering online. When I know it is a small business I try to order as much as I can from them before using some of the larger companies.

I do check the area asking my preference as to what to send, cancel order, etc...
I also will do as previously stated and leave instructions in a comment box.
Receiving a partial order, without my consent is not acceptable to me.
I don't care whether they email or call me, but please, one or the other!!!
I have also had them suggest another fabric, from the collection if my choice is unavailable. That was a nice gesture, also.

I get the cheapest fabrics from fabric.com and if you use their coupon codes (on retailmenot.com) they have a 30 percent off entire order if its over 50$ they also have some if your oder is less, and when you order it tells you how many yards they have in stock, and if its on backorder it tells you that automatically when your shopping, I love this site!