I worked in major retail for years and I know this not to be true. A major retail store can order anything they want, but if the corporate planners haven't planned that item to be in that store they won't get it. Every single item in every store is planned out by corporate. It depends more on the geographical area and the population make up of that area. It can even come down to ridiculous planning such as even numbered stores will get products A-B-C and odd numbered stores will get products X-Y-Z. Also, with the advent of on line ordering, retailers don't have the need to stock as much as possible in the stores now. Walmart carries so much more on line than they do in the stores, and often times if it's a product they carry both in store and on line the on line price will be better.

Cari

When buying from Walmart, make sure you read fabric content...they have some that say 70% cotton 30% unknown fabric....you can feel the difference...just a heads up..

The LQS's I have been price themselves out of my market. I have have bought Hobby Lobby and Mostly Wal Mart's fabrics for lots of years. Like everything we buy made of fabric you must go by the feel. I have never been disappointed with fabrics from either store.

Call. write and or e-mail and complain to home store in AK, and also local store and ask where district manager is located. If everyone bitches they sometimes change their minds.

Well you're lucky to have the choice. Some of us don't.

Exactly. This is why Walmart changed their minds and are bringing back the fabric depts. to the stores they removed them from. They finally realized that sewing/quilting is a multi-billion dollar business in the US.

Cari

they brought it back here too. One thing that hasn't changed, you still have to wait 20 minutes or more for someone to cut the fabric for you. I was in WM yesterday and salespeople kept walking by and saying someone is coming. Like I said 20 minutes later someone finally did come. It can be frustrating.

I have to deal with this sometimes too. I think the ones who walk by probably don't know how to cut and/or operate the scanner. The other day I had a new person cut my fabric and I'm sure she wasn't properly trained. Both of my 1/2 yard cuts are 22". I was talking to someone as the gal was cutting and not paying attention or I would have told her she was cutting too big.

Cari

Buy from your LQS when possible..Keep her in business.

Walmart fabric and sewing sections are at the whim of the store manager. Our store has NOTHING!! The store in Fredricksberg, TX and Del Rio, TX has a large selection and patterns and trims. I always stop and check what is available. I make charity quilts and I can't afford $14.50/yard fabric on my retirement. This time I got 3 cuts of fabric for $3.00/yard on clearance. I got 6 yards of backing material for $4.00/yard. It will make 3 children's quilts.
I thought it was a good day..