I am in process of making a graduation quilt for my daughter's boyfriend (University of Arkansas). I was using all fabric from my stash and doing well until very near the end and i mis-cut fabric. I only had just enough for the quilt and was now short by a little over 26 inches. So, I went in search of the fabric which I thought would be easy to find since it is Razorback trademarked fabric and has been in all the Arkansas quilt shops and even at Walmart. (Fabric #1 is the fabric I am searching for.)

HOWEVER, what I didn't know was that the fabric has been discontinued and there is now a new trademarked Razorback fabric (Fabric #2). Not being able to find the fabric locally, I went in search of it on the internet and FOUND IT (or so I thought). I checked the fabric pictured on the website and compared it to what I was using and it was the same. While I only needed less than one yard to finish my project, I decided that I would order 5 yards - - I could use the excess in another quilt at a later date and I hated to pay S&H for just 1 yard of fabric. Well, I received the fabric today and it is not what I ordered. It is the new version - Fabric #2 in the picture. I called the internet quilt shop this afternoon and explained that the picture they have on the website is what I needed and what I ordered but that I received a different version of the trademarked fabric. I could not use Fabric #2 because I was trying to finish a quilt that already had extensive use of Fabric #1. After finally getting it through to them that what they sent is not what they had listed on their site, they said sure, send it back and they would refund my purchase price and the S&H for sending it to me. However, I would be responsible for the return S&H. I politely relayed to the lady I was talking with that I should not have to incur any expenses for their mistake and I expected to also be reimbursed for any return shipping charges. She said that I would have to talk with her manager and that he would call me back. Well, they are located on the east coast and I have yet to get a call back so don't think I will hear from them today. After not hearing back from their manager, I sent an email to document my conversation and the issue.

Now I have to try to rectify this with the internet quilt shop. I am hesitant to mention their name since they might "do the right thing". If they don't rectify it to my satisfaction, I will let my fellow quilter's know who they are.

It is frustrating to try to straighten this out and to also now have to start another search for Fabric #1. If I find it on-line again, I will call first to make sure that what they are advertising is, in fact, what they have in stock.

Thanks for listening to me and letting me get it off my chest. Now, off for the search.

They should certainly refund any expense on your part for their mistake. Good luck with the manager!

mmm good luck ... hope you find it

Be sure to accidently let drop the fact that you have masses of friends on a quilting board, ones who love shopping online and who also have masses of friends who are not on this board. Bad reviews are listened to with respect from all in this bad financial time, and it's to the company's benefit to make customers happy.

They should certainly refund ALL your money!! Please let us know if you don't.

The two look similar enough that unless the web photo were sitting right next to it, the cutter at the shop probably wouldn't have noted a difference in the first instance. That being said, it is not the same fabric, it is their mistake and they should rectify it including return postage. If it came via UPS or FedEx, the shop can sent you a prepaid return label that you can drop off at any local site. If you paid by credit card or paypal file a complaint. I would also suggest that you print a screen shot of the fabric from their website to support your position. Alternatively the shop invoice may have the manufacturer's code which should be different from the one on your initial web receipt.

It's entirely possible that they never had the fabric you were seeking and only grabbing fabric swatches off the manufacturer's site to put up on the internet rather than scanning their own. However, if the shop is interested in retaining customers they should satisfy and mentioning the fact that you are on lots of lists where things like this are discussed may have some impact on an ebusiness.