Interesting article re: Chain stores vs LQS
 

Interesting synopsis here of an article published in a trade magazine. Food for thought.

http://blog.londasfiles.com/?p=1131

Very interesting indeed! I'd rather shop at my LQS any day...I've about had it with the lousy service of most chain stores. When I go to one of my LQSs I feel like they are interested in what I'm doing and make an effort to help me find what I want. Customer service...who knew?

I've had the opposite experience. At my local Joann's, the employees are really nice to me and give great service while at the LQS nearest to me, they won't even lower themselves to speak to me.

different places have different customer service- regardless of whether its a big store- or a little one-there are good and bad in both=
if you are lucky enough to have a good big store- good for you- that is wonderful- though not the case everywhere-
but then again- some lqs are wonderful- my favorite one treats my hubby like he's the most valued customer to come through the door when he does---but we used to have a different one-that was not like that at all- in fact our first year together he visited the (not so nice one) to buy me stocking stuffers---he was treated so poorly right through the door that he left without spending a dime- he went to the other one and spent over $200===the first one could have had that sale had she been receptive to a man coming through the door-
the second shop the ladies took him right under their wing- showed him gadgets- things they thought i needed- ect- he enjoyed the experience and has no problem stopping in when he wants to surprise me- the first shop=he won't even pull into the parking lot---
everywhere is different- big or small

That was a very interesting article which I plan to pass on to some of my quilting buddies that don't belong to this great site... My main concern is that fabric quality not be compromised - the price of cotton is going up and we will see this in the price of a yard of fabric over the next year...if not already for some quilters. I have found in my area that Joann's fabric is not as well made as the fabric in my LQS. I get much better help at my LQS in picking out fabric, having discussions about tone and hue, etc...plus they have classes at my LQS. I go with my LQS over Joann's fabric anyday. Alas not everyone has this choice so I am happy that Walmart, Joann's etc are providing fabric for people who do not have a LQS. Hopefully they will provide good quality cottons.

I have a couple LQS that I shop at on a regular basis and a Joann's Both quilt shops I have taken classes at. At all three places they know me by name. I have no problems with any of them and they all carry diffrent yardage. One LQS and the Joann's are a 2 hr drive one way so when I go I usually have a very log list to both shops. Maybe thats why they know me! LOL I have told all 3 that I'm not buying fabric untill my stash is used down and is more managable, they all laughed at me! They know me well! Wall -Mart has some fabric but I havent found anything like my LQS or Joann's. The people working there are friendly and very helpful too.

Thanks. That was an interesting article.

Our local quilt shop that was seven miles from me closed last year due to the owners having a disagreement. I really miss it. The next nearest quilt shop is AWFUL. They don't even acknowledge when you walk in the door and if it happens to be near lunch hour when you go in be prepared for disguist from the workers when you interrupt their lunch.

I hate going there! Guess I'll just have to save up and go to Mary Jo's a few extra times a year! There service is great and the selection OH MY!

I have found more rude service at the LQS's in my area than at any of the chain stores. I have been to one LQS, 50 miles away, that actually spoke to me before I got to the cutting table. That store is fabulous, but in a town I rarely go to. I frequent 4 different JA's, depending on which town I'm in. All of them have great service. There is one Wal-Mart that has fabric. Some of it is nice, but service varies. Sometimes you can get help, sometimes not. It has been a lot better since I complained a couple months ago. I'm not tolerant of rude service. Too many LQS's have been out right rude to me. I might go back one more time, to see if it was a freak, but it has always happened again. I see no reason to "support my LQS" if they cant compete on ANY level with JA.

The economy has forced me to use what I have. I used to pop into Walmart and buy things on impulse becuase I was there. Now that I have gotten out of that habit I save a lot of money buying junk. The few Walmarts that now have fabric are impossible to find someone to cut the fabric. And when I go to the LQS to buy something they are very cold to me now that I don't spend as much money there. I will say that the Joann's I go to has really cleaned up their act. I am greeted by each employee as I pass them in the store. I am waited on MUCH quicker at the cutting table and when I check out. Its a pleasant experience to go to Joann's.

We have many LQS around us, all of which have great customer service. I don't buy fabric at JoAnns because they don't carry brands I like to use.

I've been telling people for 5 years that you can get good fabrics at Walmart....but you can also get junk. The same goes for JoAnn's and LQS. I saw a great collection at Walmart the other day, nice fabric at $5.94/yd. I had to keep walking as the budget wouldn't allow for another fabric purchase right now, but I will go back. When I need basics for the stash, I wait for my JoAnn's 50% coupon and fill up on solids and blenders. LQS gets my business when I need something special or need quilting questions answered. I simply cannot make quilts with fabric that is $10/yd and up.

Thanks for the info. It's interesting to see what the chains are doing my WalMart nearby shows no sign of getting the fabric back in. There are a couple of quilting shops nearby and Joanne's prices have gone way up the coupons puts us on a fair playing field if things aren't so expensive people would be able to buy more but the prices keep us dying to spend but you can only spend so much money on fabric I hate their high prices. Sue

I shop at Walmart, I don't but to much there, and I usually have to ring a bell for service, but I am a patient person. I also shop at JoAnns, and when I walk in I am usually referred to by name, great service, well for a little while any way, the company has decided to close my local JoAnns down in April. I also go to the LQS and I have to say, I feel like a outsider, no one approaches me unless I take fabric to be cut I would not even be spoken to. I have had this experience at one shop at least 3 times in the last year. But I guess I am not looking for friends, just fabric.

I really like to shop anywhere but Walmart for fabric. JoAnn's here has great women working now and they are very helpful. Also Hobby Lobby - always nice and during the day, usually helpful. LQS in Rockledge is beyond helpful -- they are the very best of the best!!

The LQS's are snooty around here unless your a big spender, then, they become your best friend....

I shop Joannes for notions, minky and flannel but I always have a coupon... Ive picked up fleece at Walmart and some buttons and notions if they are on sale but my Wally World has icky fabric still- stiff and thin.. Hobby Lobby has cute kid fabrics that ive been pleased with.. Not LQS high end stuff but still nice enough to use.. Cant say I've gotten anything at Michael's.. I dont think they even carry fabric...

I do local shop hops 3 or 4 times a year and that's only because I can get 25% off my purchase otherwise I dont ever step foot in our local LQS..

There is a fabric store that's not a lqs nor a box store but he gets last years bolts for a steal and passes on the savings to his customers.. I usually shop there if im looking for something specific.. He always says hello and stops what hes doing and makes conversation...

I agree. I've spent a lot of time and money at JoAnns and have always been treated with the utmost respect. The employees at my JoAnns treat all the customers as if they are the most important people in the world. Some of the lqs, on the other hand, treat the customers as if they are doing a favor to you when they wait on you.

Thanks for sharing that article. I didn't realize Fabric.com had been purchased by Amazon! I wondered why when I was searching for fabrics, Amazon would come up in the search and it was always being sold by Fabric.com. Aha!!

I love the selection that Jo-Ann's has, but I perfer Hobby Lobby because of the customer service. The guy (yes guy) that cuts my fabric always talks to me and is very friendly. He even takes me around the dept. and shows me the new fabric.

I love my Joann's-I regularly shop at two of them, and occasionally will go to the superstore about 1 1/2 hrs away (which I did last weekend!). The people are always courteous, friendly, and while not always knowledgable about quilting, I don't go there for advise-just fabric and notions-and spend the time with the sales flyers and coupons (plus my extra 10% off from QCA) to get the best prices. There are good quality brands of quilting fabric that are $9.99-$12.99/yard, but I always wait until the best sales and manage to get at least 50% off. I also scour the clearance/Red Tag table-especially when they offer an additional 50% off the clearance/red tag price. I have bought fabrics normally 9.99/yd for $3.00-and then they take the additional 10% off! So, yes, I love my Joann's. I am now into making purses to sell to help use up some of these fabrics!!

I've been to dozens of quilt shops all over the US. I can count on one hand the shops that I would want to revisit. Most are unfriendly and and have employees and owners that are quilt news ignorant.

I think there is room in the quilting industry for both chains and local quilt shops. They both serve a purpose and have their own strong customer base.
I also don't think either has a lock on rude employees. It's the same with quilt guilds - there are some that are warm and welcoming, and some that are snooty and exclusive. It depends on what's tolerated within the group. If rudeness to customers is tolerated at a quilt shop, that shop will lose business. Same goes for a quilt guild - if unfriendliness and intolerance (aka the Quilt Police) are tolerated, new members will go elsewhere and others will drop out.

The LQS that most of us used to go to closed. Joanne's changed managers and the one lady that is still there is so rude! I prefer to shop online!

Thanks for the very interesting article.

Related to the article you linked to: 70% of all internet Christmas sales were through WalMart, Amazon, or Target. The biggies are not only pushing out brick and mortar stores, they are crushing smaller etailers.

Fascinating analysis. Thank you for posting.

i buy at all three although i must admit i dont spend as much at the lqs as i used to. i do still buy some fabric there and i have 99 percent of my la quilting done there. i used to buy more when she had classes but she stopped having them and although when im elsewhere i do love to go to quilt shops due to the economy i dont purchase as much. i live in a rural area we have a walmart which hardly ever seems to have much and the 1 lqs although sometimes i drive to another walmart thats in a small town 30-45 min away that has a huge selection and very nice competent help to take care of you. i like to go to joanns however its a bit over an hour away and unless i have a big list or happen to go to that town for another reason its not worth the gas to make the trip i shop alot online.
carla m

I love my LQS. I live over an hour and a half away and she always asks if it's okay to wait on everyone else before me. Then she and I get down to business. She helps me figure out what I want to make and what choices look good together. We also visit about our lives and what's going on at home. I call her and ask her to mail me fabric and other notions and she does right away. I send her Christmas cards every year. I call her quite a bit for advice and she always has time to chit chat with me. I feel like we are very good friends. She says I'm one of her favorite customers (I don't know why) and so, of course, I always go to her shop. I have shops closer but I chose her's because of her customer friendship (I think that's what I can call it). She always gives me 15% off because I drive so far to her place. And she gives me good deals when I'm deciding if I can afford something or not. She also shows me new ways of doing things. I really appreciate that. To me, she's my best friend in the quilting world. I don't think I would be the quilter I am today if it wasn't for her. And she told me I am one of the best quilters she knows (which I don't believe for a second, but that's how she is) and I leave there feeling good about myself.

I believe that's their goal.

Wow--I'd travel across the state to spend money in her store. I love the people in all my LQS's but you found the cream of the crop.

Thank you for sharing this article. I found it to be very interesting.

Great article - I had no idea that this was going on in the industry. To be very honest, I only but notions, batting and interfacing from Jo-Ann's because I MUCH prefer the quality fabric I get at my LQS.

Very interesting. I shop for fabric where there is fabric.

I'm wondering what would happen if you cut your own fabric then took it to the check-out counter? After looking for several minutes to find the price and amount of yardage, they'd have to call someone from the fabric area. Sort of a cool way to bring attention to the fabric department's lack of service. Might end up in a shop-lifting charge, tho. Thought is good for a giggle, tho!

I love the LQSes that I frequent for the staff who are extremely helpful and welcoming. BUT! I do think it is basic customer service to be open when customers can get there - weekends (including Sundays), evenings, holidays, school vacations. Many LQS seem to be open at the staff's convenience instead.

I'm sure a lot of it depends on where you live. Our local Wal- Mart has not added back fabric and the local Joann's is really junky. That makes the LQS a lot more desirable but it might not be the case everywhere.

I find better service at JoAnn's. I have found that the local quilt shops tend to ignore me because I am not a regular and they do not know me.

I purchase fabric for quilting mostly online. I have a JoAnn's that has some nice stuff but a great deal of their fabrics are seconds. The Wal-Mart here is impossible as finding someone to cut fabric and their quality is questionable. My LQS is not my favorite place. Sometimes they are nice and sometimes just rude. I guess I will just stick to online buying when it comes to fabric and purchase brands I know and trust. I will still go into JoAnn's for batting and notions.

I am fortunate to have 4 quilt stores near me. I especially like the two gals who opened a new one in our town. They are friendly, know everyone by name and so helpful. If you are ever in the Folsom CA area stop by Sew Fun. I also enjoy the warm friendly folks at Thistle Dew in Fair Oaks, CA formerly known as Tayos. Shared Stitches in Cameron Park is also a treat to visit. We have a newly opened JoAnn's. I go there for blades and such, but my fabric is from these wonderful folks mentioned above.

Very interesting little market review. thanks for posting!

It seems logical to me that if Walmart and Joanns offer improved selection of the $9.99-$12.99 'designer' fabrics and batiks, then it will certainly impact the LQS, which has been suffering along with the big-box stores during the recession.

I am surprised to here from these posts that LQS haven't all got the service thing perfected, just from pride of ownership if nothing else.

It would seem the LQS needs to differentiate itself to the customer by really fabulous service - cut those fat quarters! special order some fabric I need! offer affordable classes! send emails with offers! let me shop the stock on-line! anticipate the trends and bring them to me before the on-line retailers do! Possibly the LQS will need multiple revenue streams, like machine sales and/or repair or internet sales. But the LQS will never be the be-all and end-all, and I'm certainly not going to buy a yard of fabric which isn't quite what I want, or pay 20% more for batting, or pick through a lousy thread selection, just to boost my LQS bottom line. Hey there, what about MY bottom line?