Joann no longer accepting VIP discount cards
 

Has anyone else ran into Joann no longer accepting VIP discount cards (the ones from guilds etc)? That's what a manager had told me yesterday. They're phasing them out and the only discount cards will be the teacher's and military.

I guess it just gives me one more reason to limit my shopping there. Over the past year there's been several things like this (usually with their coupons - one from their calendar) that it just doesn't seem to be worth the effort anyone though my Joann store has a great staff.

Hm, I just renewed my AQS membership and they give info on how to get your card.

In the last month I have seen new faces (staff) at the JoAnn's in my town of Corpus Christi. I still have 4-5 other choices to shop. We have a Tuesday Morning very close to me across from the Walmart in my backyard. Am anxious to go this Sunday for a couple of items that will be on sale. They sell a few fabric pieces, fat quarters and couple jelly rolls. Not bad for the price even if an off brand. Once in a while a sewing machine or 2 (no deal there). we'll see how it goes tomorrow. I still like my local shops and try to support them as much as I can afford.

Me too PP. Although if I rarely shop JA and the VIP discount card is not one of the reasons I renew. Elly66 if your VIP card is through AQS I think you should contact AQS and let them know. Either the employees at your local JA are mis-informed or AQS needs to amend their benefits of membership.

Hmmm . . . I need to check with the sewing guild here. I get my card thru them and know the past president and several others. I guess Joanns decided with their competition out of the way, they don't need to cater to people as much. How annoying!

This sort of reminds me when JC Penney's took away the coupons and sales plummet. I can't even remember the last time I shopped at JAF. I shop the sales at Fabric Shack and Hancock of Paducah.

Interesting. I heard something different – that they are phasing out their student/educator and non-profit discount cards, but that they can be converted to a VIP card if done before they expire. I have the non-profit one, and I'm hoping to get in to a Joann's soon to convert it.

my local quilt shop has a 'rewards' program. they keep track of your purchases. when it reaches a certain amt. you get a discount. $10 off $30; 20% off $50. something like that. I never considered joanns fabric worth my time to purchase and make something with. the quality just wasn't there. if im goin to put time and effort into something, I don't want it to fade or look crummy after a while. just not worth it to me. try goin into your local independent shop and feeling the fabric; then go to joanns. cant tell me there isn't a difference. i'll shop local and try to help mom & pop stores keep their heads above water. besides when I have a problem or need help, the local shops are always there to help.

Teachers and VIP programs continue. Student and nonprofit ended. Details on website.

I have to shop Joanns, no other place near, and it is an hour away. Used to be a hancocks but now gone. I always use my military discount and coupons as much as I can. There is a quilt shop in tuskaloosa I go to some, hour and half away, make sure never to go on game days, traffic horrible. Shop online a lot, just got my first order from marshals, very fast delivery. On vacation this summer I went to Missouri star and marshals and stocked up.

Thanks for that info. They (my local store) must be as confused as me :) though when they scanned my card it denied it. I don't shop there for just the percentage off. But I expect when you do so much with coupons and these cards that they should work. Nothing like getting to checkout anywhere and you're running tally in your head is such and such amount and then to be 5, 10 or even more higher makes me hesitate no matter where I shop.

If it wasn't for my wonderful local store I would probably have quit buying what I could there just from the confusion and feeling bad for the people behind me that have to wait because of confusions. Corporate Joann should really be thanking their local area employees.

I've noticed that the coupons are often for one day only, sometimes 3 days, not as long a period of time as before. They want you in their store more often. So now I only buy the one thing I can use the coupon on. It gets crowded on coupon days.

I went in a few weeks ago to Joanns to renew my teacher card and then asked what was needed for my church quilting group to get a discount card. I was also told they no longer are giving them or student saving cards out. The guest counter lady just shook her head when her supervisor told her over the phone about this change.

So sad.

Connie

And sometimes no one knows what is going on. Mom wanted a crochet book. Had a long discussion on whether the yellow circle showed it was on sale (it did before) or whether a coupon could be used (no). Mom still wanted it so she got it and a few more things and used 2 new coupons. After we left the store, we found out the computer gave her 40% off the book. As I said, no one knows. I hate Joanns and their crappy coupon games.

Joann has exhausted my patience by refusing their own coupons, having few, if any, advertised items in stock and the continued decline in fabric quality while all the while raising prices constantly. It is my absolute last resort stop and only if I can't wait for someone else to mail it to me. My local store is dirty, disorganized and chronically understaffed. I sorely miss Hancock's - of which we had two - both were very clean, well organized and staffed with knowledgeable and friendly employees.

So you're not going to shop JoAnn's because they won't give you a discount? Do you apply this logic to every place you shop? I find my email overflowing every week with coupons from JoAnn's. I rarely pay full price at JoAnn's.

JAF exhausted my patience when they stopped sending me their flyers. I filled out the request again at the store (twice) and once on line. No luck. I didn't want the coupons as much as I wanted to know what was on sale. Using the coupons is always an exercise in frustration but if I saw pillow forms were on sale (for instance) then I could go get what I needed. I almost never shop there anymore.

I also renewed and have gotten my card from JAF just recently.

I really don't know why everyone spends so much time griping about JAF. If you don't like the store then don't shop there. I try to follow the advise that if you can't say something nice then don't say it. I do realize this comment from me goes against this advice though. Life to too short to complain. Make whatever changes you need and be move on and enjoy your quilting. ��

I agree with you. I know we all need to get rid of our frustrations sometimes, but this is getting old. Of course, we all have the options of not opening a post that we know is going to be just another complaint.

Well, I love Joann's. Unfortunately they are an hour away so I don't go very often but I save all the coupons during the week that I get in email and make sure I go on a day that gives me an extra 20% off everything including sale items and come home very happy. Did that last month and saved around $150.00 each time I went. I went twice in two weeks. All set for a few months now. :-) I also did a lot of online buying but have stuck with Joann's and Fabric.com for the most part with a little Connecting Threads thrown in and shop the sales. Joann's only lets you apply one coupon for each order so it makes more sense to take the trip. Fabric.com use to give free shipping if you bought $35.00 but that changed last month. Now you do better on some things if you go to Amazon.com as they had the free shipping over $35 on some of the fabric. Fabric.com is owned by Amazon.

I just bought a yard of sports fabric for $8.98 a yard on Amazon and it will be shipped by Fabric.com and I paid NO shipping! I guess there is no consistency. :-)

More than fabric at Jo-Ann's.
 

I don't buy much fabric at Jo-Ann's, but I do use the coupons for rotary cutter blades, interfacing, thread, rulers, pins at cheaper prices than the quilt shops.

I had the same problem on receiving their emails. I have two emails addresses and what is really funny, they get different emails on the same date and time. Go figure!?!

I would like to note that today I went to Joanns forgot to take
my VIP discount card with me to have it signed etc..

Asked the store manager about this and she told me that they
ARE still accepting the discount cards, and in fact gave me a new
card that doesn't expire until 5/31/18 (YES 2018!). She told me that
the did cancel/stop accepting student cards, but not the other cards.

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Wow, I didn't know Tuesday Morning had anything sewing related. There's one on every corner in Dallas.

Thanks,
bkay

My JoAnns still takes my VIP card and I found the calendar coupons to be very beneficial. I used the August coupon ($20 off) on three prepackaged queen-size W&N battings that was on sale and after my coupon only paid $42 for the three (they are regular priced @ $59.97 each). A savings of $110.00 was well worth it. So far this year I only missed using one of the calendar coupons.

mine never took the one from American Quilting Society or what ever it was called. I gave up.

You got a good deal for 3 at $42 but when you said the regular price is $59.97, this is the pricing structure that I feel is deceptive and keeps me from patronizing their stores. Do a google search for queen size warm and natural. All other retailers regular price for this product is right around $26.00. Here are just a few I found and smart internet shoppers can figure out ways to get free shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/Warm-Company-...SB4Y5QQDBJPJ1Q

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Warm-Natu...&wl13=&veh=sem

http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/NOTI...580&cadevice=c

https://www.fabric.com/buy/cbr-005/w...qYMaAhzZ8P8HAQ

JAF artificially inflates their regular price to deceive shoppers that they are getting such a great deal with a 40% or 50% off coupon. In reality that just brings their "regular" price in line with every other retailer. So comparing what you paid to what other retailers charge your deal only represents a savings of $36.00 not $110. Still you got a decent deal, I just feel bad for people who are in a bind, don't have a coupon, need something fast and pay the artificially inflated "regular" price.
:mad: :thumbdown:

Yeah, I used to shop at JAF a lot when I started quilting - I could buy Kona solids with a coupon for $3-something a yard. Then they raised the regular price to $8.99 a yard and cut their selection way back - now it's not worth it to me even with a good coupon. I still go and browse around every few weeks (it's right next to my hairdresser) but I often don't buy anything at all. Even with coupons, they just don't have many good deals anymore.

I'm lucky to have Beverly's near by; they will accept competitor coupons for up to 30% off. Just one per purchase, but that's OK. They have LQS quality fabrics for a little better deal than the other LQS's in the area and a pretty good selection, so I'm happy to give them my business.

I found that 9 times out of 10 the other coupons I get in the mail are better than the 10% club one. I don't shop as much as I used to for fabrics and such since the economy went south. I have been using what's in my stash and my well stocked notions for projects.

Things to bear in mind is Americans do not like paying full price we love discounts and coupons and much hype is made of them. It used to be the best price was offered on many of Joann's items but sales were low. Then they started offering coupons and sales went up. Now they cannot exist if they sell below cost although it does happen. These are called loss leaders. Items that get you started, studies show that once you put something in your cart you will add more because your there and already going thru the line. Anyway to off set those coupons prices went up across the board so they can rotate the coupons around the store.

Sales went way up so they kept doing it. Sadly they are really getting carried away and they have found ways to shut off loop holes that used to allow the savvy shopper to get some really below cost deals. Until we as consumers quit buying with coupons companies will use them. All stores build in a base profit and loss into the price of every item you may purchase and then the wiggle room to put them on sale to entice us to buy more.