online quilt store questions
 

I just spent, lost, an hour searching at one particular online quilt store that makes me think something doesn't seem right. I am looking for something my local shop doesn't have. When I put in a search for a bundle of this fabric, it came up under all the web searches for this store, at a ridiculously cheap price, from 94.00 to 24.00. Then when I went to their website, all of the sale items, were "out of stock", and it was impossible to "search for things on their website. so I wasted a lot of time.
When I called, that fabric bundle was on their site 5 years ago. When I checked for more, many more bundles did the same, but yet were not available.
On their website, they show a picture of the fabric, and then a great price, but when you read further, its actually for 1/2 yard of the fabric, so not so great a price.
Then I spent so much time in their sale section, and everything is out of stock.
Ive noticed a lot of hard to find fabrics pop up on a search under this stores name, and when you get to them, they are from years and years ago. When I mentioned it to the store owner, she sounded very nervous and hung up.

Many on line quilt shops price in half yard increments. A few even price in quarter yard increments. This is not because the fabric store is trying to be sneaky, it is because most shopping cart programs only accommodate "whole units". Fabric is one of the few items marketed in fractional units. If on line quilt shops won't cut less than one yard (like thousands of bolts) they usually price in the increments they are willing to cut.

It is the purchasers responsibility to pay attention to what they are ordering on line and that the price is for the quantity they intend to purchase.

As far as google searches are concerned, the algorithm that drives the search looks for key words, then for most current date. So if the most current date of the key word brings back an old hit there really isn't anything that can be done. Again this is not the store trying to bait and switch, it is just the way the net works. I have many times searched for an older line of fabric and gotten useless hits.

No one seems to bother to clean up the old posts off the internet. I have had the same problem that you had. What fabric bundle are you looking for? I usually go to Quiltshops.com to see if I can find a line of fabric. Have you tried eBay?? Hang in there. Just remember you are not alone in experience these difficulties with the internet.

I agree with felinefanatic. You just have to be very observant and maybe make yourself notes as to what online stores have good prices and fabric that you like . Good luck in the future sweetie. I totally get your frustration on wasting time looking for something. Gina

I hate that 1/2 yd price myself. Now i know to look closely.

I think there are a lot of smaller quilt shops set up web sites because the feel like they need to but don't actually have the skills or resources to properly maintain them...and updating sites is time consuming and very expensive to do. These are the shops that should limit their sites for promotional purposes rather than sales.

YES! This is a pet peeve of mine. It is a LOT of work to have a good, current sales website, it's not a "set it and forget it" proposition! I agree with you completely - better to have a rather "spare" site that only lists hours, location, and maybe a few general pictures of the shop than a huge overblown site with lots of features that either don't work right or are terribly out of date.

If I'm visiting a site in August and they're promoting stuff from last Valentine's day it makes me wonder what ELSE is being allowed to let slide. It does not inspire confidence in me at all.

What they others said - they are not maintaining their sites. It sounds like that instead of removing a page when a fabric is no longer available, they probably just remove the link from their site. Then the page is still technically on their site for the search engines to find and list, but it doesn't actually exist in their navigation, so as far as the store is concerned, they have removed it. Very poor website practice, but it just comes from them not knowing what they are doing.

It keeps coming up on searches for really hard to find out of print fabrics, and then they list yards down to 2.00 and bundles down to 24.00 and I know they never sold them at those prices . Some of these go back 5 to 7 years. Also, on their own site, they have sections for mark downs but none of them are available. So they make it look like really great deals, but they are always out of stock.. plus if another store is selling the same line or a bundle for a certain price, and then people see this search, but don't realize the fabric is impossible to get, they think its too expensive elsewhere. Its very confusing, Ive never seen another store do this sort of thing.

what store was it?

Half yard increments
 

[QUOTE=feline fanatic;7166816]Many on line quilt shops price in half yard increments. A few even price in quarter yard increments. This is not because the fabric store is trying to be sneaky, it is because most shopping cart programs only accommodate "whole units". Fabric is one of the few items marketed in fractional units. If on line quilt shops won't cut less than one yard (like thousands of bolts) they usually price in the increments they are willing to cut.

It is the purchasers responsibility to pay attention to what they are ordering on line and that the price is for the quantity they intend to purchase.

I have a hard time buying this. It is confusing to price in 1/2 yds There are some people who just aren't that savvy. Surely the big fabric stores can get software that prices in yard incrediments. I won't buy from stores that don't. I always write and tell them so too! I think it is sneaky and can't believe I am the only one who thinks that way. I don't appreciate buyer be aware when I am shopping for fabric. Geri

The search results with out of date items/prices is not just a problem with small, independent quilt stores. I have also had this problem with Walmart! Doing an online search, I found a lego set I really liked at Walmart, for a good price. But it was out of stock. Upon further searching, this Lego set was discontinued 7 years ago. It was available on EBay, for much more $$$. I am really annoyed at Walmart for not cleaning up their online website.

I agree with ManiacQuilter2 about eBay. I have really had great luck finding older fabric on eBay. I usually go to eQuilter.com when looking for recent fabrics.

I totally agree! It seems deceptive. IMHO!!
Sharon in Texas

feline fanatic is correct about the fabric shops that sell by the 1/2 yard. It's part of the software that makes the website work that will only let them sell "1" of something. They can't sell ".5" or "1/2" of something.

I'm sorry people find it confusing to buy in half yards but saying the quilt shop is being deceptive is a little harsh. I'm sure the quilt store would prefer to sell in 1/2 yards but cannot afford to buy another website.

[QUOTE/]It is the purchasers responsibility to pay attention to what they are ordering on line and that the price is for the quantity they intend to purchase.

I have a hard time buying this. It is confusing to price in 1/2 yds There are some people who just aren't that savvy. Surely the big fabric stores can get software that prices in yard incrediments. I won't buy from stores that don't. I always write and tell them so too! I think it is sneaky and can't believe I am the only one who thinks that way. I don't appreciate buyer be aware when I am shopping for fabric. Geri[/QUOTE]

The websites that price by the half yard clearly state this fact on all their fabric pages. Keepsake Quilting & Hancock's of Paducah being such examples. They also let the customer know how to order more than just a half yard. They set up very easy to follow directions. I don't believe there is any real buyer beware, just a buyer who can read carefully.

I just checked and both Keepsake and Hancock's charge by the yard. I had never seen charging in 1/2 yds at Keepsake and do shop there. I did notice it many times at Hancock's and would not shop there but I will now. I am very happy they made this change.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'd be wicked upset if I couldn't buy 3½ or 4½ yards if I wanted to just because the 'unit' was set at one yard instead of a half yard. I find it convenient, not deceptive at all.

At least a half yard of fabric is still a half yard...unlike a half gallon of ice cream or a gallon of paint. Pretty soon a dozen eggs are only going to be 10. :D

[you are not alone, I WILL NOT BUY from any store that lists in 1/2 yard increments.
QUOTE=gerideboer;7168800]