Maybe sell fat quarters at cost or a bit above cost for a day or weekend - just to entice quilters into the shop. Maybe a percentage off of the cost of a single cut of fabric - might be appealing to buyers too. Or a good sale on certain bolts of fabric.

K9dancer above has some very good ideas to welcome customers.

how about having a session once or twice a month on a regular basis to try out new items or a specific item and help us quilters learn to use them? once we find something new and neat we all tell others about it and just "have" to have it. lol. it helps me to try something hands on before i take the leap to spend $20 for a new ruler or a new quilt book or whatever. for instance i've seen several different ways to make flying geese and have always wanted to try the eleanor burns flying geese rulers but don't want to spend that extra money if i'm not going to like doing them that way.

Our only LQS offers a one-hour lesson on their long-arm and then you can rent time on it. She also has "grab bags" that contain 12 beautiful fat quarters in an assortment of fabrics and only charges $13 per bag.

All good suggestions. For me it is great customer service.
Even when I first started many years ago and I knew I could get fabrics cheaper, I went to my LQS because of the service and help I got there. Fabric at the LQS was only $3.99 then.

how about offering a free class (make it a farely easy class) if the fabric is bought at the quilt store. i think that might get people interested in taking classes and buying at the fabric shop..i would sure do it. just a thought anyway..i have thought about taking a class but after i buy the fabric i really can't afford the class... :mrgreen:

What a horrible attitude in that shop! I just started a fabric shop alittle over a year ago. Thank you all very much for all of the suggestions! I will be taking them into consideration in my shop.

I used to go to a quilt shop that did quilting their on the premises. I would love to see what quilts were being done. When you purchased your fabric there, you were given a card that she could punch. When your card was full, you could put it towards (cash off) quilting of your tops. Sometimes it covered the entire cost. Some of the larger quilts would take two cards. But, I shopped there so I could get some of my quilting free or reduced. That really helped me. They also brought in a machine maintenance guy for two or three days a month. He would take your machine upstairs and it could be done in an hour, or worst case 3 days. We also exchanged scrap baggies for scrap baggies - no charge - just swap them. Always a free pattern once a month - just xeroxed and there for the taking. It didn't hurt that the best deli in town was next door... I think it also helped the younger quilters that they had a place for kids to watch videos and play while mom shopped. It was just a very small space under the stairs - it was small, but the kids b-lined for it. It didn't hold more than 3 or 4 kids, but I never saw more than 1 or 2 in there at a time anyway.

The LqS nearest to me has only four steps to get in but no hand rail. im disabled so it's really hard for me to get in and out . I asked owner if there were a back door to make it easier on me . She said "well none of my other cutomers have a problem ". Well I said Goodbye have a nice day and I will find another quilt store. Now I don't expect every store to cater to me but at least have better attitude towards would be customers.

The free quilting class is how my LQS hooked me 3 years ago...I bought fabric, rulers, fabric, rotary cutters, fabric, pins, fabric, books, fabric, cutting mats, fabric...didn't get my longarm from my LQS, but from the next closest shop. Heck, I now "work for fabric" in my LQS on shop hop days and when she goes on vacation. All because of a free quilting class!

Great customer service! When I went to a local quilt shop, I had to take a napkin and keep wiping the drool from my mouth. The sad thing is, not one of the two ladies working asked me once if I needed any help, until I dropped the six bolts on the counter. Once they saw what I was purchasing, I was like their best friend, I spent $180. it would have been nice if they would have chatted me up before and offered more information about their store. I will go back because the fabric choices are so much better than Joanns. Smiling Faces and great customer service is the best advertising!

Great customer service and making their customers feel like family. I used to work in a fabric store and after I moved on I noticed how poor the customer service was in other stores. It drives me crazy when I ask a clerk for an item and he/she points off in some direction and says "It's over there".

I go the the LQS once a month because of the block of the month she teaches us how to make it. And then ofcouse after that everyone buys notion that you need for the block or checks out the fabric

My LQS is offering a stash BOM. You had to make a $10 purchase the first month on anything in the shop to get started. The first few days of each month you bring in you completed block from the previous month and get the pattern for the next month. They have the blocks from the previous month displayed all over the shop each with the quilters name on it. Get people into the shop every month.

Where is your shop located?

well I've only been quilting 2 years and most of my fabric has been bought online. It all boils down to price for me. I want to support the LQS but when they charge $10 a yard for fabric that can be bought online for $7-8 its hard. I love the customer support they have, they have sew-ins though I've not been to one. Another thing is I always feel slightly intimidated....I think its just me but I know that everyone in there has just gotta be a better quilter than I am....and is wondering why in the world I picked that fabric...lol!

Good luck you and your new shop

If a LQS is lucky enough to have someone to donate their time to teach, I think it would be a great idea to offer free classes. Like it was said before then the students can buy supplies supporting the shop. In todays economy when faced with the choice of having to pay for the class and buy materials too, sometimes some of us can't do both. So if there is a free class that is a nice option.

I agree with sew-ins. I know a quilt shop that has something going all the time. Everyday and every Saturday. The owners are passionate about quilting and it shows. They sponsor two quilt retreats a year and there is a waiting list. They are doing well and they are located in a town of 500 people. Ladies love to get together and sew and chat.

MORE COMPETITIVE PRICES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've been reading all the replies with interest as I too have a newer shop. I completely agree that friendly, knowledgeable customer service is critical. And all the other ideas for getting customers into the shop are great, too - free classes and demos and sew-ins and other special events.

Do keep in mind that all of the things you like best about your LQS are things that takes the shop owner a lot of time and money to accomplish. Which is why a shop that is offering all this cannot charge the same lower prices as you find online or at one of the chain stores.

I don't know about where you are, but in my area neither JoAnns or Walmart (nor online shops!) has a classroom area. They don't serve me snacks when I come to shop. They don't offer helpful tips and demos. They don't make a new yardage/cutting chart for me when I want to take a pattern that only lists lap size and make it into a queen size. They don't help me figure out why my borders aren't lying flat, or how to put binding on. ;)

A good LQS will do this for you. Isn't it worth a few extra dollars now and then, over what you would pay online or at a chain store, to be sure you have these services available to you?

I'm really enjoying this thread, keep the good ideas coming!!

My LQS has a monthly block lotto. She supplies a focus fabric and a pattern, we supply coordinating fabrics and $.50 per block that we want to do. She has a basket of coordinating fat quarters right by the patterns so people can pick up what they need if they don't want to shop their stash or have problems figuring out which fabrics go with which. She puts out the block on the first of every month and your block is due back before the end of the month. When you bring in your completed block, the block is displayed (makers name on the back) and your name is put in a jar from which the name of the winner of all the blocks is drawn at the end of the month. Of course, the winner will need the focus fabric for sashing, borders, binding, batting and backing...all to be purchased from the LQS!

helpful assistants, cheaper and better range of goods -----my largish Q/S charges almost twice as much for batting than I can buy online .

A lot of women at imitated by the words QUILT SHOP..... it means $$$$$$$. I've tried to get my friend to go to my sister in law's shop in another state. All she can think abt is $$$$. There are so many cute small things a woman can buy and make that they probably would buy materials at a quilt shop. $40.00 is different than $400.00 for a quilt: if you can get a group in it adds up. I do not have a lot of money, yet, I'm attracted to the materials and patterns or, once I go into the shop. A yard here and there helps the store. Just need a calling card. With the price of cotton going up, that means the quilt stores have to pay more, so when we say sell cheaper, there would be no hope of selling at price. maybe if someone buys a certain amout of yardage, then give a sale of 10%-20% ??? classes and a drawing card :) good luck you quilt shops out there. I guess enough to keep your doors open and hang in there. prayerfully things will get better. :)

Sometimes I go into a LQS more for the friendliness as much as for the merchandise. I always buy more than I went in for if the clerks are friendly.

This is so absolutely true! Diane/Wyoming

Absolutely! And don't forget the guys...they have had horrendous experiences in some quilt shops! I find their insight on quilts to be awesome!

One of the quilt shops near me has specials once a month. Like in February, all pink or red fabric is on special. March is greens for St Patrick's Day. April is yellow florals( for spring). Also you get a one time discount on the night you are taking a class for class supplies. Jan

Just cam back my LQS. I went to see how to make clothes line baskets. My HUsband had been off a few hours and took me. He went to the sofa in the back and listened to oldies but goodies and slept. Everyone who works there came down tot he classroom to tell he was doing fine and snoring. Hugs are awesome there too. Somethings you just can't put a price on.

Sadismae, Why not suggest two people to bring lunch or dinner and the next time someone else bring food.I think that would better than chargeing $20. We do this and it works out fine. A Sassy Scrapper-Carolyn T in Texas

ditto ditto ditto

Sadiemae, Sorry I missed spelled your name

I think the shops benefit with keeping their prices as low as possible along with good, friendly customer service. There is never as good advertising as word of mouth from happy customers. Even a smile when a customer enters a store is good business.

Don't worry,you pick out the colors and pattern you want.It will turn out perty. It's your quilt anyway.Keep quilting.

Ditto

Durinda,you could start a sewing,quilting class in your home(if you have the room).If I lived there I would come by. Anyway have fun and keep quilting.Carolyn T