I purchased a pattern recently and started working with it and realized it had already been used and part of it was missing so I am glad that people can't return them.It was very annoying especially at my expense.

i have seen a sign in out LQS that says no returns on Patterns but never knew why, but now i guess i do know

It is common in my experience. Most stores that I know will not take back books and patterns because of the threat of copying material and returning it to get money back. I have many duplicates that I could not return. There are options. You can sell it yourself. You can donate it. You can keep the duplicate like me so you can always find your pattern without spending all day looking for it.

It happened to me once too and the shop owner knew me well and that made me upset because I think she should have known better. A good customer should deserve better.

I've never heard of it...but makes sense...

:cry: :cry:

It is amazing to me how people try to cheat the system. I would never had guessed you can't bring a quilt pattern back. I will have to be more careful about buying patterns also pattern books. Oh well

It is a shame that everyone is not fair and honest. People who rort the system cause all of us to be inconvenienced with price hikes to cover the costs incurred by shop-lifters and for others to question our honesty when we want a fair deal - if it looked like I had not opened it, I think I would still get an exchange or refund here.

Our quilt shop even posts a sign No Returns on Patterns or Books.

As an owner of a quilt shop yes it is a normal practice but we do allow our customers to exchange for a different item one time. If they try a second time then I am sorry we cannot do that. It is hard to say if a person used the pattern out of a book, magazine, or even an envelope. So this is to protect everyone, the copyrighted designer, the retailer and the future consumer.

Amazon and Barns and Nobles will let you return books.

Back a few years, I remember they use to stamp the envelope with NON-REFUNDABLE or NO RETURNS but now I notice they no longer do that. But I always new you could not return them and books.

I guess it sounds like a good reason but I am with the line of thinking that if you don't think like a con, you probably aren't copying the pattern. But selling it on here is a great idea.

Yes it is.

I bought a hand embroidery pattern while at the Houston Quilt Show. I saw it on a pillow and told her I wanted that pattern. She said she had forgotten to bring that one and would mail it to me. I paid and expected to get the pattern I ask for. It was another simular one. I e-mailed to the address on the pattern and got one back saying she was not at the show and does not have a pattern like I described. However, she does have the one that was sent even tho she did not send it. So I looked back at the envelope that it came in and it was a different person. I have sent her two messages asking for the one I had paid for and have not received a reply. Will I buy from her again!! In that instance I would expect her to send the one I ordered. I offered to return the wrong one. Yes, it has always been no returns as long as I remember but she made the mistake. I would probably be happy if she just acknowledged it was wrong.

It does sound sensible for the shop not take back a pattern, they are easily copied. You could sell it in our classifieds and at least reap some of your money back.

I was in JoAnn's yesterday looking at books and found a "make it in the hoop" book with CD. As I flipped through the book I realized there was no CD. When I turned to the back you could clearly see that it had been ripped out. I went to the woman at the cutting counter and showed it to her so no other customer would buy and get home and be disappointed. She looked disgusted and said, "Oh, you wouldn't believe it but it happens all the time." I was pretty shocked. I like to think that all quiters are honest people.

I have made the mistake of buying a pattern I liked twice. (I guess I REALLY liked it!) It's such a waste of money! To prevent that from happening again I made a list in Word on my computer of all my books and supplies. My books are listed by author's last name. Patterns are listed alphabetically by title. Magazines are listed by name with the month and year after it. Embroidery CDs are listed by title. I even have my rulers listed by size and my machine feet listed by number. This may sound compulsive but it has saved me money by preventing duplication. My deal with myself is that if I buy it, I have to go to the computer and enter it before I read or use it. Once every month or two I print out my updated list and keep it in my purse. Anybody else do this?

it is typical. that being said, when i was vacationing in florida, i bought a mariner's compass book - $24.99. when i got back to the cottage, i realized that the compasses were 3D, not at all what i thought they were. i called immediately and explained. they checked while i was on the phone. luckily, i had charged it, so there was a record. they agreed to take it back the next morning because i called so promptly. they knew i couldn't have copied so fast.

but she did explain that they have a policy of not accepting returns on books for copyright reasons. i just lucked out that time.

I was thinking the same thing, I can never get the pattern fold the same way!

Yes, at the fabric store I go to, there is a sticker right on all patterns and books, and magazines. No return.

I was reading through the posts and was going to also suggest this, bet it wont last a day ;)

One time the store gave me the wrong pattern from under the counter and still would not take it back or exchange it. I don't do business with them anymore.

One time I bought a book for making purses and when I got home, I found that the patterns had all been ripped out. I called the shop and they exchanged the book. They were not surprised that somebody had done this. There is a very big quilt store in Florida that has the security gate that you walk through. I thought it was odd and insulting, now I understand.

I can understand what they are saying, but if you are a good customer - you would think they would want to make you happy?

Yes that is typical and I can see their resaoning for it. Not everyone would copy but some do. I think they should tell you that there are no returns on patterns when you check out though so you are informed.

this is absolutely true..across the board..i can.t tell you how many times i have purchaed patterns only to have the same exact one at home..i just save it for the guild as raffle gifts or if one of my friends wants it...

HL does not allow the return of books.

I have never heard of being able to return patterns. I think that most shops stamp their patterns as "No Return" when you purchase them. At least, that's the way it is here in Canada.

No, but I'd love to have you come over and organize me!

This is a fact. No one takes back a pattern. Been there done that.

Put it online here and maybe someone would like to buy it.

I love the idea of keeping a list. I started going thru my "library" and must say that when I like something, I REALLY like it. I found I had 3 copies of one of the books. Once camera is fixed, 2 of them are going up on the board. Maybe someone will like it as much as I did, lol. JoAnns has always been great about taking back books or patterns when I have found I didn't need/want them as long as it is within 90 days, they still carry it and I had the receipt. Last Christmas they took back a quilting book that I received as a gift but had no receipt for. I got merchandise credit. LQS are another story; could be becasue they are so much smaller and more local. Good luck. I'm sure someone would be thrilled to have it on the board.

I've been told the same thing.

Yes, for patterns and books most stores won't even take back novels if you just happen to buy a dup. one ( sometimes I can't remember which ones I have waiting for me to read (DA) )