When I got home, I realized that a pattern I had purchased was very similar to a pattern I already have. When I took it back to the shop, the owner said they could not take patterns back because of copyright issues -- someone might copy the pattern and then return it.

Just wondering if this is typical? In many years of purchasing quilt patterns, I believe this is the first time I ever took one back!

Yes, this is typical.

I don't know if it is typical, but it sounds reasonable.

It is this way at the stores around here.

and makes perfectly good sense
some people do just that and the quilt shop can't be judge of who probably did or didn't
maybe you can sell it on here

I can gift it to my sister, so that's not a problem. I was just surprised, as the thought of copying a pattern and then returning it never occurred to me.

Same as magazines.

I'd say yes, it's typical. At one of my local shops, they have a sign posted saying that due to copyright issues, all pattern and book sales are final.

She hasn't always had this sign, so my guess is she was having a problem with people buying the pattern/book, copying it and then trying to return it.

Yep that is the way it is here and for just those reasons . I never thought about it until someone explained it to me - guess most of us don't think about conning people .... which is a good thing :lol:

Yes, it's typical!

I was in a quilt shop that put the patterns and books in separate sealed clear plastic and it was sealed with heat all the way around. One book of each was left not sealed for the store copy so everyone could look inside. No way a pattern could be returned and it not be noticed it was opened. The owner said she paid her teen son to seal the bags using a food saver. This keeps customers happy to be able to return items when they get home and find they have duplicates. That happens a lot.

Can you even imagine taking a pattern out of an envelope and getting it back into the envelope. Thinking dress patterns here. LOL

Yes, none returnable. It is a bummer because I bought a pattern of a little dress at a quilt store and I thought it was simple. Once I was able to open it I found out it was made of all kinds of pieced pieces. Not simple at all!

yes, and I understand why.

Yes, it is normal; it is posted in our quilt store as well.

I think it depends on the shop, if they know you and how quickly you bring it back. If you are a regular, they will be more liberal if they think that it might jeopardize your continued business or if they know you well enough to trust you.

Also, if you get out the car and come back in 5 minutes later, they may consider that you didn't have time to copy it and take it back.

But most of the time, you buy it, it's yours.

After working in LQS, returning patterns is not the norm. I know we could not take them back.

I have found it to be the same in my experience. I do sometimes like to look at the inside of a pattern to make sure it is not beyond my abilities. However, I was at a quilt show in March, and they saw me look at the inner part of a pattern (it was really pretty, but just wasn't sure if I could make it. I wanted to make sure the directions were clear and concise. and it had a zip lock top) The proprietress came over and said, "I am sorry, you can't do that. It is a violation of copyright laws." She was polite, but I felt like a criminal....after all, I wasn't copying it. And if she thought I could glance at a pattern and memorize the directions, then I must look way more intelligent than I am ;-)

Sometimes it really makes your wonder about people today. A lot of this stuff would never enter your mind as doing, but obviously people do. I just have a real problem with the way a lot of people think now.

Any quilt stores and fabric stores I have been to do not take back patterns or books. There has been a problem with people photocoping patterns from pkgs and books and then wanting to return them. They also try and return them when they have had them a long time and haven't used them.

Any quilt stores and fabric stores I have been to do not take back patterns or books. There has been a problem with people photocoping patterns from pkgs and books and then wanting to return them. They also try and return them when they have had them a long time and haven't used them.

This is kind of crazy, considering you can look through the books at the patterns. Why don't they think we can memorize patterns in books?

yes, i bought two computer help books at borders,books and music and called them the next day to see if i could return one. luckily they said yes. i paid by check but they gave me my money back. i would have hated to wait up to 10 days to return it due to paying by ck because i'd always feel they would have figured i'd copied the book and wanted it "for free".
believe me, some people do that!!
the store should have just given you store credit.

First of all, looking at a pattern is in no way a violation of copyright law. And if she had said that to me, I would have asked her to show me, exactly, where it says that glancing or reading anything is a violation. Hers is a ridiculous assertion.

Now had you purchased it & tried to return it, that still is not a violation of copyright law, but as a shop owner she is within her rights to decide whether or not to take anything back at all. And most places will not accept returns on patterns, and I don't blame them. These days, some people will buy something, scan it into their computer and make a return if they can. Frankly, I don't know of any quilter that would do that; we all like to keep our stuff too much.

Yarn shops do the same thing. It would be so easy for someone who doesn't have scruples to take it home, copy it and return it. And think of all the people with printers that copy or scan at home, now.

Yes, It is very typical around here!!!

Had I called the shop immediately after I got home and took the other pattern with me, they would probably have exchanged for another. But, they do know me well and know I would not cheat them.

So now you have a gift for your favorite quilting friend!

Last I knew, Joann's will take back pattern from like McCalls and the like if you have a receipt that is within 90 days. Same with books and quilting pattern. Just check with the store prior to purchasing them.

Last I knew, Joann's will take back pattern from like McCalls and the like if you have a receipt that is within 90 days. Same with books and quilting pattern. Just check with the store prior to purchasing them.

Yes, it typical here also.....they don't know if you have copied the pattern so they won't take it back for any reason. It's yours.

I understand the need to protect themselves from some people who have no values. What is the world coming to? It amazes me to think of the things some will do. Sorry about your pattern - I have been known to not just buy a similar pattern but the same book more than once - that's when I knew I had too much

No returns on sheet music either... for the same reason.

On line shops want happy customers & will take most returns, except patterns due to copyright laws.Must be SOP in all shops.

That's a smart store owner.

Yes, that is typical.
I just thought of something though- you could sell it on the board!

I can understand why the stores may not want to take a pattern back because it could have been used by the buyer and then returned. I will say however, that my JoAnns store did give me a return on a pattern I had bought. The reason I returned it was because a couple days after buying it I was given a pattern that I really had wanted. This may have been an exception to the rule but it had never been opened and think it was safe to do so with me.

Yes, this happened to me also.

I took a pattern back to Jo-Ann's because I got the wrong size, and they cheerfully took it back -- even though I had opened it. I'm definitely not going to bash Jo-Ann's anymore....they have been more than helpful to me.
Janet in Ohio

Yes they will not take it back, I had a similar problem and I was stuck with the pattern. I gave it to someone else who could use it.