What if there were no more brick & mortar shops?
 

We all love to shop online, shop prices,etc. BUT, what if the internet becomes the only way to buy machines, fabric, etc? Just a thought. Shops have to content with the virtual competition AND pay their expenses of being a brick & mortar.

sandy

I don't think ALL the bricks and mortar quilt shops are going to close. Many of the online stores that we are familiar with also have an actual stores. A lot of shoppers will go into Best Buy to actually see a TV before purchasing it online. I think stores have to do double duty.

I shop at quilt shops when I travel but at home I use the internet for most of my quilt purchases. It wouldn't really bother me not to have a LQS as I don't have one close to me now anyway.

I'd really be up a tree. I do 99% of my fabric purchasing at brick & mortar stores. I'm a very tactile person and like to fondle before I purchase. I'm very fortunate that I can get to Lancaster, PA for some great deals relatively easily. I only purchase for projects. Most times I do that in Lancaster, but I will also purchase at my LQS - usually for smaller projects, though due to the price difference.

I have a family member that owns a fabric store. She tells me that it is bothersome that people come into her store , fondle and take photos or notes of her inventory , then go on line to make the purchase. She refers to this is "show casing" where people use the brick and mortar only for those to see the item they are looking to buy online. I find this to be a very brazen act of disregard and a disturbing trend.
I think until there is some act to level out the online shops with brick and mortar.. there will continue to be fewer brick and mortar. The fact that I can instantly save almost 10 percent ( sales tax) by purchasing on line is just one of the issues that come to mind.
But in this age of "access" to almost anything via computer, has had its issues as well. People are not as connected to people , real live face to face interaction. to that point , classes are continuing to be a popular "social" learning experience. Most shops are surviving by their classes, this get people into the shops .. and we all know once there ... we find some fabric that must find its way home.
If shops disappear it would be very upsetting, I enjoy making an "occasion" out of my fabric shopping.

I understand what you are saying, but every brick and mortar store of any type is facing the same thing. Many LQS's have an online presence-others have strengths you can't duplicate online. Craftsy is great, but support and friendships come from the face to face classes. The powers that be are working on legislation to collect tax online so this advantage will disappear soon. Can't believe someone would have the gall to walk into an LQS to touch and !?! take pictures of fabric but not buy!?! If you're reading this and this is you-that is just incredibly rude. We all know how it feels to be taken advantage of and this is what this is.

I make sure that I do NOT do that, personally. It's tempting sometimes but I know it would only shoot me in the foot in the long run - if I appreciate having a store where I can see the fabric in person, I am a FOOL if I don't support that store!

My state seems to have fixed that. I now pay CA sales tax even on out-of-state online purchases. On one hand it was nice getting away with not paying sales tax on stuff; on the other hand it does seem more fair this way. Now I have to drive to Oregon if I want to avoid sales tax, and with gas prices what they are that is not going to save me any money!!

I rarely shop on-line. There are 3 great quilt shops here in town and a total of 9 in the surrounding area. I prefer to feel and see the fabric and talk with the sales clerks and customers. They all inspire me! If there were no brick and mortar stores I would just shop my stash!

How I wish we had a QS that was close by! The nearest one to me is 1 1/2 hrs. away. I would much rather shop in a brick and mortar store. To me its like walking into a candy store!!

I rarely buy fabric, or anything online fabric, the last time was at least 9 years back, and it was from a brick and mortar store.