Your opinion of on-line shopping
 

I am in the mood for a new sewing machine...I don't really need one, but husband is encouraging me to go for it. Whether I do or not is still up in the air.

What I want to know is the the places you have loved dealing with, and also, the ones you had trouble with. If you prefer to send me a pm with the names of the places you did not like dealing with and why, that is fine. I may be slow in responding, but sure will appreciate the feedback.

I have heard several mention a place in the south negatively, and always wonder which one that is. I had an experience in getting my first Juki that you would not believe. Fed Ex first delivered it to the wrong address. When they went back to get it, the people at that house said it had been stolen from their front porch. I always found that hard to believe, but too long to go into detail.

So ended up calling the dealer and they sent out a new machine. This time they sent the wrong machine...I just happened to catch it before I opened it and before the UPS guy left. So returned it and they sent out the right one. I don't know if sending the wrong one was on purpose, or not. But have always wondered if this place is the one that everyone complains of.

I have only had one good experience from on-line shopping and that is when I've purchased from MSQC. Received my order when I believed it would arrive. Aside from them all other experiences have been horrible. I try to shop local enough that I don't mind a little drive. Do I need it that bad? is what I ask myself.

IMHO I would only shop for a new sewing machine locally.
1 ~ you always will be able to deal with a person (s)
2 ~ if you need help they are there for hands on

I would 'interview' local dealers, to see which one melds well with me.

For fabric, notions, thread, batting, etc, I love shopping on line but I know what brands I like and I usually end up going to the same vendors. Bobbin Central for thread, Hancocks of Paducah, thousands of bolts, Fabric depot for fabric. Notions I shop around sometimes to consolodate to save on shipping, sometimes I am looking for very specific items that only a few vendors carry. So far all of my online shopping experiences have been good and I have no nightmare tales to tell.

But for a sewing machine, nope, I want to test drive like a car. I want a dealer nearby I can go to for servicing and trouble shooting etc. I wouldn't by a car on line, nor would I buy a sewing machine nor any other high ticket item. I want the support of a brick and morter shop should anything go wrong.

The only machines I have purchased on line were Vintage and a Singer anniversary machine.

I have an older computer running Windows XP which limits me to IE8, I could NOT shop on Crafty (require IE9 or higher) and could NOT enter my CC info on Fabric .com. Since I end up doing lots of scrappy charity quilts, I prefer the options of buying a 1/4 or 1/8 of a yard. That is why Fabric Shack is my favorite. I also have had excellent service from Hancock's of Paducah. There catalogue always inspires me! Both have discount shipping charges TOO!!

Agree with what Grammy wrote. The best way is to meet local dealerships at quilt shows. That is how I ended up buying both of my Bernina. They open boxes with NEW sewing machines and you can find a good bargain since they want to them so they don't have to pack them up at the end of the show. You do need someone locally to show you the ropes and especially if you have any problems.

personally- I shop on line a lot --- for fabrics, supplies---- I would not ever purchase a machine on line- I want local service, I want to check out my machine- test drive it, have the free 'new owners classes' and somewhere to go if I have a problem.

Try using Firefox for your browser for shopping Craftsy. I haven't bought anything physical from them but was able to sign on and watch some of the free classes they offer that way.
I hope this helps,
Rodney

I got my Brother sewing Embroidery machine for Amazon through Kens sewing and Vac they have been very helpful and no problems that they didn't fix that was almost 4 years ago

I have purchased online quite a bit. I wouldn't hesitate to buy a sewing machine from Amazon *provided* it is sold by and shipped from Amazon. Amazon is very good about returns. If I bought a sewing machine that way, I would be sure to take it out of the box immediately and try out all of the features to make sure everything works before the window for returns closes.

I imagine many people will feel like spitting, when I post this . . . but I ordered a Brother CS6000i (for DGD and DD to learn to sew) from WalMart.com. It arrived on time, well packed, and I couldn't be more pleased with it. I've also ordered quite a few other things from WalMart.com and have never been disappointed in their service or packing. Needless to say, I bought my Janome from a LQS . . . but if WM.com had carried it, wouldn't have hesitated to buy it there.

I would buy local. I have a fancy babylock, that I brought locally and love the sewing machine shop. with todays machines and all the technology, local is the only way. you have so much help and knowledge there.

in answer to who to buy from... I did buy a juki from sewing machine plus and would recommend them to anyone.

If buying a sewing machine, you need to buy locally if you can, and from a dealer you like. Actually, I think the dealer is more important than the machine. Some of these machines are so complex, that you need help at hand and you don't want to pay for a class too.

I purchase 95% of my fabric from USA but yesterday
I went to purchase 2charm packs from a very,very well know quilting company and they wanted $38.95 for postage, I sent them a email say that price for postage was way over the top, they then dropped the postage to $23.95 which IMHO is still way to high. Needless to say I didn't buy my charm packs.

I would be very hesitant to buy a sewing machine on-line. Not because I don't trust the on-line dealer, but because I know I'll need lessons to learn how to use it! And I'll want a local dealer who can service it and fix it when something goes wrong.

I buy fabric, patterns and notions on-line, but not machines.

I feel the same..the sewing dealer was great about anytime I had an issue plus free cleaning for 10 years.

I purchased my last machine from a dealer about 45 minutes away from where I live. It came with FREE LESSONS...but I never took a single one.

Sometime later I saw the same machine online WITHOUT LESSONS and it was several hundred dollars less expensive.

Live and learn...next time I will check out buying online.

Nan

I think dealer support is very important for the high end machines. Shop around your area for a god dealer. They will be there for regular maintainence and to answer questions you will have. I have had very good luck with buying fabric on line but I have never ordered a machine on line. I want to "test drive" it and see if it feels right for me.

I just want to mention that having a local dealer is not a guarantee of support, as dealerships can go out of business.

I do think that lessons are important if you are upgrading to a totally different level of machine -- say, going from a vintage machine to a $1,000+ machine with lots of bells and whistles. If you are already familiar with midline machines, I think the lessons become much less important as there is so much help available online these days. My Bernina 1230 is over 15 years old now, but I don't think I would need lessons for a new top-of-the-line machine (unless, perhaps, it included an embroidery unit as I have no experience with embroidery). I would probably make an exception for a machine that includes the ability to update from the internet. I just don't think stand-alone sewing machines -- even if they have 500 different decorative stitches -- are that difficult to figure out if you have any experience with a modern sewing machine.

A lot depends on the type of machine you are buying. If it's a $1,000+ machine then you may want a local dealer. If it's under that, I would definitely consider buying off the web -- especially since it's easy to return machines to places like Amazon or Walmart. You *do* want to make sure that a return is easy if you don't like the machine. However, this can be an issue with dealers also, since not all dealers will accept the return of a machine. I know a dealership that will not accept the return of a machine even if the box was never opened. They will accept a return only if the person upgrades to a more expensive machine. Makes it unwise for family members to buy a machine for under the tree!

I own four machines and three I purchased online from www.allbrands.com. They have FREE delivery and I got each machine in three days. I've never had any problems whatsoever with them or the machines. My fourth machine is a Vintage Singer that I got from Goodwill.

I bought my Janome online from Amazon. Its not a computerized model so i didn't need lessons to learn how to operate it. It was delivered on time, is exactly what the Amazon description says it is and i'm quite pleased with the whole process. Other than fabric, i purchase everything from Amazon. Wonderful customer service.

Totally agree with this. My dealer went out of business about a year after I bought my Bernina. So, even if you find a good dealer, you can be left high and dry. Can't help you in your specific situation, sorry.

I bought my Janome online (don't remember which place as it was 5+ years ago). Machine arrived when they said it would, works great and I love it. I know this probably doesn't help you since I can't remember who I bought it from, just wanted to say there are some good experiences buying a machine online. Good luck!

Anita

If I were going to get a machine online, I would either choose to do it with allbrands, or kenssewingcenter because I have had excellent service from both. I did purchase my mechanical from overstock, and they also had good service and sent me another machine when the first one didn't work, but if it were a 4-500 dollar machine kens or allbrands as they are very reputable dealers. I probably wouldn't hesitate to buy from my dealer as they are great, but they are pricey so I don't buy my cheap machines from them. If you buy online you just need to be aware of the return policy and try it right away especially if its a gift. Many people wait to long for this because there are always lemons out there and if you didn't buy locally its harder to return

Thanks for all the replies, I was so glad to see them....I did buy my Juki 98Q without ever driving one and I have loved it...so much that I want the Juki HZL 600 Exceed....it is at least a 3 hour drive to a dealer. I may never buy it, but it sure is a nice looking machine. And I have no fear of buying one without testing it...don't know if I would take lessons were they offered. I bought a midline Pfaff, and when I went for the lesson, there was only one or two things that she could show me that I had not already been doing.

Same when I bought a used Viking #1...(NOT the #1+) if it had been the #1+ I am sure I could have used the lessons.

When I bought my Juki 98Q, I was debating between it and another and after all the reading I settled on the Juki. Now after having this Juki, I really would like to have one with decorative stitches. And I just want something new. Some women like jewelry--I like sewing machines and cameras!

I totally agree I would never buy a primary machine online, I am a Viking girl I would never own a machine again without support of a dealer, they cost way to much!

I would find a local shop. or at least one within a drivable area........if you have any problem,the store is right there where you can go for a "face to face" discussion of any problem.............

I bought two machines from allbrands.com. One is a Singer that I purchased in 2003; the other is a Juki serger that I bought in 2012. No problems with delivery or the machines.

I had always wanted a Juki & found what I thought was a good deal from a dealer in CA. I will never buy another sewing machine online! I've already sent it back 2 times (the first time the day after I got it) and have called more times than I remember about different things. They say satisfaction guaranteed but when I called to say I wanted a different machine they said they would only give me a trade in price. Lesson learned.

Sewingmachinesplus.com The people there are super nice. My embroidery machine went down and they sent me a label to send it back shipping paid. I have bought 2 machines from them.

Huge Nightmare
 

In an effort to save money I ordered a Janome machine on line two years ago. It turned out to be the biggest nightmare. I used it for about 4 weeks and took it to the basic quilting class I was taking at the time. So frustrating - it simply did not operate properly. My instructor even tried sewing with it and was puzzled as to the problem.
After many frustrating hours and even a few tears I finally ate some humble pie and called the local Janome dealer. Turns out my machine was a "knockoff". I shipped it back and even though it was past the 30 day grace period got a full refund. Needless to say I bought a Janome from the local dealer and absolutely love it.
I would never advise buying a machine on line. Buying from your local dealer is well worth every penny you pay.

I have purchased a number of sewing machines on line and only had one bad experience. Also order fabrics, notions, books, etc. from various places and have never had any trouble with that.

I had an excellent experience with AllBrands.com. They have various brands online, some real good deals and they stand behind them 110%! I was and still am extremely pleased with what I'd ordered. Do your research as to what features you want & other peoples experiences. (Always read all the comments!)

I've purchased 2 Janome machines on-line, one through Amazon and another from a dealer on the west coast (SewingMachinesPlus). My daughter bought a very nice little Brother through Amazon. All these machines are excellent and had considerably smaller price tags than if the same machines were bought from my local dealer; he services my machines, regardless of where I buy them. Most important is to buy from an authorized dealer; if not, the warranty is void. I buy a lot of things on line where I can thoroughly research specifications, etc. UPS delivery is kind of a crap shoot; there's one delivery man that has brought some things here who is a, to put it politely, 'disappointing', but I've not yet gotten a product that's been a disappointment.

Kens Sewing Machines is fabulous. I bought my Janome at a show from them. Later I bought a small one on line. When my local dealer could not repair it, I mailed it to them. Great communication.

My Mom and I each got a Brother PQ-1500s from AllBrands. Then my husband bought the HandiQuilter from Sewing Machine Plus. Great service with both of the dealers. I love my dealer, but he only sells Janome and Brother. I really wanted a Pfaff, so I'm testing out a new dealer. So far, so good, but they are fairly new.

I purchased a Euro Pro denim and silk some years ago from QVC online and have not had a single problem. There is a sears repair store about 15 minutes away that my sister has taken her machines too with good results. I clean my own and "knock on wood" have not needed the repair shop as yet. QVC has great return policies too. I am going with one of my daughters to find a machine next year. for now she will take one of my gently used to get comfortable on. yea! one of my girls wants to sew!! she lives 6 hrs away but that's where my grandkids live so I will be there occasionally. haha

SewingMachinesPlus is a fantastic place to order from. Never had any problems.

My only response to your question would be to read everything here, then only buy online things that you will not need any help learning to use. Online retailers do not usually offer lessons with your purchase, and in person stores do. I am a slow learner, so that affects everything I consider buying online. Good luck dear.

3 yrs ago, I ordered on line, a first for me a singer, got here in 2 days, no problems at all, I kinda wore it down with sewing about 5 hrs everyday though. you know plastic parts and all