What do you look for in an online quilt shop?
09-25-2011, 06:46 AM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Western Nevada
Posts: 2,520
What do you, the customer feel is important in an online quilt shop?
What motivates you to buy in a specific online store?
What features are most important to you?
Please talk about quality, price, cost of shipping, customer service, regular communication, ease of use, notification of sales, any other features and traits you can think of.
Please describe what you want and/or look for in an online store, without advertising for any particular shop or online site.
This should be interesting!
What motivates you to buy in a specific online store?
What features are most important to you?
Please talk about quality, price, cost of shipping, customer service, regular communication, ease of use, notification of sales, any other features and traits you can think of.
Please describe what you want and/or look for in an online store, without advertising for any particular shop or online site.
This should be interesting!
09-25-2011, 06:52 AM
#2
Banned
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,376
Quality is number one with me. Second is customer service and a user friendly website. Third would probably be price. Of course in all of this would be having a good assortment of fabrics and notions. Online photos of items made with the fabrics would be nice. And maybe free tuts youtube instructions of how to make the items.
09-25-2011, 08:18 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: N California
Posts: 849
I look first at security. If the site looks 'cheesy' then I am not sure that I feel comfortable enough to put in my cc info. Second, if it's an unknown store, I check around for reviews. I also need a site that is easy ro navigate around. I hate a difficult site and never give them a second thought.
In the store I check if they include the maker of the fabric. I hate just looking at a picture of a fabric, but not knowing who made it. I also like a store with good customer service. I recently had something happen with a store and sent them an email which they never answered. They are all over Facebook posting though. I asked why they don't answer their emails and they made a myriad of excuses about being sick etc. But they still havent addressed my email!!! I will never ever buy from that store.
And of course I look at prices. Both for the fabric, and shipping.
In the store I check if they include the maker of the fabric. I hate just looking at a picture of a fabric, but not knowing who made it. I also like a store with good customer service. I recently had something happen with a store and sent them an email which they never answered. They are all over Facebook posting though. I asked why they don't answer their emails and they made a myriad of excuses about being sick etc. But they still havent addressed my email!!! I will never ever buy from that store.
And of course I look at prices. Both for the fabric, and shipping.
09-25-2011, 09:04 AM
#8
Power Poster
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
good selection- sales- and most importantly is shipping policies...if the shipping is going to cost me 2-3 yards of fabric- i'm not shopping there.
as for selection- if i can find the same fabric locally i'm not ordering on line- unless it is a better deal-after shipping is added- i'm not going to pay $8.95 a yard- then $7.95 shipping for something i can get for $9.50 here.
i really look for shops that offer a selection of fabrics i can not find locally (a variety) and shops that offer free shipping if you purchase $35- $50 ... the ones who only offer free if you spend $200 is not getting my business either-
i can usually find $50+ to spend---$200 is being ridiculous
i like places that at least offer (actual cost) shipping too- instead of a flat amount based on $$ amount- if i order a package of needles, a spool of thread, and a pattern and the shop wants to charge me $8.95+ for shipping- i'm canceling that order. i think shipping should be charged by weight/packaging---just like the usps, or ups charges---not by $$ amount spent....i fell for that once---ordered 4 packages of needles- thats it---they were $12 a pack---so $48 they came in a first class envelope- i was charged $7.95 shipping! i will never fall for that again! i really thought they would adjust the shipping by the package.
as for selection- if i can find the same fabric locally i'm not ordering on line- unless it is a better deal-after shipping is added- i'm not going to pay $8.95 a yard- then $7.95 shipping for something i can get for $9.50 here.
i really look for shops that offer a selection of fabrics i can not find locally (a variety) and shops that offer free shipping if you purchase $35- $50 ... the ones who only offer free if you spend $200 is not getting my business either-
i can usually find $50+ to spend---$200 is being ridiculous
i like places that at least offer (actual cost) shipping too- instead of a flat amount based on $$ amount- if i order a package of needles, a spool of thread, and a pattern and the shop wants to charge me $8.95+ for shipping- i'm canceling that order. i think shipping should be charged by weight/packaging---just like the usps, or ups charges---not by $$ amount spent....i fell for that once---ordered 4 packages of needles- thats it---they were $12 a pack---so $48 they came in a first class envelope- i was charged $7.95 shipping! i will never fall for that again! i really thought they would adjust the shipping by the package.
09-25-2011, 09:07 AM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Maine, Where else!
Posts: 1,526
I don't like to give my credit card number out to all and sundry so I look to see if they take Paypal. Lots of variety, good quality fabric, fast shipping. They should have a good selection of notions and books.
09-25-2011, 09:09 AM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: FL
Posts: 7,084
Quality, Customer Service, reasonable shipping. I prefer to use PayPal also, so I like to have that option. I prefer my stuff sent Priority Mail because it sometimes doesn't get to me via UPS/FedEx. I'm familiar with a lot of the brand names, and do often see the same fabrics in my LQS, so I'm aware of the colors/quality before I order.
On thing I often do before shopping at a new-to-me place is to email them a question on something I'm looking to buy. If they answer quickly, I'm more apt to order from them. I have emailed a couple of places and never received a reply. Not sure if they were truly still in business, I didn't take the chance.
On thing I often do before shopping at a new-to-me place is to email them a question on something I'm looking to buy. If they answer quickly, I'm more apt to order from them. I have emailed a couple of places and never received a reply. Not sure if they were truly still in business, I didn't take the chance.
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