Most shops today have their website which shows the setup and content of the store and advertises not only the # bolts of fabric but colorful images of all the quilts they are doing in BOM's and classes and stuff on the walls. And when it comes to trade shows, vendors have been advertising their prices, goods, and even photos of their booths on-line and through the show's advertising. They certainly want you to whip out your phone to scan the QR codes they have plastered all over everything, so you can get instant discounts and coupons.
There is nothing proprietary about the looking at the fabric, arrangements, designs, sales, products, or anything else in a quilt shop except copying the actual instructions in the books (try the library for that). Hellooo??? Maybe before you go into a store you need to sign a non-disclosure agreement? Hand your cell phone to the clerk? Remove all paper and writing implements from your purse so you can't jot down pattern numbers or fabric styles? Possibly quilt store owners and employees should be banned from visiting competitors' stores? All visitors should be searched? LOL I think these retailers are way off the mark.