Your thoughts on being overcharged at an lqs (Warning: LONG)
08-02-2009, 02:34 AM
#51
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: EAST TEXAS
Posts: 118
All of our local LQ here do not honor sale price on cuts less then a yard.
They will cut less than a yard but you must pay regular price.
Be sure to check policy, every store can be different.
Not sure if this would have made a difference in your pricing.
Don't give up, give them another chance. Having worked in Customer
Service for years. You try your best not to let personal matters effect
your treatment of customers or how you sove problems. But like everyone else it does. So LQ might have been having one of those days.
If you continue to have problems then I would take my business elsewhere.
They will cut less than a yard but you must pay regular price.
Be sure to check policy, every store can be different.
Not sure if this would have made a difference in your pricing.
Don't give up, give them another chance. Having worked in Customer
Service for years. You try your best not to let personal matters effect
your treatment of customers or how you sove problems. But like everyone else it does. So LQ might have been having one of those days.
If you continue to have problems then I would take my business elsewhere.
08-02-2009, 09:07 AM
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Lebanon, Missouri
Posts: 602
I am preparing to open a quilt shop in my town, so I'm REALLY glad I read this post. But, it did not take me very long to come up with MY answer to this situation.
1. First and foremost I would have made it right. I would have double checked the figures to find out where I went wrong, point out MY error to you and MADE IT RIGHT!
2. I would have given you a discount coupon to be used with your next purchase. This is how I, as a customer, would like to be treated.
Why they would ever argue with a customer is BEYOND my realm of thinking. But there is one other thing that does bother me.
Even though you wanted 6 inch cuts off of 10 different bolts of fabrics, UNLESS they have it posted somewhere they will not cut anything smaller than whatever, regardless of more customers or not they should have been willing to cut it. If they thought it might "back up the cutting table" they could have asked if they could cut it when the crowd dies down. (That would have been about all of 15 minutes maybe?)
IN MY NOT TO BE HUMBLE OPINION, that quilt shop owner need to remember they are nothing more than another commodity to the customer! After all, they aren't paying the customers to come in there!
I had a business once before and I learned from that business the C Y A. If you DON'T want to do something YOU NEED TO POST A SIGN IT WON'T BE DONE!
1. First and foremost I would have made it right. I would have double checked the figures to find out where I went wrong, point out MY error to you and MADE IT RIGHT!
2. I would have given you a discount coupon to be used with your next purchase. This is how I, as a customer, would like to be treated.
Why they would ever argue with a customer is BEYOND my realm of thinking. But there is one other thing that does bother me.
Even though you wanted 6 inch cuts off of 10 different bolts of fabrics, UNLESS they have it posted somewhere they will not cut anything smaller than whatever, regardless of more customers or not they should have been willing to cut it. If they thought it might "back up the cutting table" they could have asked if they could cut it when the crowd dies down. (That would have been about all of 15 minutes maybe?)
IN MY NOT TO BE HUMBLE OPINION, that quilt shop owner need to remember they are nothing more than another commodity to the customer! After all, they aren't paying the customers to come in there!
I had a business once before and I learned from that business the C Y A. If you DON'T want to do something YOU NEED TO POST A SIGN IT WON'T BE DONE!
08-02-2009, 12:30 PM
#53
Super Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: East Texas
Posts: 3,021
I would have walked out & left fabic on counter. Let him explain what happen to mama & let him sort it out. Owner would have probably called you & you could explain what he did. You shouldn't have to pay for something you didn't get. There is a lady at the Hancock Store in Tyler & she never rings up your ticket right. I just hate for her to check me out. One time she over charged me $15.00. I looked at ticket in car & had to go back & get my money. I always make sure what it will cost before I check out.
08-02-2009, 04:09 PM
#54
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: here! :)
Posts: 1,485
We have to lqs in our area - one is fantastic - calls the customers by their names, greets us as we walk in the door (Reminds me of Cheers - NORM!) and then will step back and let us browse - but are ready if we have questions and they are ALL very helpful and can help match material like there is no tomorrow. The other one - the OWNER would not give you the time of day - - she'd rather be working on her machine(s) or conducting a class in the back room. Rude to the customers. Needless to say we go to the first one even though the second one is less than one mile and the first one is about 20 minutes away.
08-02-2009, 06:13 PM
#55
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lost in a quilt shop :-)
Posts: 1,342
A couple of days ago I responded to this but before I completely finished typing my laptop locked up! GGggggrrrrr!!!!!
Crashnquilt really focused on one of the thoughts I had. This shop is in the business to sell fabric and make a profit to keep the shop open to keep the customers happy and return for business.....endless cycle. They have got to sell the entire bolt to make "X" dollars in profit. Does it matter if they sell it in 6 inch increments or by the yard??? Either way, the fabric gets sold and he makes his profit. Rocket science right?
YOU are a paying customer who chose to spend your money in their shop. Smart thing for them is to cut what the customer wants. Your purchasing power is NOT dependent on the number of other customers who enter the store ahead of you or after you or who is in line before or behind you to get fabric cut. Each customer, IN TURN, should be given the same gracious service, period. I've worked myself up now to where scenarios like that, I don't remain quiet and I don't deal with blatant rudeness, especially in service industries. I am also very patient and understanding as circumstances dictate.
What the son did was inexcusable across the board. I can't tell you what to do, but for me, it doesn't faze me that his parent owns the shop. Actually, it makes what he did even WORSE!!! I'd "kill" my kid to represent me like that in business and damage customer relations that I'd worked so hard to build up and depend on to maintain.
I hope you find a solution that is workable for you and brings resolution. Sorry you had such a bad experience.
I just had an opposite experience at one of my LQS. After selecting about 6 or 7 single FQ's, I kept switching them around, thought I had counted right but when ringing up the total she came up one off from my count. I questioned myself thinking maybe I miscounted as I kept swapping them around. Distracted with finishing the transaction and chit-chat I left. got home to discover I indeed had one more than she had rang up. Since it's out of the way I didn't go back immediately to pay for it. So, I did take it back after work one day. It was 2.75. I walked in and it was the very lady who rang me out with this that assisted again. I explained why I was there. All she had to hear was that I was undercharged and she started ringing it up without any other conversation. I was really disappointed, not that I was a hero for the day, but the fact that I went out of my way doing the right thing (of course that was the satisfaction, I'd never think of not paying for it regardless) however, I barely got a thank you at the end for coming back to "help keep their inventory straight."
Truth is, of all the shops by me, even being out of the way, it's the closest to me. They carry more vibrant, colorful prints than what I'm normally drawn to but sometimes I "need" a quick fix, so I end up there.
Crashnquilt really focused on one of the thoughts I had. This shop is in the business to sell fabric and make a profit to keep the shop open to keep the customers happy and return for business.....endless cycle. They have got to sell the entire bolt to make "X" dollars in profit. Does it matter if they sell it in 6 inch increments or by the yard??? Either way, the fabric gets sold and he makes his profit. Rocket science right?
YOU are a paying customer who chose to spend your money in their shop. Smart thing for them is to cut what the customer wants. Your purchasing power is NOT dependent on the number of other customers who enter the store ahead of you or after you or who is in line before or behind you to get fabric cut. Each customer, IN TURN, should be given the same gracious service, period. I've worked myself up now to where scenarios like that, I don't remain quiet and I don't deal with blatant rudeness, especially in service industries. I am also very patient and understanding as circumstances dictate.
What the son did was inexcusable across the board. I can't tell you what to do, but for me, it doesn't faze me that his parent owns the shop. Actually, it makes what he did even WORSE!!! I'd "kill" my kid to represent me like that in business and damage customer relations that I'd worked so hard to build up and depend on to maintain.
I hope you find a solution that is workable for you and brings resolution. Sorry you had such a bad experience.
I just had an opposite experience at one of my LQS. After selecting about 6 or 7 single FQ's, I kept switching them around, thought I had counted right but when ringing up the total she came up one off from my count. I questioned myself thinking maybe I miscounted as I kept swapping them around. Distracted with finishing the transaction and chit-chat I left. got home to discover I indeed had one more than she had rang up. Since it's out of the way I didn't go back immediately to pay for it. So, I did take it back after work one day. It was 2.75. I walked in and it was the very lady who rang me out with this that assisted again. I explained why I was there. All she had to hear was that I was undercharged and she started ringing it up without any other conversation. I was really disappointed, not that I was a hero for the day, but the fact that I went out of my way doing the right thing (of course that was the satisfaction, I'd never think of not paying for it regardless) however, I barely got a thank you at the end for coming back to "help keep their inventory straight."
Truth is, of all the shops by me, even being out of the way, it's the closest to me. They carry more vibrant, colorful prints than what I'm normally drawn to but sometimes I "need" a quick fix, so I end up there.
08-02-2009, 08:46 PM
#56
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 235
I appreciate all of your replies. Here is what I've decided to do. The owner is not all that friendly, herself. She's a "know-it-all" kind of a person, so I don't feel comfortable sharing what her son did with her. She's not rude, but she's just arrogant (likes to finish your sentences for you; has a story that's better than yours; thinks she has the answer for everyting quilting related and can't possibly learn anything new from anyone else.) She's not 100% my cup-o-tea, but she's tolerable. I can't imagine that we'll ever be good 'quilting friends' but I can maintain a professional "business" relationship with her if it means shopping conveniently and comfortably in her store.
If her son ever 'waits' on me, again, I will bring as many bolts to the cutting table as I want; and if he refuses to cut my bolts the way I want them cut, I will walk out of the store and never return. I will look for a sign, the next time I'm in the store, and see if there is a written policy for 'minimum cuts.' If there is, I will abide by it. If there is not one and the son is rude to me about it, I will take my business elsewhere.
I will also watch and review EVERY receipt I get in the future. If they will not refund my money or make it right, I will report them to the Better Business Bureau.
There is one gal who works in that store who is awesome. She only works on Thursdays, though. I want to shop there only when that gal is working; but if she's not there, I'll just have to keep a closer eye on what I'm being charged at the register.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have such low tolerance for nonsense, and I don't like getting into arguments with people. The store employees have a choice. They can treat their customers well; or lose them permanently. I always will have the upper hand. There are enough stores in this area (not to mention the Internet) that I can easily take my business elsewhere.
If her son ever 'waits' on me, again, I will bring as many bolts to the cutting table as I want; and if he refuses to cut my bolts the way I want them cut, I will walk out of the store and never return. I will look for a sign, the next time I'm in the store, and see if there is a written policy for 'minimum cuts.' If there is, I will abide by it. If there is not one and the son is rude to me about it, I will take my business elsewhere.
I will also watch and review EVERY receipt I get in the future. If they will not refund my money or make it right, I will report them to the Better Business Bureau.
There is one gal who works in that store who is awesome. She only works on Thursdays, though. I want to shop there only when that gal is working; but if she's not there, I'll just have to keep a closer eye on what I'm being charged at the register.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I have such low tolerance for nonsense, and I don't like getting into arguments with people. The store employees have a choice. They can treat their customers well; or lose them permanently. I always will have the upper hand. There are enough stores in this area (not to mention the Internet) that I can easily take my business elsewhere.
08-03-2009, 03:51 AM
#59
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Posts: 235
Originally Posted by sharon b
Just one final question . Did he make it right , refund your money ?
08-03-2009, 06:35 AM
#60
Power Poster
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Northern Indiana
Posts: 20,306
Originally Posted by Ethel A
Originally Posted by sharon b
Just one final question . Did he make it right , refund your money ?
Sharon
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