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One Reason Local Quilt Shops do not have Booming Business

One Reason Local Quilt Shops do not have Booming Business

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Old 07-13-2010, 06:09 AM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by LaurieE
I guess I'm different than ya'll. I don't particularly care if I'm greeted upon entering a store. I don't want them to ask if they can help me, either. 99% of the time when I walk into a quilt store, I have a thousand design thoughts racing through my mind and I don't want an employee interrupting my thoughts.

Many times I'm there to look at what's new. Many times I'm looking for something for a specific quilt and I know what I'm looking for.

With all that said, I do expect the employee to be friendly when they're cutting my fabric or when I do ask for assistance.
I'm with you. I can shop by myself and if I want something I'm capable of speaking up for myself.
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Old 07-13-2010, 06:31 AM
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I was in Marietta Ga earlier this month. My daughter had given me cash and taken me for a birthday trip. The shop was about 4 hours from my house. I was so excited!!! She took my picture outside the shop and I had to pinch myself as we went in the door. I could hardly believe I was there. I was greeted and looked around, but when I needed assistance the employees were gathered around the cutting table and didn't want to be interrupted. When I asked for help, . . . well, if looks could kill, I wouldn't be writing this message now. One lady tried to push something off on me, rather than the print I wanted. Her attitude was like, "What's the difference?!"

As someone else said, they chatted on and on with the customers they knew. But I was invisible . . . and I will be from now on. We did finally make some purchases, but my excitement was deflated over my adventure. As we left, my daughter said, "Wow! They evidently don't need our business!" But we went on the the Red Hen and things were much better.
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Old 07-13-2010, 09:00 AM
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I live near Marietta, and I love Red Hen and Tiny Stitches!
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Old 07-13-2010, 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by LaurieE
I guess I'm different than ya'll. I don't particularly care if I'm greeted upon entering a store. I don't want them to ask if they can help me, either. 99% of the time when I walk into a quilt store, I have a thousand design thoughts racing through my mind and I don't want an employee interrupting my thoughts.

Many times I'm there to look at what's new. Many times I'm looking for something for a specific quilt and I know what I'm looking for.

With all that said, I do expect the employee to be friendly when they're cutting my fabric or when I do ask for assistance.
Ditto. My kids were very well behaved in quilt shops and the lqs ladies knew them by name. I went to a shop that was quite a ways away with the whole family, even DH, as we were on our way to the air force base to shop in the commissary. Well, we hadn't gone two feet into the store (3 kids and 2 parents!) when the lady who owns the place jumped down my throat and told me to keep my kids in line! I looked at her and told her, "My children are better behaved than some adults" and we left. I was steamed! They had always been nice before. I just was stunned.
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Old 07-13-2010, 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by JudyG
The local stores around me(all at least 45 minutes away) are great. But --- I was in Redmond, Oregon last week with my quilting group and we all went to a quilt store there and I was less than happy with them. I have a hard time picking out fabrics to go together and want to make a bargello that takes 20 different fabrics, 10 lights and 10 darks, and I want them all to be shades of blue. I have a good portion of them, but still needed a couple more. I asked the gal at the counter (there were, I believe, 4 employees working) if anyone there was good with color and could help me with selecting a couple more fabrics to go with what I already had. Her answer was, "No." Period. No offer to at least try to help me or anything. I was absolutely floored. One of my friends and I were selecting fabrics, and one of the gals did come over and give an opinion on the ones we were looking at, but I left that place less than enthusiastic about returning again.
Wow I would have left that place at that precise moment, and made sure that I told them why I was leaving. That is unbelievable and totally uncalled for. I wonder if one of them was the owner and probably would have asked. If not I would have asked to see her or him. There is no reason whatsoever for that lack of salesmanship. That was plain rude and they have no place being a sales aqssociate in any type of store. Man, I am so mad and I wasn't even there!!!!!!
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Old 07-13-2010, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by coastienest
Originally Posted by JudyG
The local stores around me(all at least 45 minutes away) are great. But --- I was in Redmond, Oregon last week with my quilting group and we all went to a quilt store there and I was less than happy with them. I have a hard time picking out fabrics to go together and want to make a bargello that takes 20 different fabrics, 10 lights and 10 darks, and I want them all to be shades of blue. I have a good portion of them, but still needed a couple more. I asked the gal at the counter (there were, I believe, 4 employees working) if anyone there was good with color and could help me with selecting a couple more fabrics to go with what I already had. Her answer was, "No." Period. No offer to at least try to help me or anything. I was absolutely floored. One of my friends and I were selecting fabrics, and one of the gals did come over and give an opinion on the ones we were looking at, but I left that place less than enthusiastic about returning again.
Wow I would have left that place at that precise moment, and made sure that I told them why I was leaving. That is unbelievable and totally uncalled for. I wonder if one of them was the owner and probably would have asked. If not I would have asked to see her or him. There is no reason whatsoever for that lack of salesmanship. That was plain rude and they have no place being a sales aqssociate in any type of store. Man, I am so mad and I wasn't even there!!!!!!
Boy, I am mad, too!! That really sucks that their business is SO good that they do not "need" to assist their customers!!
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Old 07-13-2010, 08:30 PM
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Hi,

I am sorry you had a bad experience at your LQS. I work at my LQS and we always greet and ask if we can be of any assistance when a customer comes in the shop. Then we either assist or let you browse knowing we are there to help if needed.
I also have been in a shop where the employee hovered around me while I browsed and it drove me nuts.....almost made me feel like I was been watched.
Hope your LQS improves!
Bev
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Old 07-14-2010, 03:08 AM
  #58  
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I live in the middle of nowhere so getting to a quilt shop is a big deal for me. The shop that has the best selection is 2 hours from me. There are only two people there who are happily willing to help. Others will help but you're made to feel like they're doing you a favor. Another pet peeve of mine is when the sales person doesn't say thank you after you buy something.
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Old 07-14-2010, 03:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
Originally Posted by LaurieE
I guess I'm different than ya'll. I don't particularly care if I'm greeted upon entering a store. I don't want them to ask if they can help me, either. 99% of the time when I walk into a quilt store, I have a thousand design thoughts racing through my mind and I don't want an employee interrupting my thoughts.

Many times I'm there to look at what's new. Many times I'm looking for something for a specific quilt and I know what I'm looking for.

With all that said, I do expect the employee to be friendly when they're cutting my fabric or when I do ask for assistance.
I'm with you. I can shop by myself and if I want something I'm capable of speaking up for myself.
Hello! I agree with the two of you. As I have said before and it sure would be nice if someone here in St. Paul picked up on it - St. Paul DOES NOT have a quilt shop AT ALL - nary a one, nada, nyet, nein, NONE! So, with that being said, even though I agree whole heartedly with above, it would be nice to have a shop to be ignored in!!!!!!! Edie
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Old 07-14-2010, 03:37 AM
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Originally Posted by LaurieE
I guess I'm different than ya'll. I don't particularly care if I'm greeted upon entering a store. I don't want them to ask if they can help me, either. 99% of the time when I walk into a quilt store, I have a thousand design thoughts racing through my mind and I don't want an employee interrupting my thoughts.

Many times I'm there to look at what's new. Many times I'm looking for something for a specific quilt and I know what I'm looking for.

With all that said, I do expect the employee to be friendly when they're cutting my fabric or when I do ask for assistance.
I'm with you. Yes the assistant should be friendly but I like to think that I have a brain of my own and can look for myself. The worst thing is to have someone following you around while trying to shop.I know where the assistant is if I need help I don't need someone falling all over me.
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