Caveat Emptor: Internet Fabric Sales

IMHO, they should have contacted you to let you know that the theme fabric was not available before sending you ANYTHING.

Don't blame you for being a bit ticked.

Lynne in Toronto.

When I've ordered something like that on the internet, I make sure I check or uncheck as the case may be, the little box that says if they have less than ordered do want what they have and use the little message box in the order form and ask them to contact me if my order can't be fulfilled as requested. Twice now that has in fact happened, once less by an 1/8 which I took and the other was too little for its intended use. If they don't have that option, I'd place the order directly by telephone. In this instance I'd contact them and let them know of your annoyance and ask them to take the fabric back.

Diana H - Gulph Mills, PA

I've got some beautiful Laurel Burch fabrics that I bet your coordinates would look darling with. Since you don't have any use for them now, you are more than welcome to send them to me!

Dannielle

*ducking and running - unless you really do want to get rid of them, then we'll talk!*

This has happened to me also - now, I fill in the comments box that "I want to keep the shipping envelope full" otherwise it is not cost effective for me to place an order. Recently, I had ordered 10yds of fabric which gave me a buffer if something was short measure - and it does fit into an envelope - when the order arrived, there were 2 envelopes and double charges. I emailed to say that I was pleased with the fabric but not the method of splitting the order into two...I explained that 'if I ordered for example 10yds of fabrics @ $5.00pyd and added $10 Cdn shipping + exchange then the cost per yard of fabric increased by $1.29; if I paid for the same amount of fabric and paid for double shipping - the fabric increased in price by another $1per yard....and the 2nd envelope only contained 4yds of fabric so it had ended up costing me $9 per yard. In the end, the second shipping amount was refunded since the shop owner agreed that my instructions hadn't been followed or 'had been misunderstood'. If I really want a particular fabric and a certain yardage, I will email to ask for its availability and if it is there, I ask for a hold until I have completed browsing other items - I got a pile of Kaufman's Curious Kitty fabrics this way - still haven't used any of it but I like to look at it. jennellh

Sherry, sorry you had this bad experience. But maybe you could find the missing fabric at another store to make use of the coordinating fabrics?

Hope you find a solution- it stinks how this happened.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Wow. I would definitely call them and complain.

Which reminds me that I still need to call a seller and complain that the fabric they sent would have been perfect--if it hadn't reeked to high heaven from cigarette smoke. I wanted it, but had to put it in the garage for a WEEK before it could go into the stash. Argh.

--Heidi

Howdy!

Contact Va. Qltr. & tell them. What you expected, how disappointed you are, what you expect &/or hoped for. They used to be regulars here at RCTQ, so throw that in, too. Name drop. Keep it friendly, keep it straight, and tell them the ng is waiting for their helpful reply. ;-)

Meanwhile, as Leslie says, perhaps/probably you can get the cats elsewhere. I've had great success w/ equilter this summer.

If you feel you simply cannot live w/ this fabric, let's trade. Surely someone here is willing to work a deal with you.

But first, please do give VQ a call & see if you can get some satisfaction. I've called or emailed a few quilt shops when I HAD to have the fabric, & they usually reserve it for me & watch for my order to process. Sometimes they did have it when it went up for sale & was sold before they could change the page; who knows...?

Good luck!

R/Sandy

I love to internet shop at Fabric Depot in Portland. Any time I've ordered, it they did not have the amount I ordered they have always called. They tell me how much they have left of what I ordered & ask if I want it. Or, if they're completely out they'll tell me the closest substitute and ask if I want that.

NAYY, just a very satisfied customer of Fabric Depot! So, knowing that Fabric Depot has such great customer service, I would expect others, including Virginia Quilter, to do the same!

Donna in SW Idaho

This kind of thing is bound to happen *especially* with sale items, and depending on the volume of business they're doing, at a lower margin to begin with, and making little or nothing on some sale items, is it reasonable to expect them to call on *every single* order they receive? I don't think so.

I get the customer service argument, but why is the onus *entirely* on the vendor? Are they supposed to be mind readers? Hasn't anyone thought to include a short note to the effect that "this order is conditional upon having the ordered amount of yadda-yadda, as without it there is no need for the remainder of the order. Please call/email me at.... if there are any problems or shortages. Thank you."

We've done this for years with everyone we do catalog/e-business with, and it has always either worked out or been straightened out, but we do our part and communicate too.

Doc

Didn't John who runs the place used to post here? Get in touch with him and explain it to him. I bet you will be able to work something out.

NightMist

There are 35 pages of Burch fabrics over at quiltshops.com. Maybe you can find the focus fabric you wanted; perhaps at a sale price. HTH. Polly

Hi Joanna,

There's no law that says you can't staple a note to the front of the order. If you do, then you've done you're part. In fact, it's more likely to be seen there than down in some corner where the order may be processed (e.g. fabric cut) before seeing the note.

I wouldn't disagree that what you describe (no phone #) is unusual; it would set off a bell in my head too.

Doc

I agree with Joanna. I ordered from another company--oh sheesh, wish I could remember which one it was (I think it was Fabric Depot)--and when they were short on a sale fabric that I'd ordered, they called me. I had to cancel that order, but because of their thoughtfulness, I made sure the next time I needed fabric, I ordered from them.

Best regards, Michelle > To me this is not ok. They should have phoned you and given you the

Most sites I order from ask what you would like them to do if they are short or out of a fabric. Makes sense.

I guess I should clarify. I am mostly upset because the *focus* fabric was already sold out, before I even ordered. The coordinates were offered with it.

BUT, the website still, TODAY, shows that fabric available! I ordered back on the 10th. That was four days ago. I think the vendor has had time to take the fabric off the sale list as unavailable. Really I am venting more than anything. Polly had a good suggestion, and I'm sure I can find *something* - Laurel-Burch to halfway match the other

3 pieces. Lots of different LB fabric "goes together."

Sherry

Hi Sherry,

Ah, well... that changes the circumstances a bit. I know nothing about the vendor in question, so I have no opinion on what may or may not be reasonable to expect to be "timely". In the case of a large business they may have their website tied right into their inventory system, and updating will be virtually instantaneous and automatic. In the case of a small business with a web maintainer who only works part-time, then perhaps weekly updating is not unreasonable. There are a lot of variables.

As I learned from Japanese business, "Fix the problem - not the blame." What's important *now* is what they are willing to do to fix the problem and satisfy the customer. I ran my business for ten years; in that time you could count the number of customer complaints/ problems I had (nobody's perfect) on one hand, and I'm proud of the fact that not one went without being resolved to the customer's satisfaction. I would always ask the customer, "What can I do to make this right?" and more often than not, the fix was simple. I was small, but most of my business came from referrals and repeat customers, so of course customer service was everything. I think if you give the company in question the opportunity, they'll do what they can within reason to make things right.

Doc