I've finally hit the point of no return with Fabricland....here's their reply to my letter complaining about their new procedures. Their reply boils down to "yes, we think all our customers are potential thieves!"
From: Fabricland Members Sent: Thursday, December 01, 2011 7:57 AM To: Kim Graham Subject: Re: PATTERN POLICY
Dear Kim Thank you for your email. You have reached the general inquiries email desk for Fabricland. Due to extremely high levels of theft of patterns in the stores all locations will be changing over to the system of sales staff retrieving the patterns for customers. This system has been used in the eastern Canada stores for many years and has eliminated the theft problem therefore allowing pattern pricing to remain stable. Unfortunately the bad deeds of some affect everyone, we understand this is an inconvenience and hope our customers are patient with us while we change over to this system. Yours truly Helene H General Inquiries
On 11/30/2011 7:36 PM, Kim Graham wrote: I recently shopped at Fabricland Nanaimo for a pattern and was disconcerted to discover that customers no longer can access the cabinets containing patterns for themselves, due to ?stock control? issues. While I was mildly annoyed at the necessity for waiting until a clerk could pull the pattern I wished to use, I was very unhappy when the clerk removed the pattern and instructions and handed me the empty envelope, informing me that I could pick up the contents at the checkout. As an experienced home sewist, I have always consulted the construction instructions and layout diagrams while purchasing fabric for any garment.
In this instance, the pattern in question was intended for a small craft, so I continued the purchases in order to complete a gift in timely fashion. The clerk informed me the change was a corporate policy because ?almost three hundred dollars in patterns went missing from this store last year.? At most, that $300 is equal to 35 or 40 people who chose to steal rather than purchase, yet all of Fabricland?s customers are being treated as potential shoplifters. When a retailer chooses to assume ?members? shopping in its stores are likely to be thieves, I choose to take my considerably more than $300/year elsewhere. Even though I have recently purchased a three-year ?membership? to your store, I will not be shopping there again, but will find a store where I can be treated as a valued customer, not a thief.
Kim Graham THE WORD IN PATCHWORK