I went to Quilters Crossing this morning and signed up for some classes and bought some supplies for the classes and some other stuff I needed. They are so great and so nice, they really make you feel at home in their shop. But they have a minimal amount of Moda fabrics and I needed some for my Funky Monkey Quilt. So I went to the other shop that I go to on a regular basis where they only carry Moda and have huge stock of it.
I have been going to this other shop since the summer and go there at least every other week sometimes every week. So I was shocked when one of the shop workers was rude to me today about my request to have an 1/8 of a yard cut (my pattern called for it) and said she was not going to do that. I proceeded to tell her I had gotten a bunch cut for this pattern I'm using the last time I was in, earlier in the week. She then rudely said I don't know who did it for you but we don't do that. I was so floored with the response I actually had to walk out of the room to keep from getting too upset. I guess I understand now that maybe it's not a popular request but as a new sewer I had no clue, I was just following my pattern. Needless to say I bought what I needed and walked out of the store very upset with the response. I was fine getting 1/4 yard and not 1/8 yard, it was the way I was told that I couldn't get the 1/8 of a yard that bothered me.
So, on the way home I kept telling myself I'm never going back their again. Once I got home and thought about it for a little while I realized I would have to go back their again. Because sadly they have the biggest stock of Moda fabric in this area and I love Moda fabric. I'm just going to have to go there as minimally as possible when I can't find the fabric I need else where. I also will have to remind myself that they apparently lack customer service skills. As I look back on my visits there they hardly ever greet me when I come in and they never really seem like they even recognize me or ever asked me my name and I have been their at least 15-20 times since the summer.
So instead I will be taking most of my business to Quilters Crossing where they are always nice, call me by name and always make me feel like they are happy for my business.
Okay I'm done ranting I just needed to get this off my chest to try to make the rest of my day better.
Thanks for listening!
P.S. Here is a picture of the Monster Jam where my husband is before anyone has arrived:
That's not a pleasant way to be treated, as a customer! Have you thought of mentioning it to the shop owner? Even if the shop has a 1/4yd minimum cut there is no need to be rude.
ReplyDeleteI have just found your blog, on Quilting Bloggers site - best wishes from Australia!
Hi Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteI did think of talking to the owner but I also thought that I might feel strange going back into the shop with the shop worker knowing that I complained about her. I might do it anyways though.
Wow Australia, that is awesome! You should follow me, I'm going to check your blog out and follow you!
Thanks for the advice!
Christine
Welcome to blog land Christine. I am farely new at blogging my self. So sorry you had a bad experience. Some times people are just having a bad day and take it out on others.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to blog land too Donna! We are newbies together!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you and I know I have snapped at people when I'm having a bad day also which is why I bite my tongue. I'm really hoping in a few weeks I will have get my positive attitude toward this quilt shop back. Especially since they literally have the best Moda collection I have ever found. Being the forgiving person I am I know I will give them a second chance with time! I'm also still considering Jennifer's advice on talking to the owner. I'm sure I'm not the only one to notice that they aren't necessarily the friendliest shop in the area.
Hi Christine! I found you through The Texas Blogging Gals page and I am your newest follower. I too am a fabric junkie unfortunately not the best at sewing but I keep doing it anyway. :) Love your blog and I love your little helper...ADORABLE!! I hope you will pop over for a visit often!! :D
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh....I can't believe how rude the quilt shop worker was to you...I too work in a quilt shop (for fabric) only one day a week and I make it a habit to personally greet EVERY customer that walks in the door..but I also belong to THREE local quilt guilds and most of my customers I know from guilds...but there are ALOT of newbies who I'm MORE than happy to help...espically beginners....I can take a hint quick when someone needs or doesn't need my help, and I NEVER get offended when my choice of fabric isn't what they are looking for....and on the upside I have several regulars that only come when they know I'm there, just because they've grown accustomed to my input....but as a rule we dont cut anything less than an 1/4 yds too...I'm not sure who made that rule either....oh well..I hope you have better luck next time...and If your ever in ARKANSAS come see me!!! And p.s I raised and showed BASSETT HOUNDS...just love them!!!
ReplyDeleteTiffanee
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat that you work in a quilt shop, that would be so fun!
It's a small world my dear friends have raised and shown basset hounds for over 30 years. Their kennel name is Nosey Basset Hounds (I know it's a perfect name) and they use to be in Channelview Texas you might know them. That is where Abby is from, her father use to be the number 2 basset in the US his name is CH Foxglen Special Forces "Major".
Abby and I are actually going to spend next week with them at there farm in Belton, Texas.
Do you still have bassets?
Christine
Christine,
ReplyDeleteSorry about your bad customer service experience. I went through something similar, so I understand the need to vent.
There is only one quilt shop that I know of in my town. Others like Hobby Lobby have great fabrics, but no Moda Layer Cake packs and such. The trouble with that quilt shop was that they seemed to be closed during business hours more than they were open. I went there on half a dozen occasions--taking off work to visit during business hours--only to find a note saying they were out. So I got smart one day and called ahead, and was told they would be there until five. I took off work and rushed across town at two in the afternoon, only to find a note saying they were out to lunch for an hour. Agh! I decided not to go back and wrote an email to the owner voicing my frustration. She said they were having staffing problems. I was especially bummed about not going back there because they had the only long-arm quilt service that I knew of in the area. In the end, I taught myself to quilt by hand, and also went onto the Moda fabric shop directory at UnitedNotions.com. I was surprised to find other fabric businesses listed--one only two blocks from my house! I checked out the online store listed and was stoked to find a gorgeous array of hundreds of fabrics--not a single one that I wouldn't want. It turns out that a stay-at-home mom was running an online fabric shop out of her home. I was able to arrange pickup, without shipping charges.
All's well that ends well for me. I hope you can find an alternative, or at least get better service at that one.
Christine,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I liked your blog name so I decided to stop by and check you out. Cute header! Anyways, I thought I would just pipe in about this issue since I too, work in a fabric store. First, I live in Utah where there are a million wonderful quilting stores and I think I usually have had good experiences at all the stores I have shopped at because most employees probably know that if they don't treat you nice when you walk in the door, that there are a thousand other places you can give your business to (so they'd better be nice!) Also, you could maybe just write a letter to the owner. Let her know what happened so she can address the issue of being more friendly and helpful to all of her employees. She doesn't have to single anyone out, but as an owner she would not want her employees chasing away business so she'll want to remind them to always be friendly. Lastly, we do 1/8 yd. cuts at our store (I've never heard of people not doing less than that) but they should definitely post it on the wall nearby the cutting table if that is their policy and like another commentor said above, there is definitely no need to be rude just because you requested it. She could have said something like, "just for future reference we can't do cuts less than 1/4 yd. but I will do it this time for you since you didn't know." Well sorry about your bad experience. Good luck with working it out so you can go back again without having any resentment!
Amber Johnson
Gigi's Thimble