grammy Dwynn

trupeach ~ Sorry about your disability. I do not ASSUME that everyone is lazy. I have a good friend who was sighted and is now totally blind, because of an car accident. There is always going to be exceptions. But IMHO, percentage wise more people shop in the store than on-line.

JA uses all sorts of 'excuses' batting that is not batting, sale thread that is not on sale, Christmas fabric that's not Christmas fabric. Put everything 'on sale' so shoppers cannot use the coupons. It all can be so frustrating.

scarlet14

was at a Joann's Friday night they were having a great sale---the problem--only 2 employees to cut and check out---one couple had 2 shopping carts full of fleece to be cut in 1 yds pieces---I wanted thread and gave up---did call the coporate hdqtr but doubt if any thing will come of it---I really felt for the clerks---they were swamped

Olivia's Grammy

I love my Joann's. I know most of the people in there. The manager looks like a 12 year old and has no personality, but I don't hold it against him. I think most of the employees know what they are doing and those that don't usually ask one of the more experience.

BellaBoo

Sorry trupeach for your handicap. :cry: At least you aren't out running people over with those moterized shopping carts with grandkids, husband, sister and brother- in- law and several next door neighbors keeping you company while you shop.

MCH

This is the cunundrum:

The local quilt shop (LQS) -- the fabric is top quality, the prices reflect that, the manager and employees know what they and you are talking about, they are generally creative thinkers who are loaded with information, and they give encouragement and feedback about your ideas and efforts. Hit the store at the right time, and you can feel as if you're in a workshop especially designed for you and your current project.

JoAnn's and other "big box" stores: you search and scrounge, the bins / hooks are empty, the employees don't know anything about what they're doing, they act like drones, you and your questions / concerns are not their problem (if not theirs, then whose???), and they have no clue as to what the price is of anything. Math and English are both foreign landguages. The stores try to incorporate all the various crafts (sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, flower arranging, beading, jewelry making, cake decorating, etc.) into one store. The psychology of that is to keep you in the store as long as possible so that you will leave more of your dollars with them...it falls under "browsing" and "impulse buying".

So, aside from the obvious differences (see above), the primary difference between the two places to shop is summed up in one word. Local. JoAnn's isn't and your quilt shop is.

The local quilt shop has "skin in the game", its survival depends on your repeat purchases, its survival depends on that very tenuous commodity called "good will" (hard to win, easy to lose), its survival depends its relationship with YOU.

JoAnn's and ALL the big box stores don't have to that mind set because there will always be someone behind you willing to put up with their no customer service.

America, with its pop culture of use it, toss it, get another at the cheapest price possible, is learning the lesson of what it really costs to by-pass "local" for "big box convenience". America, you're getting what you've paid for...not much. "Not much" is very expensive, especially when you consider the number of jobs and dollars that are no longer "local". That covers everything from the Dollar Store to General Motors.

Just saying...

butterflywing

i agree that america is not getting much. but i want to know why it costs as much at joanns as it does at a lqs. their sales prices are not even better than a lqs. the good-quality fabric at joanns is about the same price as a lqs and the crap is the same price as a lqs cheapo bin. i don't think the the attitude began with the consumer, but with the manufacturer/chain seller. they started making fabric out-of-country for lower prices, but never lowered the prices here. then they hired untrained workers but never lowered the prices here. now that they helped destroy the economy here, americans ARE looking for bargains because that's what they can afford. for the price we pay, we are entitled to a knowledgeable salesperson, or at least a knowledgeable manager. i shouldn't have to explain to a manager why a small one should cost less than a large one.

bearisgray

I think we need to start thinking globally. Eventually what happens in China/Africa/Korea/Taiwan/Rainforests/wherever impacts us here.

Spaceship Earth is- generally speaking - where we all have to live. There WAS "enough" - just the distribution system has been lousy.

The Jo'Ann stores around here do have public restrooms. Which is nice. Don't even need to ask for a key to use them.

BellaBoo

I wish I was close to a great LQS that had interested employees. Some I go to seem to have the attitude of seen that, done that, how much fabric do you want me to cut? If you have a great LQS close by consider yourself privileged.

MCH

Just remember, we vote with our dollars. For the last 40 years we've voted for cheap...and that's what we have. If cheap means outsourced, then we voted for that, too. Americans, by how they've spent their dollars for the last several years have voted to have their econonmy outsourced.

Yes, there are pockets of "American made". But, WalMart, Costco, Home Depot, Loews, Sams Club, and all the other malignancies on the economic landscape didn't just "happen". They're here because Americans voted that they wanted cheap and no customer service, as well as designed obsolesence...and American jobs being sent overseas.

We have what we've voted for. I'm speaking generally, not specifically. There are individuals who value what America has brought to the world's economic table, but most are content with mediocrity.

However, there are some businesses that are beginnng to see that the costs of outsourcing are outweighing what they formerly saved in overhead.

And why are Americans looking for bargains because that's all they can afford? Looked at your overall tax bill (federal, state, county, city, assorted fees that you pay)? Add those costs up and then you will get a sense of why you're not keeping much of the change, anymore.

To quote Margaret Thatcher, "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money."

We hear you, Maggie.

Deeds

Thank you. I though this was just a UK problem.

I went into a store today and asked for a particular item, the sales assistant replied ....

"You're the fifth person today who has asked for that, I'm sorry we don't stock it anymore, there's no demand for it"