For Canadian Quilters

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: 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
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham

I guess Fabricland (Fabricville in Quebec) is the Canadian version of
TSWLTH. I haven't bought a pattern from them in years but I sure would
be royally p***** off if I couldn't have the inside of the pattern to
consult when looking for fabric.

My local store annoys me in a different way. Absolutely every time I go
there I have a long wait at the cutting table and/or the cash. Often
there will be several people waiting at the cash and no staff in site. I
go there as a last resort.

Allison

On 01/12/2011 12:45 PM, Kim Graham wrote:
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: 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
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham

There was a small sewing shop in Pascagoula that had that pattern policy a
few decades ago (when there was such a thing as small sewing shops). I
imagine they were so small that any amount of shoplifting would have hurt.
I didn't really mind except I had to be vigilant that the clerk gave me the
right innards at check-out time. That was, of course, back when each
pattern was for just one size. Probably about 1937. Polly

"AllisonH" wrote in message
om...
I guess Fabricland (Fabricville in Quebec) is the Canadian version of
TSWLTH. I haven't bought a pattern from them in years but I sure would be
royally p***** off if I couldn't have the inside of the pattern to consult
when looking for fabric.

My local store annoys me in a different way. Absolutely every time I go
there I have a long wait at the cutting table and/or the cash. Often
there will be several people waiting at the cash and no staff in site. I
go there as a last resort.

Allison

On 01/12/2011 12:45 PM, Kim Graham wrote:
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: 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
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham

Revealing my age here (as if you all didn't know), but there was a
time back in the dark ages when the nice lady at the fabric store
would carry the pattern and accompany you around the store and help
you pick out fabric. And the really good stores wouldn't criticize
your unorthodox choices! Maybe just gently point out that this skirt
needed to be cut on the bias, or that the blouse would look odd with
horizontal stripes. Of course, shops tended to employ more staff back
then. (Or am I romanticizing the past?) Also, I really miss that
gadget on the cutting table where they would pull the edge of the
fabric through to measure it.
Roberta in D

On Thu, 1 Dec 2011 15:30:35 -0600, "Polly Esther"
wrote:

There was a small sewing shop in Pascagoula that had that pattern policy a
few decades ago (when there was such a thing as small sewing shops). I
imagine they were so small that any amount of shoplifting would have hurt.
I didn't really mind except I had to be vigilant that the clerk gave me the
right innards at check-out time. That was, of course, back when each
pattern was for just one size. Probably about 1937. Polly

"AllisonH" wrote in message
. com...
I guess Fabricland (Fabricville in Quebec) is the Canadian version of
TSWLTH. I haven't bought a pattern from them in years but I sure would be
royally p***** off if I couldn't have the inside of the pattern to consult
when looking for fabric.

My local store annoys me in a different way. Absolutely every time I go
there I have a long wait at the cutting table and/or the cash. Often
there will be several people waiting at the cash and no staff in site. I
go there as a last resort.

Allison

On 01/12/2011 12:45 PM, Kim Graham wrote:
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: 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
http://members.shaw.ca/kigraham