Friday, April 20, 2007

Bad Yarn Purchasing Experience...


So as most of you know, I have not purchased yarn for three whole months. And while I am all dramatic about it, I can honestly say, that it really hasn't been that much of a stretch. There were a few things that I wanted for specific projects, so April 16th was my "purchasing day" before jumping back on the no purchasing wagon. I was so excited, I knew that I wanted some more lace weight yarn - hence the black - enough there for a shawl and a scarf, and the Great Adirondak (sp?) was too beautiful to pass up.

I had ordered this Hanne Falkenberg Ballerina Kit from my LYS - I used to shop there alot, but obviously have gone cold turkey. I mentioned that the one thing I really wanted on my free day was this kit - so the owner affered to order it for me. Owning my own store, I am always a shop local, shop independent kinda girl. So I asked her to order my kit. Let me give you a little back story on this LYS - the woman who owns it is nice enough, but quite pushy. I never let it bother me, and since this store was one block from work, it got a lot of business from me. Several times, I have mentioned to the owner that the lack of pricing on any of the yarns made me uncomfortable - also, she does not give receipts that itemize your purchase. When I did shop for yarn quite a bit, so I knew what pricing was on yarn, and her prices did always seem to be about what I found elsewhere, maybe a little high, but then she would give me a "deal" and it would all work out. That is until this HF kit, I was charged easily $35 more then I should have been. I know what it costs online, and what the other kits in her store are selling for and she jacked up my price!! I asked about it, and she said it was the right price - and since it was special ordered for me, I felt obligated. I wonder if the $35 that she made is worth all my future business - because that is what it is going to cost her!!

So lesson learned, and I am not too excited to buy yarn again for a while. And thats all good, since I am back on the knitting from my stash wagon for another three months :) I only have five more repeats of feather and fan on my Hush dress!! The women in my knitting class want me to wear it next week, so I have to have it done by Friday at the latest... My stitch markers were picked up by Kpixie, so I am excited to see them on their site - should be posted sometime next week, yippee!! More knitting content soon, I promise...

8 comments:

Rachel said...

That really stinks about your LYS. Here we only have 1 store in the whole town and it is such a rip off that my friends and I decided to not buy there anymore. Everytime they got a shipment in the price went up, and if they had a sale they would increase the price. Yeah nice huh?

Look on the bright side though, your stitch markers at KPixie is HUGE!! That is soooo cool!!

Knittymama said...

$35 up? That's crazy!

Congrats on K Pixie, that's awesome!

Stephieface said...

Is it too late to cancel the order?

I would cancel the order (and I'm a pushover) and explain that I have done my yarny research and I could totally get it mad cheaper elsewhere... even if she screwed you with a restocking fee (which some LYSes do if you cancel orders). Explain that you shop there because its close and you want to support her being a shop owner yourself- but there are limits.

Its super awesome that Kpixie picked up your stitch markers though, having some of my own sunnelite SMs I have to say its a good decision on their part. :D

Heide said...

You were nicer than I would have been. I would have told her flat out that I couldn't afford her exhorbitant mark up. I'm off to check out Kpixie.

Shadkitty said...

What?! That is insane. My LYS is awesome, everyone is friendly, she gives a 10% discount off anything you buy in the store (anything), and her prices are already very fair. If I buy things online it is only because it is not available to me in the shop. Which unfortunately we have no handdyed sock yarns. :(

Your markers are at Kpixie?! That is awesome. It's like knowing someone famous. hehe

Mouse said...

My LYS is a complete rip-off as well.. she even charges more for BOOKS!
I tried to email you as a re: to your comment but it wouldn't let me.. so I wanted to tell you that my anti-spam words are fiber related and that "romney" was a type of sheep. I also have lincoln,BFL, and a few others in there.
Congrats on KPixie!

Obsidian Kitten said...

oh, that would've made me SO mad. (i used to own a shop, too, and always want to support small local businesses, but that's just plain wrong.)

Michigan has a *law* that everything in a store has to be price-marked. i totally appreciate that, b/c i don't have a lot of $ and it rly helps to see the price before buying. i get so annoyed when things aren't priced.

of course, having had a shop myself, i know what a pain in the a$$ all that pricing can be. but still, i think it's only fair to the customers.

i'd be really tempted to return the order, too, although i'm such a big mush i'd be more likely to cut my losses and just not go back.

roxtarc said...

WOW... that sounds like a $35 slap in the face hey... i'll take her out like carrie on king of queens if you want me to!? ;)

and YAY on kpixie! well.. yay FOR them.. they're getting your stitch markers ;)