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So, before I went into work Wednesday I stopped at 3 stores in my town. I needed lunch-sized white paper bags, gold and silver star brads and Thanksgiving sentiment stamps. Not a big list.
Joann's was my first stop. No paper bags, out of gold brads and no Thanksgiving stamps. Michael's was next. Out of the white paper bags in the size I wanted, out of silver brads and no Thanksgiving stamps. Finally I stopped at our local craft store. No paper bags, no star brads and no Thanksgiving stamps. No LSS's by the way.
Today I ordered Thanksgiving sentiment stamps, star brads, Basic Grey paper (unavailable here) and 6 by 6 Christmas paper packs (again, unavailable here) online. And stores wonder why they are losing business to the internet!
We live in a small bedroom community and shop at a nearby college town, the bigger cities are over an hour away. With gas what it is and both of us retired, I'm not traipsing all over the state for a few items!
OK, rant over. Sigh.
__________________ Cindy in Oregon
Last edited by Cartermrc; 11-12-2011 at 09:11 AM..
Location: not too far from the big mountain in n.h.
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I feel your pain! The closest Michaels and JoAnn's are 1.5 hrs away so only get there once in a great while and still have trouble finding a way to use my coupons. They always have the same old stuff......
I share your frustration! It seems that the stores are stocking seasonal items earlier and earlier. I rarely start thinking about crafting anything for Thanksgiving before Halloween. Up until then I'm still trying to put away summer clothes and keep my son on a "back to school" schedule!
I hate that I can't find what I want when I want it for a seasonal/holiday craft project in the month the holiday takes place!! So annoying!
We used to have 2 LSS. Both which closed last year and I cried. Now if I need anything I have to drive 40 miles one way to go to Michaels or Joanns. Half of the time they didn't have what I needed and I, like you, started ordering online. I hated to do this, but I could do it in my pajamas, sipping coffee, didn't have to wait in line, got free shipping........
I am right there with y'all! I was looking for plain brown craft bags...the ones with the handles on them...and can't find them anywhere! Something so simple that you would think Joanns would carry but nope. And that's the only store near me, next closest is an hour away. Thinking of hitting up the $1 store over the weekend in hopes of finding some there. The other thing I can never seem to find is twine. Funny, there are probably women out there who say "Gosh, all I ever see is brown paper bags and twine!" haha we should get together and pool our resources!
__________________ "For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack" ~Rudyard Kipling my gallery
I can relate to all of you girls!! I will say, we do have a Hobby Lobby, and a mid-sized JoAnns. Our Walmart's craft section is growing again. That's it here though. The nearest Micheals is 90 miles... the nearest LSS is about the same.
I'm finding myself shopping online more and more because really, shipping (which is HIGH) is still cheaper than the gas it would take to get me to an area where I MIGHT be able to find what I'm looking for!
In fact, for my Christmas list, I'm emailing my hubby a list with the websites to find my goodies. LOL
I hear ya Cindy! We have 3 Michaels and 2 Joannes within a 10 mile radius and it never fails that none of them will have a basic item I need. With shipping as fast (and cheap) as it is, I typically ask myself "is this worth my time driving all over town?" The answer is usually a big no and the Internet wins again!
There's a JoAnn's and Michael's in a neighboring city. They are where I usually shop, though I often can't find what I want there, either. Only one LSS, it's a 40-minute drive and way overpriced. I "window shop" online quite often, but I rarely buy anything. I would like to see things in person before buying. And unless you order a lot from one company, shipping costs can really boost the price of online shopping.
I am (apparently) amazingly blessed - I have JoAnn's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore and an LSS within a 20-minute drive. (Actually several of each). Amazingly, I still come home without what I went in search of and with an unused coupon, more often than not... That's okay - I should "shop my stash" more, anyway!
I'm in the same boat as those who have a Hobby Lobby, Michael's, and Jo-Ann's all in close proximity to one another but still often cannot find what they want. I've spent many a frustrating hour searching all three stores for the simplest of items only to come away disappointed and empty handed. I agree that it's no mystery why lots of peeps are turning to the Internet. Although I would much rather do my shopping online, sometimes you just want what you want when you want it without having to wait. It's also nice to see in person before laying down your hard-earned cash.
But wait! The same thing can happen to you online. This morning every die I wanted was out of stock in Joann's online store, in Create for Less's online store, and one other I can't remember. I was so frustrated.
I feel your pain! LOL! I couldn't believe that I could not find 1/4 inch plain red satin ribbon anywhere and I live in a big city! I tend to try to think ahead and order on line if my LSS don't have what I want. What bothers me is when I ask if they are getting in some more stock example....Marianne Dies and get told oh yes we have some coming in next week and then when I get there they are all gone because they only ordered 4 or 5! So I just ordered them on line.... I would really like to support my local stores but I find the variety lacking - especially Michaels - it's alway same old, same old. WOW! Thanks for letting me vent! I didn't realize I had some built up hostility! LOL!
I feel your pain! LOL! I couldn't believe that I could not find 1/4 inch plain red satin ribbon anywhere and I live in a big city! I tend to try to think ahead and order on line if my LSS don't have what I want. What bothers me is when I ask if they are getting in some more stock example....Marianne Dies and get told oh yes we have some coming in next week and then when I get there they are all gone because they only ordered 4 or 5! So I just ordered them on line.... I would really like to support my local stores but I find the variety lacking - especially Michaels - it's alway same old, same old. WOW! Thanks for letting me vent! I didn't realize I had some built up hostility! LOL!
The best thing about Michaels is that they usually have the same product at their stores, so if you don't see it at one, you can ask a clerk if they do carry it. If they are out of it, it may be that they have it in stock at another Michaels.
You have to look at it from the store's POV. Whenever they order they are taking a gamble on it selling. If it didn't sell, they'd have 4-5 of something sitting on their shelves and no money to buy new product.
My LSS takes prepayments for orders they know are coming in. It's perfect for me because I won't be disappointed if they sell out before I'm able to get there.
I have been doing more online shopping. I have the Copic markers and cannot find the refills in the stores. I also find there is not a wide selection in colors. There is a art supply store that I purchase from but they have to order the markers and they usually hold on to my order until they need mdse for the store, I have waited a month for markers that I could have had the next week bu ordering online.
I am (apparently) amazingly blessed - I have JoAnn's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, AC Moore and an LSS within a 20-minute drive. (Actually several of each). Amazingly, I still come home without what I went in search of and with an unused coupon, more often than not... That's okay - I should "shop my stash" more, anyway!
Sue -- I don't know where you are in upstate NY but I have those stores also. Although our stamp store just closed and our scrapbook store is VERY small, I have three MIchael's, two Joann's, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore all within 15 minutes. As long as I'm not looking for the latest and greatest, I can usually find what I need. Especially for basic stuff.
I do buy most of my stamps from SU as well as ink and cardstock - that might be why I don't feel a deficit.
I have three MIchael's, two Joann's, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore all within 15 minutes.
I'm so jealous :-) I have to drive at least 8 hours to Bangor, ME to find Joanns and Michaels (the Canadian Michaels stores have such a high mark-up compared to the US ones); then I have to go a little further to Augusta to find AC Moore. I really wish Joann.com would start shipping to Canada.
When I am in the US, I usually hit up at least a dozen locations of Michaels, Joanns and AC Moore between Maine and Massachusetts over a four day period. You'd be surprised how different the stock is that is carried when going to four different Joann stores, for example. I've got it narrowed down to a couple of preferred locations of each store but I still check them all when I'm there :-)
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
Allow me to vent
