Boycott

I am NOT an unreasonable person. I have certain standards and I just like things just so, right? I headed over to my city's one and only fabric store last Thursday for some last minute Halloween supplies. My Canadian friends are familiar with this store and it's policy of offering discounts only to its members, kind of like Safeway now that I think about it. Only at Fabricland, you have to buy the membership. But no matter. I'll gladly hand over my $15 for a year's worth of inexpensive fabric. After all, a girl needs what a girl needs.

So here's the deal. I went around the store and picked up my selections and headed for the cutting table. The salesladies were all standing around talking AND the store was empty of any other customers. I plunked my bolts of cloth down on the table and remembered that I left my membership card in my other wallet. I politely asked the saleslady if I would be able to get my discount because I had mistakenly left my card at home and did not have time to go home to get it. All she said was "no". "Surely," I said, "you can look up my number, after all I am here all the time". "No" was the reply once again. They went back to what they were doing and I was left standing there. After 15 minutes later (okay, that's an exaggeration, more like 45 seconds) another salesperson asked me if I needed helped. Feeling rather put out, I snapped, "I certainly hope somebody will at least cut the fabric, since I can't have my discount!" 

Okay, that really does seem kind of snarky, but I go there 2-3 times a month if not more. It's a small store and they know me. We talk about my projects and they couldn't take the time to give me my discount. Company policy. Bah! I've worked enough sales & retail to know that every manager has the power to give someone a discount.

So, I'm boycotting the store. I guess it's probably not much of a loss on their part as they kind of have a monopoly on the fabric market and I have nowhere to shop. So maybe I'll really be the loser in this. But I will have my principles!

Additional note: I came home today to a message from Fabricland about their current sale from one of their sales people. Obviously they have a list of members somewhere in that store so they could call them all. Yet, they couldn't give me my discount without my card. I think some nasty letters are in the works.