Walmart fading out craft section

[pasteeater]

Fellow yarn artists;

 

Yes, all stores are somewhat low on their yarn. I don't mean to be the voice of doom but if you've been watching the news they have been telling everyone that our imports are down over 90% due to the economic woes. In other words, the foreign countries now want their money up front, not promisary notes. The American companies have done business backwards and don't have it. You and I pay for merchandise before or at the time of possession. Our trade world didn't do this. They ordered it and then paid for it once it was sold. If it wasn't sold then these foreign companies ended up with nothing more than another promise. Every single yarn in front of me comes either completely or in part from foreign countries. Yes, even Red Heart that has "Made in the USA" imports it's fibers from Mexico and other South American countries. Without the fiber this american manufacturer cannot produce the finished yarn skeins that we see on the shelves. Stock up while you can. 2009 economic issues appear to be worse than what we've already experienced.

Good points here. But it's a sad, sad world where yarn or any art supplies for that matter, are not avaible to everyone.

 

I do my shopping online but-I've seen the prices rise there too...I wonder what we will do when the demand isn't met and they make even LESS yarn!

[frednmandy]

The Wal Mart in my area, Ky, started to do away with the craft section. There was an uproar among fellow crafters, so they decided to leave it alone. It's a good thing too, cuz there isn't a craft store for miles! I google searched this area for knitting shops, lol you should see it. It's like a huge hole! I thought about starting a shop here, but I have no idea how to get started.

[Margret]

Even tho you have WM's in the area that still have lots of yarn and fabric, most likely when it is their turn for a remodel it will lose the fabric and make the yarn section much smaller. They do not all remodel at the same time.

I have to drive about an hour for Micheals and Hobby Lobby and about 45 min. in the other direction for JoAnns which is a small dingy store.

Our WM was suppose to get precut fabric but that did not happen. Would be good for purse linings and things like that but too small for much else. But, like the clerk said, they lied about getting that.

I like Hobby Lobby the best when I can get there. They have fabric which Michaels does not.

[fc1123]

I went to Walmart last week because my aunt who works for Walmart got me a gift card for Christmas and I told my fiance that I needed to use the gift card because Walmart won't have their craft supply I wanted stitch markers except Walmart didn't have them in a pack you had to buy it in a knitting pack I was a little disappointed but I bought rh yarn and p&c yarn a learning how to do ripples book I also love Hobby Lobby bought some more yarn needles from there plus went to Joann's on Sunday because their skeins of yarn were on sale

[unicorn37757]

Our Walmart hasn't phased out the fabric yet, but they've got back on the things I really enjoy. I don't know where I'm going to go when they change even more cause there isn't anything closer then 50 minutes away from us:eek

[jewel of the sky]

Call 1-800-Walmart and complain, complain, complain, and get EVERYONE else you know who feels the same way to call and complain. You'd be amazed how effective this is with Walmart. If they know there is support for the craft department, and a number of people threaten to take their business elsewhere, they just might change their minds!

[Arlinka]

I went to one of the 3 Wally Worlds that I shop at and actually spoke to a top store manager. He was telling me that usually when a store is remodeled they will take away the craft section - including all yarns- especially if the store did not show a good profit from this area. He told me that he was aware of some stores in other areas that had so many complaints about losing this part of the store that Walmart actually did not take it away and kept it very well stocked. He advised me that the only way to not lose this section in ANY store would be to complain to Corporate. He even said that if enough people complain they may change their minds. So everyone, as jewel of the sky said: COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN. I plan to start my "nagging" complaints first thing tomorrow.

There is also another thread here that goes further into the Walmart issue and actually gives phone numbers to call.

[nana5boys]

Call 1-800-Walmart and complain, complain, complain, and get EVERYONE else you know who feels the same way to call and complain. You'd be amazed how effective this is with Walmart. If they know there is support for the craft department, and a number of people threaten to take their business elsewhere, they just might change their minds!

 

 

I also went to a Wal-mart and they are getting rid of fabrics & yarns are very low. Don't know if there'll come back. But an Asst. Manager came by and explained to a few customers there that Michael's is in the process of buying the Fabrics. When I don't know though. And he also to call the 1-800 # to complain.

 

jaye

[dharts]

Jewl of the Sky is right - Walmart will respond if enough people call and complain. I'd say get people who live in your area to call too. Getting a lot of calls about a specific store will do a lot of good.

[Arlinka]

I called 1-800-walmart and got a lovely young man in the customer service dept. I told him what I had heard about the yarn issue and my complaint & he replied with what was obviously a reading from a "script" and then continued on to improvise the customer service part.

 

After all the "nice-ies" he did say to tell everyone who is upset about the yarn loss to call Walmart and complain. His other suggestion was to email to management and complain. He said upper management listens and takes notice.

 

I don't know if it will do any good, but I plan to email to corporate today. I am only one voice, but if we all do it, at least they may think twice before taking ALL the yarn away.

[norwinmom]

My Wal-mart has drasticly reduced thier yarn supply as well. But There is a Jo-Ann Fabrics in the same plaza and everone goes there now, so your lucky to get the brand and color of yarn you need for your projects. I was hunting Caron baby ombre for a project and could not find it in either store.

[texasredhead]

I have a brand new Wallmart with the new setup. They have only a small rack of mostly redheart yarn, some simply soft and something else. What gets me is when I go there to get something that they do have, like pink redheart, they are always out of it! They don't even keep up with the bins that they have. I figure that now that they don't have a lady to work in that section, nobody cares.