Quilt store hours.....

[snippet]

That's too bad she didn't at least get the free pattern.

A few shops near me have later hours once or twice a week. One is open til 7 one day and another has late hours when they have a class going on. Yes, they actually have a workday evening class and enough people to make the class worthwhile. Yet another store won't even consider having evening classes because years ago she tried it with no luck.

[shirleyknot]

Seems like they made a mistake. Lock the door first, then close down the register. I expect that starting the register could be a production, so I understand that. But it was their error. I, too, often wish my LQS were open later. My favorite closed last August. The proprietor ran the shop herself, so I understand that after an 8 hour day, she was ready to go home. However, would she have been able to stay in business if she had opened later (12 noon) and stayed open until 8 pm? Perhaps?

And then the early morning shoppers, and possibly her family, would have been just as unhappy with her.Impossible to please everyone.

[KPH]

A lot of the small shops around here have a number listed for an after hours appointment. I know it wouldn't have helped your friend, but it might be a suggestion to offer a solution to that type of problem especially since you know which shop you're going to go to.

[Iris Girl]

working retail my entire life I have to say THEY made the mistake. If your door is open then you deal with the customers that walk in until you lock. Then you deal with the customers in the store. Then and only after your last customer is done and any employee that wants to purchase is done do you close out the registers.

[Vonnie]

I majored in business in college. Something they really stressed was that a happy customer might tell 3 or 4 people about the product/store, but an unhappy customer will tell several times that many about their unhappy experience. So she was really hurting her business by refusing a customer. I wonder what the owner would do if she found out an employee turned away a customer?

[Davidsgirl08]

I did go to the shop yesterday to get my row and I asked about it. They apologized and I explained how far we travel to get there and I work so if I did decide to come I would be cutting it close. I asked what time they shut down the register , they did tell me that if I'm trying to get their on a weekday and it'll be close to closing, call and they will be ready for a sale. I found that to be a fair compromise since quilting stores are a personal experience unlike a chain store. I did ask about the free pattern verses the kit and they did make a judgement call that I would not be happy with just a pattern since I sent my co-worker for the kit. Overall I was happy when I left. I agree with everyone though one day of the week I wish quilt stores would consider 12-8 hours for us working folks.

[mpattylou]

If you want to own your own business....and be successful, you better cater to your customer....otherwise you are better off getting a 9-5 job for someone else. #1 rule...Establish set open hours and be open during those times....and if you want business from the 9-5 working crowd (who btw are working and have money to spend) make sure those hours include some that are past 5 pm. Burns my buns when stores have posted open hours and are closed when you get there during those hours. Really? You want my business? I know sometimes emergencies come up but really?