I have recently ordered from both companies, and like it goes, both are okay. I got the fabric I really needed, and why I placed the orders in the first place (mostly for the kid’s Easter dress and to replace some fabric for a gift exchange I am involved in), but the rest of it was a huge blah. I placed the order on the same day, so the comparison is pretty much spot on this time.
Comparing the two, they pretty much are the same. There are some differences:
My general purchase:
Fabric Mart: I buy for the mystery bundles. While I got the free one, I accidentally added a second one, paid full price for it…and still only got 6 yards, when it is usually 10. I also asked to be notified of sold items, which they did, but after my order was shipped (luckily it was not one of the fabrics I desperately needed, it was just a cut for the baby), and a refund was issued promptly, so I didn’t get out too bad of it either. I have an email out in the net somewhere to them that they have never replied to, too. What I did get was what I expected to get, and some of it was nicer then others. The 12 yards of mystery fabric was okay…my mom took the old lady stuff, one cut was fabric I decided against (I ordered similar on fabric.com) and I have another fabric in my stash, but now I can make what I really wanted to.
Fabric.com: They offer free shipping. This alone gives them huge points in my book. I also order from them when they don’t have mystery bundles on FM (this time wound up I needed fabric for the dress from both or I would have only placed one order) and I want something. I did have to ask them a question, they replied to the email very fast, and by and large gave better customer service. One of the fabrics was charged wrong, but I didn’t catch it when I ordered and I had a coupon to offset it.
Shipping:
Fabric Mart: Flat fee, not too bad. I ordered the same day, and I got this later then the other. I also was not given the tracking number, and emailed to get it (I did, but the box was delivered by that time, lol), and got the reply after the box. It was shipped fast for them, however.
Fabric.com:I got the free shipping, and a coupon this time for $5 off my order. I did spend about half of what I spent on FM, but it came 2 days earlier, and I got the tracking number. I usually get the fabrics faster from here then the other store. Packaging is also a lot better, since it comes in bags inside the box, so it’s also easier to deal with.
Quality: If you know what you are wanting, the quality is the same.
Fabric mart is easier for me to navigate, and I find more fabrics for me here then fabric.com. I also get bored, so while fabric.com has a larger selection, I get tired of trying to find it.
Overall, the experience with FM was neither good, nor bad, it just was. Since I’ve dropped a pretty penny here over the last few months, and I am getting so so service, I think it’s time for me to take a fabric break from them. I am a little irked at myself that I did the mystery bundle twice, and had to pay for less yardage, but I can’t really blame them for it, I suppose.
With fabric.com, I was happier then FM, but I am not one of these people that typically need hand holding. I got what I was after, it came very fast and it was what I expected. Snafu with pricing, but with the coupon I’m not as mad as I should be.
I think I am done online shopping for a time. I don’t need a lot of fabric at the moment, both the kid and I are good until Fall, and I am leaving it this way. I am neither in love with either company, but I don’t hate them either and I will do business with them both again. None of the problems are enough to make me contact either company, nor do I think it would do any good in any event.
Fabric Mart: 3 stars.
Fabric.com: 4 stars.
These mystery bundles have piqued my interest. I’ve had return issues with fabric.com, maybe I will give this a whirl. Thanks for the info!
I don’t really return fabric. I get some that I don’t care for occasionally(not in a mystery bundle), but not enough to give it back, if that makes sense. I can always use it for something, even if I am testing a garment out.
I’ve heard good and bad about returns from both companies, but never had any personal experience with it. But on the same token, a store cuts the wrong fabric (like it’s with fabric that is on sale, but they were too lazy to put it up right, so it’s not), I pay for that too, even if I get mad.
I’ve only ordered from boutique fabric stores online: Spoonflower and Sew, Mama, Sew (I think)…other than that, I try to keep my Hancock Fabrics in business…I am definitely not creative enough to risk a mystery bundle…
I don’t shop with SMS, but I had issues with them years ago. Mostly, it’s all okay just this time I was very blah about it.
Mystery bundles are good. I’ve gotten cuts of fabric I wanted in the past and they had sold out before I could order, cuts I took out of my cart before buying and cuts that had I of seen I’d of wanted. I also have gotten stuff I wouldn’t buy, but will still use (Brown Shetland wool is the most recent one), and stuff I won’t use (a rayon-poly blend with old lady design that is pretty bad, but my mom loved it). If you aren’t picky about content, it’s a pretty good deal, and it can make you think outside the box. (The brown wool? Vintage princess coat for the baby with pink accents.)
I am doing my first return to fabric.com. Their rayon knits are the same crappy sheers available at Joann, it turns out. I generally find the quality better at fm, though they have less selection, but prices and free shipping better at fabric.com. I agree the experience is pretty similar.
Lordy, typing on the bf’s iPad, which autocorrected me into the slapdash sexist rather than sexist.
That’s okay, I corrected it on the other comment and I appreciate you stopping by.
I have ordered a lot from fabric.com and am generally satisfied. Yesterday I received my first order from fabricmart.. I only ordered on piece of fabric plus a mystery bundle. Like the comment above I never got the tracking number. I wrote two times asking for it and have never received a reply. The mystery bundle really had nothing in it I would have purchased and not even sure what one thing was – it was a blue floral but the print didn’t stay the same across the piece – sometimes it was like it switched to almost all background in a line and then another part had the print again – looks like something you would make a tablecloth out of. There was a piece of real silk Charmeuse but unfortunately in a print I don’t care for. I wish the bundle had contained at least one thing I would actually have picked – but I guess that’s the way it goes. Overall I like Fabric.com better and I also get rebates through ebates by ordering from them.
The one thing that makes me go to fabric.com first is the shipping. It comes usually half as much time and FM uses smart post. While i have a good PO, it still delays it both by the way FedEx ships and then the extra day.
Bundles are an iffy thing. For me, they aren’t too bad. My mom and I are polar opposites, so I’m not out any: we just trade. What I do get stuck with, I use as a muslin. I’m sorry there wasn’t anything good in yours tho, and I appreciate you stopping by!