Okay so the CGOA annual conference Chainlink was last week. Health issues kept me home, and that may be part of why I am cranky

However, I am also cranky because of the usual post-Chainlink complaints about the Merchant Mall not having enough Crochet.

Some of us did a fair amount of post show consumer research last year. What we found out when we asked enough questions “Not Enough Crochet Stuff” was really code for
No Chain Store Type yarns at Cheap prices.

Well since Michael’s Wal-Mart & Hobby Lobby did not take a booth and these products cannot easily be offered profitably by Independent shops, you are unlikely to find them at a show like Stitches or the Knit & Crochet Show. The Products offered are and should be what the Merchant believes will be profitable.

The influence of the hobby guild is & should be primarily in class choices. And No Crocheter should be complaining about the quality of the education that is routinely offered at CGOA and TKGA’s respective annual conferences.

I can also tell you with complete certainty that Knit and Crochet show management encourages the Merchants to bring Crochet products to BOTH shows (even though the Fall show is technically the TKGA/Knitting event) and each offers classes of interest to the other.

But you cannot pay booth fees by selling products that are not profitable.

I can also tell you why as someone who has run “The Almost No Knitting Booth” at several events I will no longer able to give such total support to the Needle Art I personally enjoy so very much.

Why? If I had a $1 for every time I over heard, “Oh I am so glad she brought that so I could see it… now I know I want it, I can order it Online “cheaper”. – the shows would have been profitable instead of marginal.

I know at least one merchant who will not return to the Knit & Crochet event. Why? Well she went to the trouble to bring *many* Crochet Models, The Patterns and the yarn. She sold lots of patterns, a few tools (although most told her they will get those on line since it would be cheaper) and then bought the yarn from the discounters ) that’s right to her face, said they would *not* be supporting her for bringing Crochet items, they would spend the bulk of their money elsewhere.

This Retailer had invested in models, patterns and tools, she is knowledgeable and offered classes in her shop – until now. It is sad for the Crochet community that we are going to lose her as a resource.

If Crochet shoppers at a Crochet Conference don’t support the Retailers, it no longer makes sense to beat our heads against that wall.

If Crocheters continue to demonstrate they are not profitable customer, Retailers will be forced to discontinue offering Crochet related products.

If you cannot afford these products, there is no need to be rude or abrasive about it. Just accept your own reality and buy and use what you can afford.

Just as a designers cannot afford to continue to invest in developing well written patterns, properly sized, tech edited and attractively presented if they are not purchased. But we already had that discussion last week.

If you just want to window shop, please have the courtesy to be polite. Not berate me or others because we have to price our goods to make a living. This is not our hobby it is how we put food on the table.

If you want Crochet products to be at the shows, then you are going to support the people who provide the supplies – if not, then you need to find service elsewhere cause we are going to be looking for an easier way to make a living.

There is a new show on the horizon coming in November to Orlando. We will devote a portion of our booth to Crochet, but there will be quite a wide selection of other “String Stuff” as well. Why? well if you want me or any other retailer to sell it, we have to make a profit.

Looking forward to your Comments and Suggestions on how we can “Make It So”

Wheat

Comments“>Not Registered to Comment? Just click here
If you email, please let me know if I may add your comments to the blog (with or without your name)

Coming Tomorrow:
Part III: I can Knit, But I prefer to Crochet

Repeating I LOVE Crochet – I wish Every LYS (local Yarn Shop) had more tools – but the nonsense that an LYS does not stock yarns for crochet has to stop. It is just not true especially now with so many knitters excited about Lace – the shops are bulging with fingering, sport and DK’s (all of which have always been there) “Sock” yarns make wonderful and washable crochet garments.

If you want to say you cannot afford the yarns offered in the LYS, that is honest – saying they don’t have yarns suitable for crochet is just an ugly untruth.

I intensely dislike the commentary in various needle arts hobby discussion groups implying the world will end if they can’t buy cheap supplies. Or carrying on about not having access to the internet. There continue to be several excellent “catalog” merchants who sell the lower priced yarns (and quite a few of the mid-range “yarn store yarns” as well)

Just because I cannot afford quivit or a porsche 911 does not make the seller evil. It means I have to decide how to live happily within my means – Which happens to include driving a 20+ year old car so I have the monthly car payment for other purposes – like food, medicine and shelter

Nor will Wal-Mart’s phasing out of needlework mean the end of supply. People stitched *long before* either Wal-Mart or the World Wide Web existed. The catalog and on-line retailers as well as the many independent shops will continue to be there. They don’t require paypal or even a checking account. Cash & Money Orders are acceptable.

Here is a quote from the announcement made to Wal-Mart’s Suppliers and released to the industry press (you can read the newsbrief and one comment at: Creative Leisure News

• “As just discussed, you are aware that we are downsizing departments with declining categories. We continue to reduce space in these categories to allow for increased space in growth categories. As a result we continue to evaluate and where appropriate make adjustments as needed. As a result in week 34 this year, we will be deleting stitchery from 2642 stores. Our goal is to be out of stitchery 100% by Fall 2008. Please make adjustments in your forecasts and inventory using the spreadsheet attached outlining by item current and new store count for week 34.”

So here is my question for all those who think they are “entitled” to deals at their local yarn shop:

Please tell me how, if Wal-Mart with its HUGE Buying Power used to pressure its suppliers, cannot have a profitable Needlework department… you think an LYS can manage to stay in business with its higher costs if they discount.

Exactly what incentive do they have to stock and sell unprofitable merchandise.

Long as you are thinking, please explain to me why, if, on average, 90% of a shop;s customers already understand the value of the products offerd and are happy with those products, the pricing and are already buying multiple skeins at full price – most of the time, why should these shops abandon common sense and start discounting.

Is Crochet the New Knitting.

No not today and probably not in this decade,

But it could be eventually if we all work together

Looking forward to your Comments and Suggestions on how we can “Make It So”

Wheat

Not Registered to Comment? Just click here

If you email, please let me know if I may add your comments to the blog (with or without your name)

Coming Tomorrow:
Part II: Crochet In The Merchant Mall…

You will be remembered for many things, but as a “child of the 60’s” it was your work as an environmentalist that most impressed me then and throughout your life.

Without you and your efforts one of the small pleasures of life might not exist for those who find themselves “required” to spend time driving along our nation’s highways.

Thank you for understanding, as you wrote in your diary…

I promise to continue to take a moment to admire and be inspired by the simplicity and beauty of the wildflowers and to remember this simple pleasure would not be there without your efforts that have led to highway beautification, first in Texas and now throughout almost every state in the Union.

But most of all thank you for understanding

You will be in my thoughts each time I drive one of the highways already benefiting from your work and even more so for those that have not.