DorothyL wrote:Kaitlin, Gorgeous Fabrics is not more expensive because she gets them in the city. Actually they are cheaper there -- especially wholesale. There are a handful of port cities where imported fabrics come in and New York is one of the largest. The owners of small stores that can get to one of these ports get their fabrics cheaper than the ones that have to go through middle men wholesale dealers.
I think the prices are based more on what her coustomers want to pay so they feel they are better than people who shop at less expensive sources than on the wholesale source.
There is nothing wrong with that, it is just her niche.
Dorothy
Oh, I didn't mean to say her fabrics are more expensive because she shops in NYC. I know the fabrics are much less expensive in NYC. I have seen many of the same fabrics in person at Metro Textiles, for about half the price. I would prefer to think that the prices are higher because she hand picks the best ones (which seems to be true, there are a ton of duds at those small garment district shops)...but I suppose the prices are also higher because people are willing to pay that, so you might be right about her customers wanting to think they are better...
I do think fabrics at Joann, for example, are overpriced as well in general (even when you use the 40% off coupon), and are lower quality.