Do not ever order fabric from Fabric.com

As my last journal entry stated, I've been having issues with my most recent order from Fabric.com.  I know many other plushie makers are also experiencing problems with them.  I would encourage everyone to avoid purchasing from them and spread the word that they are no longer a good source for minky.  I placed and order for four yards of fabric and a swatch on August 26th.  Their website states that orders will be shipped within two business days of purcahse.  Nearly two weeks later on September 7th, I received an email saying one of the colors I purchased was out of stock and that those two yards would be canceled.  They say that there is a 7-10 day wait for a refund if an order is canceled.  I think this is ridiculous when I did not cancel the order myself and when I paid through paypal and they could easily refund the cost with the click of a few buttons.  However, I waited the 7-10 days.  This past Friday was 10 business days from when my order was canceled.  I still have not received a refund.  I just opened a dispute with paypal.  It's been almost a month since I ordered so I wanted to start the claims process as soon as possible so they don't keep giving me the run around until the 45 day period is up.  Hopefully this gets their attention and I won't need to escalate the claim.  I did finally get the part of my order that shipped.  The fabric is fine, thank goodness, I've heard of people getting damaged fabric from them too.  And for those wondering bubblegum from fabric.com is indeed identical to hot pink Shannon minky. It's a shame that their service is so bad now because apparently they used to be very good and the free shipping on orders over $35 was amazing, but with the way their service is now it is not worth it at all.  It is much more worth paying a bit for shipping and getting good service.  

If you need to buy minky online the following sites are a good option:

Fabric Depot: fabricdepot.com/index.php?page…
I buy nearly all my minky here.  I get it in the retail store, not online, but I have never heard of anyone having trouble with online orders.  The staff is very friendly and they are open to suggestions.  They don't currently carry lavender or light grey minky.  The lack of lavender is why I placed my fabric.com order in the first place.  However, I recently emailed them requesting those colors and they told me they will order them next month!  They have more colors in their retail store than on their site so if there is a specific color you want that isn't available online it is worth calling and asking about.  However, if you order over the phone you will be paying the regular retail price ($17.99) and not their online sale price ($12.60) as far as I know.

Minky Boutique: theminkyboutique.com/cart/mink…
This has been my go-to store in the past for any color that I can't find at Fabric Depot.  Their customer service is excellent and their shipping times are phenomenal.  When the lavender from my Fabric.com order was canceled I placed an order with Minky Boutique that night for it.  It was shipped on Saturday and I received it on Monday.  They shipped it priority mail even though I had only paid for parcel post.  Even when they ship with a slower method, the packages still get to you in a very reasonable amount of time.  When they don't have something in stock, which doesn't happen often, they email you and ask if you want to cancel that part of your order or wait until it arrives.  This is how it should be done.  I have absolutely no complaints about their service and will continue to order from them if there are any colors I cannot get from Fabric Depot.  One thing I like is that their yellow is a paler yellow than the one Fabric Depot sells.  This is going to be great when I finally make Dinky so she can actually have two yellows in her hair!

Xo Gigi: www.xogigifabrics.com/collecti…
I've only ordered swatches from them so far, but they were very nice.  I've only heard good things from other people who have ordered.  They are open to suggestions and have started carrying many colors that people have requested.  They are, thus far, the only source I know of for dusty rose minky that is in the US.

There are other sources for Minky out there too like  Minky Baby Fabric: minky-baby-fabric.myshopify.co…
I have not personally ordered from them or heard any feedback one way or another.  They are probably worth checking out!

If you are in the UK/Europe check out Plush Addict: www.plushaddict.co.uk/smooth-m…
They carry every single color of Shannon Minky.  Prices are a little high though, especially when you take into account exchange rate and how strong the pound is, but you can order small pieces of fabric which is nice if you only need it for an accent color.  Shipping and fabric cost are prohibitive if you live in North America though, so I would only recommend this store to people living in Europe.