Thread: Spandex House????

Hi all. I've been trying to buy 25 yards of fabric from Spandex House and am getting nowhere.

Since their website says they sell wholesale, I inquired about getting a bulk price and it took many emails to even get a quote on a tiny percentage off. I specifically asked for a breakdown of any discounts they have so I can buy more if I get a better deal. The emails they return have nothing to do with this.

One email asked for my phone # in order to speak to me, I sent it, they asked for it again.

Because of this I decided to not use my credit card over the phone, obviously. They said they'd email me a total so I could send a money order. A week later I have heard nothing. All previous emails were answered that day or next at the most.

They are very friendly, good prices and oh the fabric... heavenly!

Soooo.... Has anyone bought from them? I'm kind of baffled.

I had similar problems. I called and the info was much more forthcoming. Plus you cn provide your credit card info via phone. It's tougher to be evasive when speaking with am eployee.

I ordered five yards from them this week with no problem. I placed the order Sunday night, called Monday to give my credit card info (they usually will call, but I called first since I had limited phone access that day), and my fabric arrived Wednesday.

I wasn't inquiring about wholesale or anything special as you have mentioned.

Well, when I stopped at Spandex House and World (they "live" across the street from each other), I was rather surprised that these places are not the glitzy-glamoury and well-organized stores I expected. Instead, they are rather chaotic. No scanner for prices or keep stock like at JoAnn, just a bunch of guys buzzing around huge rooms filled with rolls of fabric everywhere. Your tab is a raggedy piece of paper with hand-written scribbles on it, but it seems to work. When emailing with them, it may help to keep that image in mind ;-)

I ordered online 18 yards of spandex from them and everything went fine. I didn't ask any questions though. Just put the yardage in the "check out basket' and gave my credit card over the phone. Fabric came on time and all was great.

I've dealt with them for international orders and they are usually great - email replies are prompt and the one time they didn't put something in my order they rectified it. (that one took a couple of reminder emails, but they sent it quickly once they got onto it)

Ok, thanks everyone. I was starting to think they were some sort of shady outfit (hence I didn't want to use my credit card) but no, they are just chaotic. Good to know. I shall persist.

I buy from them in person all the time. I tried ordering online once and it was a disaster. Plus I find their pricing arbitrary. In store I get one quote and online a completely different one. In store I can haggle the price down, online not so much.

If you like I can go and buy the fabric in person for you and ship it. I'm not sure if you are still looking for this (I know this thread is old) but I have done this for friends in the past.

I'm pretty sure this is where my troupe mate ordered the fabric for a costume I'm making her. The whole project got hugely set back when the fabric swatches she ordered via email took over a month to come, and only after a phone call was made to remind them about it.

Then the fabric she got is not of terribly great quality and snags so easily I've had to cover every inch of it with clear sequins to protect it.

UGH.

Originally Posted by steffib

Well, when I stopped at Spandex House and World (they "live" across the street from each other), I was rather surprised that these places are not the glitzy-glamoury and well-organized stores I expected. Instead, they are rather chaotic. No scanner for prices or keep stock like at JoAnn, just a bunch of guys buzzing around huge rooms filled with rolls of fabric everywhere. Your tab is a raggedy piece of paper with hand-written scribbles on it, but it seems to work. When emailing with them, it may help to keep that image in mind ;-)

Exactly what I thought when I was there a few weeks ago!!!!
CHAOS in the store!
But SUCH nice fabrics....
And I had a vendor that did not speak english (but english is not my mothertongue, so maybe I had a dialect or something)... so we asked another vendor to help us...

Hello,

Could someone give me a piece of advice please?

I've just placed an order in spandex house, they mailed me the order number and 2 days later they sent me another mail asking for my credit card number, the expiration date and the 3 digits back of the card by mail!
(In fact, I don't think you can pay via paypal or mcafee on their site)

I don't know if you're used to give your card number by mail in the USA but here, in France we use to use a secured transaction page!

Now I don't know if I should be paranoid or no

thanks for your help

I've ordered from them before and never had any issue, you have to call and give them the information. I'm not sure how you would do that from abroad though

I would call them and give them the relevant information over the phone. France is 6 hours ahead of the US, which means the time difference works in your favor.

Thank you ladies,

my husband just gave them a call :)

Just to say that I've received my order and I'm very pleased with the fabric, much shinnier than I expected!

I have bought stretch velvets from Spandexworld.com but not spandexhouse.com I have never had any problems w/spandexworld. I need to check out the other one :-)

I just placed an order with Spandex House for what I expected to be $39 for 3 yards of fabric...I was charged $57!! Really $18 for shipping> I don't recall choosing the lightning speed shipping> slow and steady is fine with me... Is this normal? Anyone had this happen?help?!

Originally Posted by kellybellydances

I just placed an order with Spandex House for what I expected to be $39 for 3 yards of fabric...I was charged $57!! Really $18 for shipping> I don't recall choosing the lightning speed shipping> slow and steady is fine with me... Is this normal? Anyone had this happen?help?!

Yeah Kelly, they have good deals on their fabrics and they have an amazing amount of options but yes .... their shipping is kinda steep. I ordered 2 yards of $14 a yard fabric and my shipping was $10.13 and that was the ground ship (the cheapest option). Some fabrics, like stretch velvets are heavy bu I got some of that holo microdot red on black stuff which could have gone in a much smaller box. They use Fed Ex and I guess they have flat rate deals for shipping as well. Their quality of fabrics are very good though so to me it's worth it. It's much better than the Joann's and Hancock Fabric quality, plus, you have such a huge array of options.

Opps my bad, I used Spandexworld but they are owned by the same people, I'm pretty sure. I have never used Spandexhouse.

Alrighty then> Thanks brokentiles... I'll just chalk it up it would be nice if the person taking your cc # would give you a total though...just sayin'

Originally Posted by kellybellydances

Alrighty then> Thanks brokentiles... I'll just chalk it up it would be nice if the person taking your cc # would give you a total though...just sayin'

Agreed. I always order online that way I can get what the shipping is and decide if it's worth it and if not I hit the delete button :-)

I usually go to the store. I like to touch and feel and actually see the color of the fabric.But you can haggle them down a bit in person

I've generally asked for a shipping quote to be given before they process the card. For smaller amounts, it's usually cheaper to ask them to put it in a flat rate box, but I'm usually ordering too much for that! It's good to remember that shipping rates in general have skyrocketed over the last couple years, so it's not like they're doing this arbitrarily. I run a shop here, so I'm familiar with even the very best shipping rates, and theirs stack up pretty evenly. The shippers generally have levels- so this many pounds to that many pounds are this much, and it is worth finding out what those levels are. If I'm just over the limit for a certain weight class, I'll often add a bit to my order so I get more fabric for the same amount of shipping. Fabric is not the easiest thing to do this with, tho.

I like spandex world for ease of use, but spandex house seems to have more variety posted online, and better sales. I'll agree with the earlier poster & say that all the fabric from both shops are miles better than what you will find at Joann's and it is totally worth the hassle!