Dealing with Yarn Purchase ‘Fails’
Q: I have been seduced more that once by a beautiful yarn photo just to discover it did not suit me in the end. What to do when you don’t have a local yarn shop and end up buying mostly online?
This question was asked in the comments of an earlier post, and I am sure it is one we can all relate to.
As a designer, I very rarely purchase new yarn anymore. But when I do, I am certainly not immune to this phenomenon. In fact, one reason I prefer to stick with what I know instead of purchasing new yarn, is that the latter is always hit and miss.
The problem is not specific to shopping online either. The same thing can happen when yarn is purchased in person - whether at retail shops or at festivals. The lighting and display design of the venue can make a yarn appear different than it does when you bring it home. We might also get carried away by the excitement of being at the venue, and convince yourself there is a use case scenario for the yarn which does not in fact exist.
In that sense, purchasing yarn is not that different from purchasing clothing. Think of the times you tried on a gorgeous coat, dress, or pair of jeans at a retail shop, decided to splurge on it… then brought the item home to discover that in your own bedroom mirror it was at best nothing special?
So whether we are seduced by an online product photo, by a fibre festival’s manic atmosphere, or by a gorgeous display at our local yarn shop - the outcome can be the same: At home, in the light of day, we realise the yarn is not what we need. Perhaps we do the colour versatility test, and discover the colour does not work. Or perhaps in handling the skein, we come to understand the texture, consistency, or composition is not what we are looking for. Whatever the reason, and how-ever we came to acquire the yarn, bottom line is: The yarn is not suitable.
So… what to do?
Interestingly, the most obvious option is the one knitters seem least likely to implement:
If the terms of sale allow for it, return the yarn!
(Did I just hear an audible gasp?)
Joking aside, I do understand there is a stigma attached to doing this. And even having written the above, I confess that I myself have never actually attempted to return a yarn purchase!
There is this idea in today’s online knitting culture, that it is our duty to ‘support’ yarn companies and yarn shops. To request a refund would be to undermine that support.
However, in reviewing my own consumer behaviour this year, I have come to question this line of reasoning. As unwanted yarn purchases have piled up over the years, my enthusiasm for yarn-shopping has waned. Put simply: Knowing that I will feel too guilty to return the product if it doesn’t suit, has ultimately had a detrimental effect on my willingness to spend money on more of said product. Other knitters I have spoken to lately have mentioned coming to the same realisation. And I cannot help but wonder, whether the recent drop in sales reported by yarn shops and festivals, reflects this as a general trend. Ultimately, in order for the fibre industry to be sustainable, customers need to feel willing and comfortable to have the same expectations of yarn sellers as they do of ‘normal’ sellers.
So my plan for next time I considered purchasing yarn, was to check the return policy and only purchase if one was in place. And then, if the yarn isn’t right, to return it immediately - same as I would with any other costly purchase that did not meet my needs or expectations.
A woman of my word, I have actually just asked Casey from Hank’s Yarn Parlour about her returns policy, as I am considering ordering some yarn from her fine establishment for my beige project.
Casey’s reply:
Returns happen occasionally, and I'm happy to take yarn back within 30 days as long as it is still in the original condition, with labels, not wound etc. It ends up getting sold so not a big deal.
See? And I quote: ‘not a big deal.’
Perhaps the return taboo is all in our heads.
But of course if despite this, the very idea of returning yarn to vendor makes you feel so uncomfortable, you just know it’s not going to happen, there are other possibilities.
If your financial position allows for it, you can make someone very happy by gifting or donating the yarn.
And if not, there are various options to re-sell - including ‘de-stashing’ on ravelry, and selling on platforms such as eBay and Facebook groups.
Whatever method you choose, I think it’s important to avoid keeping the unwanted yarn. Because doing that (with yarn, with clothing, with anything really) is what leads to the clutter, chaos, wastefulness, and general feeling of dissatisfaction that can arise when our spending does not align with our needs.
While it’s good to try and avoid buying unwanted yarn in the first place, the truth is a yarn purchase ‘fail’ can happen no matter how experienced we are, no matter how much research we do, no matter how thoughtfully we approach the purchase. So it’s important to have a plan for how we will deal with it when it does happen - then implement that plan and move on, to look for the yarn that is actually right for the job.
