Should You Buy Quilting Supplies on Massdrop?

I'm sure many of you have heard by now that the e-commerce website Massdrop is making a big push to enter the quilting market. There's a lot to like about Massdrop, and they've had some good offerings of modern fabric and notions in the past, so I thought it's worth taking a closer look.

How does Massdrop work?
Massdrop allows its users to suggest the products that are available for purchase. Any user can create a poll for a certain product (such as a fabric line, rotary cutters, thread, etc.). If enough people vote for that product in the poll, Massdrop will contact the manufacturer and try to arrange what they call a "drop"—which means the product will be available for purchase on Massdrop for a limited time.Once the drop becomes available for sale, the more people who commit to purchase that item, the lower the price goes. As soon as the drop's time frame ends, buyers are charged for the item and the purchase is final.

What can quilters buy on Massdrop?
Offerings change frequently, and there doesn't seem to be a huge selection available at any given time. (Obviously, that could change if quilters become more active on Massdrop and use it more frequently to buy their supplies.)

Right now, you can join a drop of a fat-quarter bundle of Feather River by Birch Fabrics—you'll get 13 fat quarters of organic fabric for $42.99 (that's 23% off—there are 3 days left on that drop, and the lowest possible price has already been unlocked).

You can also get this Simflex sewing guage for $16.99—7 days left on that one.

Past drops have included Oliso irons, Frixion pens, Clover Wonder Clips, Cotton + Steel prints, Gingher scissors, and more.

Should you buy on Massdrop?
Massdrop does offer some great deals, but their business model requires some work on your part to take advantage of them. Checking the website frequently and voting in their quilting-related polls will help you get the most out of Massdrop. And be aware that at this point, Massdrop's quilting selection on any given day is quite small. Still, over time, Massdrop has made many products available that appeal to modern quilters. And more user involvement could up the selections even more.

You also have to be patient when buying on Massdrop. Orders don't ship from the manufacturer to Massdrop until after the drop ends, so it can be 2 to 3 weeks or even more between when the drop ends and when the order actually arrives in your mailbox. And the entire process from start to finish is even more lengthy: You have to wait for a poll to get enough votes, then wait for the drop to be arranged, then wait for the drop's on-sale period to end, and then wait for the drop to ship from the manufacturer to Massdrop and from Massdrop to you. However, Massdrop appears to be good about keeping its buyers informed of the shipping status in the drop's comment section and via email. So if you're willing to wait for a bargain, Massdrop might be for you!

Another drawback: It looks like some buys on Massdrop may be better bargains than others. There was some discussion in the comments on a recent Clover Wonder Clip drop that indicated the clips were cheaper (or at least similar in price) elsewhere. So a little homework might be in order before committing to a drop.

Finally, this recent post from Sew Mama Sew about the types of businesses we frequent for our sewing supplies may be worth a read before you purchase anything from Massdrop. Still, with Massdrop vending at QuiltCon in a few weeks and actively promoting their offerings to quilters, I don't think it's going away any time soon! It's yet another option to be aware of in the ever-growing list of online sources for quilting supplies, and an option where you might just be able to score a few good deals with persistence and patience.