I am toying with the idea of starting an online consignment store - riding clothes, strap goods, boots, etc. I have space in my home to keep things, and some business experience. Thoughts?
I think if you’re going to be successful you will need to have a large inventory. Your fee will need to be low enough to have people want to consign with you versus sell it themselves. Only way to know is to give it a try and see how you do…
There are some people doing this on Facebook. Nice to see all the pictures and there are some good buys out there. I say go for it!
I’ve done it not as an official business, but selling things for friends who didn’t want to bother with the technical aspects in exchange for a commission. You don’t necessarily need a huge inventory to be successful, but you need to be willing to do a little work - just listing a bunch of items on a website or Facebook page doesn’t necessarily move things. Marketing directly is the key, along with good, detailed photos and descriptions (even though you’ll still get a million questions that are already answered if people would just read). I spent time every night going through the big FB tack sale groups, looking for people in search of specific things that I had, and offering up my items. I sold the vast majority of things that way, rather than to people who just saw my ad.
Would you be willing to send things off? Or would I be better finding bargains myself and reselling?
I only sold for people I already knew who trusted me with their items/money. You may need to begin with locals so you can build good reviews/references before random people will just send you their expensive tack from afar.
I worked with this place: https://www.facebook.com/quickneasytack/
I dropped off my saddle with her (she is local) and she sold it via the internet. She just put in more effort than I was able to and I got a better deal than Maryland Saddlery or Middleburg Tack Exchange.
Ha! I would LOVE to send off stuff that I cannot use or do not want any more.
I think that I’m going to start small - a Facebook page, Craigslist, etc. Dip my toe, so to say. I have enough stuff stock piled in my garage to easily begin. 
If you decide to begin, please post a weblink (if forum rules will allow it) so that we can have a good excuse to go shopping! :winkgrin:
Really, does anyone actually need an excuse to go shopping? We could say, hey its Tuesday and that is our excuse to bury ourselves in horsey leathery goodness. 
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It’s a good thing I no longer live near a tack consignment shop. Sad, but good. :o
I feel you. Even if you don’t buy something, going and looking seems to cause a physical pain when you can’t justify buying anything to yourself. Then you have to justify what you do buy to your SO. No, I really do need 5 halters for one horse. They are leather and different colors. They are for different occasions. :lol:
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I say go for it! Just make sure you take very professional pictures of stuff. For example, check out www.dfwtackexchange.com . I think their photos look really nice and don’t make things look used/second hand, the pics make me want to buy the goods!
Some women have shoes…
www.dfwtackexchange.com - Good grief! I can smell that leather from here! Beautiful photos!
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@Huntersmom this is something I too am currently trying to do. Plus also open a consignment only shop so here’s my advice…
do some research for your area. Talk to other tack shops that don’t take in consignments to see if people have inquired about consigning tack. Post on Craigslist and FB to ask if people would be interested.
be aware that it is best to have a variety of inventory to get started because people may not want to consign with you until you are established. So many people scam people online that they need to trust you and the only way they will trust you is if you can prove you are trustworthy. People are skeptical about basically giving their tack to someone they don’t know to sell.
Also, it is time consuming. You have to be meticulous about your record keeping, taking pictures, keeping posts updated and detailed online is time consuming plus you will deal with a lot of inquiries that go nowhere or people will change their mind at the last minute. But once you get a following, people will come to you first to let you know what they’re looking for.
and check with your state about consignment regulations. You will need to collect tax, have insurance (god forbid something gets damaged while waiting to be sold) and have expenses for boxes, tape, postage, gas etc.
I’m not trying to dissuade you from doing it but this is what I am going through right now. Good luck!
Thanks Chacle! Maybe we can get going together!
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