Off topic, but totally agree. I was thinking yesterday how generous it is of Jay to share expertise with these forums.
[QUOTE=Dewey;8603911]
Dear Jay, I think you should charge for your fitting services. I would expect to pay for such expertise as yours.
When my saddle fitter came out to my farm, I paid him after the fitting. That is only fair.[/QUOTE]
We do charge for barn visits but we don’t when people come to the shop or bring their horses to us for fitting.
You should. It would be monetizing a service that people want.
As for the tack shop/boutique- well, nothing says “fun” like worrying about your bottom line every single day. :-p IMHO customer service is key in retail and the problem with small, independent businesses, is that in many cases, one cannot afford to do so. Returns really hurt your daily numbers and so many people want to just buy 5 pairs of breeches, try them on at home, get them all smokey or covered in dog hair, then return them because they didn’t like them. The problem with horsey-themed gift/boutique items as opposed to wedding/home gift ideas is that you’re very limited- how many times will a customer need those horsey-themed candlestick holders or dish towels? Just once. Money is made on repeat customers and boutique items are usually one-time sales.
I would frequent a good consignment shop and would also welcome more extensive bit rental opportunities. From a business start up perspective, going the consignment route also means you aren’t sinking a lot of capital into inventory. You need seriously deep pockets to stock a store with enough products (and sizes) to make a go at a business.
I live close to both SmartPak and Dover so will occasionally go in when I need something in a hurry. Both stores have good clearance sections :). I do NOT go to bricks and mortar stores to try on items and then purchase them online, but I understand the conundrum. A lot of people are on very tight budgets. It isn’t fair to the local stores, for sure. But they might not have gotten the sale anyway.
I bought a hunt whip two weeks ago. Those things are wickedly expensive and absolutely I shopped around. When you are talking about saving $50 to $100 it makes a difference in your overall budget.
Honestly, I try to stay out of tack stores because I don’t want to be tempted to buy something I don’t need so it’s easier, and usually costs me less, to buy JUST what I want online.
I think it’s disrespectful and flat out rude to waste a salespersons time and flaunt the fact you’ll by elsewhere. On what planet is that the way to act? Oh, don’t answer that…
I stopped patronizing my two local shops for supplies due to lack of inventory and actually paid more for show clothes by buying from the show vendors who had everything in my size or could overnight it from the mother store. Also have huge assortment of strap goods and bits in all popular styles, sizes and colors.
Dover just opened a new brick and mortar store and I’ll be buying an under $75 leather halter for a retiree, cob sized. Did check with the other area stores, they don’t have anything under 100 and one had no cob sizes in anything.
For OP, don’t forget the cost of operating a business has skyrocketed and many states tax the inventory in your store yearly. Minimum wage might be an issue too in the near future, everybidy supports it but nobody is going to pay more for items they can get cheaper online- they do that right now anyway.
[QUOTE=BAC;8603509]
The tack shops in my area are not on swanky boulevards with overinflated prices. They are staffed by hardworking horse people in very ordinary shops and offer excellent customer service. Their prices are only slightly higher than buying online and in most cases will match the online prices if at all possible. They are barely getting by and if people like you keep buying online then soon they will no longer exist and you won’t have anywhere to stop in and try on before you order elsewhere. That isn’t being a savvy shopper IMO that’s just tacky. Buying locally is just supporting the local economy and my community. And NO I don’t own a tack shop although I did work in one for a couple of years for fun, I didn’t give up my real job but I saw firsthand what is involved and I wouldn’t want to own one.[/QUOTE]
Totally agree with this.
I live in a very horsey area with a very long established independent tack store. There used to be three or four of them in the area, and the one that remains has had to get very creative to remain viable, particularly as we had a big Dover store move in a couple of years ago.
The independent store offers gift and other small “nicer” items for the home - things that a non rider might like as well as the horsey set. They also have a custom engraving business and do specialty orders (beautiful engraved wine glasses, for example) that make really lovely gifts. They also have expertise that Dover can’t match for things like custom boot measurement, fitting show clothes and so on. You are not going to get that kind of expert advice from the (nice) kids who are paid $9 or $10 an hour at the Dover store, but Dover is open 7 days a week, has a lot more stock, a basically unlimited return policy and other things that a big chain can offer that a small independent store simply can’t. It is a very tough business.
Personally I try to support the independent place as much as possible because I value the expertise they offer and also enjoy having a place to shop for things that you cannot find at a big box place like Dover. When I need a trainer gift or even something for a friend who is not horsey, I stop there first and always find something that seems a bit more special.
That said, the inventory of more standard stuff tends to be quite limited. I get it; they choose not to complete directly with Dover on basic items. But that does tend to encourage people buying “normal stuff” to go to Dover first, as they simply have a lot more stock to select from. Recently I wanted a nice new leather halter for my young horse, for example. I wanted a Walsh, which is kind of a pricey halter and I would guess it offers decent margins, so I went to the independent place. They offered to order one, but I needed it quickly (the one I was using having met an untimely death after being used as a chew toy, sigh.) I ended up having to go to Dover, and the small shop lost a sale. When people run into that type of situation regularly, they tend to default to the bigger store, especially if they are busy moms trying to fit their shopping into a day packed with other errands and responsibilities, or trying to get stuff done on a weekend. My local Dover will be busy today (a Sunday) while the independent shop is closed.
OP, did you say that you are working in your sister’s gift shop, and your plan is to open in another shop in the same mall?
I would say that a good “test flight” might be for you to start a shelf of horsey lifestyle things inside your sister’s shop. Give the shelf the name you want for your new boutique, and take on responsibility for doing the buying. Maybe your sister can give you a cut of the profits. When the shelf becomes very popular, you can announce that “The Riding Life” or whatever its name, is now, due to popular demand, becoming a stand-alone shop.
In the meantime, do the math side of the equation, which I am sure your sister can help you with. “Marketing” and “branding” are all very well, but if you can’t move enough inventory to cover your basic costs, the cutest logo in the world won’t help.
I, too, wonder about the market in “horsey” gifts and lifestyle.
When you’re dealing with the parents/grandparents of kids and teens who are active riders, there is endless opportunity for upscaling and replacing core gear: new breeches, boots, show clothes, saddles, and even horses, as the kids grow out of them. My guess is most girls who are actively riding would prefer to acquire, replace, or upgrade gear, rather than have horsey trinkets.
As far as housewares: well, most horse-themed housewares, jewelry, decorative objects, mugs, cute wall plaques, etc., are rather tacky and not particularly high-quality. If you are dealing with upper middle class clients who tend to have a coherent decorating scheme for their homes, they may not want to introduce low-quality towels, mugs, wall art, etc., that clashes with their other objects. There might be some exceptions in some product lines. But I know I keep half an eye open for wall art featuring horses, and I have yet to see anything that I feel would look OK in my place. I can imagine a “farmhouse” style, or an East Coast beach house/Ralph Lauren decor that could incorporate old barn boards or snaffle bits on the wall or a saddle in a corner, or a baker-plaid throw rug on the sofa 
but in my more or less midcentury modern living room, the 40 year old saddles are just anomalous clutter, and I really do need to figure out how to rehome them
[QUOTE=Scribbler;8604222]
OP, did you say that you are working in your sister’s gift shop, and your plan is to open in another shop in the same mall?
I would say that a good “test flight” might be for you to start a shelf of horsey lifestyle things inside your sister’s shop. Give the shelf the name you want for your new boutique, and take on responsibility for doing the buying. Maybe your sister can give you a cut of the profits. When the shelf becomes very popular, you can announce that “The Riding Life” or whatever its name, is now, due to popular demand, becoming a stand-alone shop.
In the meantime, do the math side of the equation, which I am sure your sister can help you with. “Marketing” and “branding” are all very well, but if you can’t move enough inventory to cover your basic costs, the cutest logo in the world won’t help.
I, too, wonder about the market in “horsey” gifts and lifestyle.
When you’re dealing with the parents/grandparents of kids and teens who are active riders, there is endless opportunity for upscaling and replacing core gear: new breeches, boots, show clothes, saddles, and even horses, as the kids grow out of them. My guess is most girls who are actively riding would prefer to acquire, replace, or upgrade gear, rather than have horsey trinkets.
As far as housewares: well, most horse-themed housewares, jewelry, decorative objects, mugs, cute wall plaques, etc., are rather tacky and not particularly high-quality. If you are dealing with upper middle class clients who tend to have a coherent decorating scheme for their homes, they may not want to introduce low-quality towels, mugs, wall art, etc., that clashes with their other objects. There might be some exceptions in some product lines. But I know I keep half an eye open for wall art featuring horses, and I have yet to see anything that I feel would look OK in my place. I can imagine a “farmhouse” style, or an East Coast beach house/Ralph Lauren decor that could incorporate old barn boards or snaffle bits on the wall or a saddle in a corner, or a baker-plaid throw rug on the sofa but in my more or less midcentury modern living room, the 40 year old saddles are just anomalous clutter, and I really do need to figure out how to rehome them :)[/QUOTE]
I do like the idea of starting a small section of her current store and seeing how it goes–she really wants me to do this, so I know she’ll help me in whatever way possible! And by horsey homeware things, I don’t mean low quality and tacky (; (pun not intended!) But, for example, we have a throw at the store we just got in that is a gorgeous grey-blue knit with white snaffles on it.
[QUOTE=jaybird660;8603989]
We do charge for barn visits but we don’t when people come to the shop or bring their horses to us for fitting.[/QUOTE]
You should charge for the fitting even when they come to you and then refund if they buy a saddle from you. That way you are not giving away your time to people who want to use your expertise but who have no intention of buying a saddle from you. At the same time, you can reward people who buy from you.
Depends on your location. If you live in a more affluent area, I’d say theres a market for carrying items that stores like Dover don’t. Which includes high-end european brands like Kentucky, Eurostar, Deniro, Cavallo, Animo, Equiline etc. Tack N Rider in Wellington does extremely well by carrying these brands. Tack and apparel is progressing more towards flashy/custom stuff now a days, although hunters is still very conservative.
[QUOTE=egood;8604481]
Depends on your location. If you live in a more affluent area, I’d say theres a market for carrying items that stores like Dover don’t. Which includes high-end european brands like Kentucky, Eurostar, Deniro, Cavallo, Animo, Equiline etc. Tack N Rider in Wellington does extremely well by carrying these brands. Tack and apparel is progressing more towards flashy/custom stuff now a days, although hunters is still very conservative.[/QUOTE]
This is actually what I was thinking. I can get a Perris halter or shires polo wraps and irideon tights anywhere but there’s nowhere within three hours of me that carries every color if tailored sportsman’s, or the equiline jackets, or whatever. I like to buy quality stuff and the local places always seem to have the low rent stuff that appeals to parents of new riders who don’t want to spend any money. It sends me to places like Farmhouse to order a GPA that I could have gotten locally except all they have are ugly troxels and kerrits pants. A shop that really prided itself on only carrying QUALITY items (both more expensive, and good value stuff that is better than maybe it’s price would suggest) would get business from me because I know whatever I buy there will be good.
I had a local store here that had a trade in policy on some stuff like bridles and expensive boots that were kept in good condition. You could trade it in for 50% of the price towards a new item for up to two years. That stuff was then sold in a huge used section at about a 20% margin - enough to cover the cc fees plus a little profit. However I bought a ton of stuff there because I could trade up to something nicer without the hassle of selling. It was great for parents of growing kids and since the shop sold only good quality stuff there wasn’t any junk in the consignment room.
If there was a local place that carried say, butet breastplates and equiline Saddles and measured for custom boots, I probably would have already spent a ton of money. As it is I order that stuff sight unseen from Europe because I want better stuff than is sold here.
I feel like a huge issue with running a tack shop would be keeping up with the trends, thus someone who is young and can speak teenager would be great in a mobile shop whilst someone older might be better off in the local horsey town brick and mortar. Whenever I can I try to go to my local tack shops but sometimes the price difference is too great or I just need the item ASAP.
As other have mentioned, keeping overhead cost low is key. You have to put your glamorized vision to the side and be realistic. Consignment is a great way to keep overhead low, because you don’t have to pay for your inventory. You can stock grooming supplies, chemicals and treats, but that’s the cheap stuff. If you start making enough money, you can use that capital to buy nice, new inventory.
I think if you want to stick with high end gifts and novelties, you’re better off going mobile. Buy a big trailer, decorate it nicely and travel with it. There are quite a few successful boutiques who operate like this. They can special order sizes for you like a regular store. And if they have a brick and mortar establishment, its often a tidy warehouse space that is open by appointment only. Go to Wellington and HITS and big clinics. That’s when you see people with money feeling REALLY impulsive. I looked into doing it myself. A large trailer with an air conditioning unit in the roof isn’t terribly expensive.
Study operations like Show Chic ( http://www.showchicdressage.com/shop/ ) Ride Times ( https://www.facebook.com/Ride-Times-LLC-353001302696/ ) and Tack N Rider ( https://www.tacknrider.com/ )
One of the things I really appreciate about Tack N Rider, besides that they keep a pretty large range of sizes in everything, is if I order by a particular time, it is ALWAYS mailed that day.
I’m sure they do a brisk business down in wellington - but I have bought a lot of high end stuff from them sight unseen. When I call they know what they have in stock and can tell me about it. They remember me and what I like/have bought and can tell me how something compares to what I have already bought.
RIDE in Bedford, NY is another one - she’s answered facebook messages from me at 9pm on a Saturday. Did she have to? No. But it was really helpful and she could tell me exactly what she had available and I could order basically by text, email, etc. Working the way busy people do business is also important. I can’t always call a store during the hours of 10-4 or 10-5 that many local places are open.
[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8604653]
One of the things I really appreciate about Tack N Rider, besides that they keep a pretty large range of sizes in everything, is if I order by a particular time, it is ALWAYS mailed that day.[/QUOTE]
This isn’t really related, but the guy who owns Tack N Rider works his butt off. There can be 20 people in the store, and he can make each person feel like you have his undivided attention simultaneously. I don’t know how he does it. He personally went and got a pair of stirrups out of one of his trailers at WEF and brought them back to his store for my friend to look at. He didn’t even have a verbal confirmation that my friend was going to buy them, and he still did it. That’s customer service! I would have been like “Go to WEF, check out my big red trailer!” And we did buy them, btw.
The overhead on carrying TS in every/size color (if they’d even let you) plus all kinds of other high end apparel is immense. Unless you are feet on the ground at WEF too and/or have a major internet presence-- that’s unrealistic for most retailers who don’t start off independently wealthy. Not to mention the risk in trendy apparel that you must sell before the new style/colors come out! Sounds great on paper but it’s a crazy risky business for the average new tack shop.
Our local tack store is staffed by a troll of a woman and her short term teenage assistants, none of whom know anything about anything and if they did they wouldn’t tell you. As far as I can tell they stay in business by having supplements, feed etc that are too bulky for people to want to pay for shipping and having very cheap rent. They are not on the beaten path at all.
[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8604653]
RIDE in Bedford, NY is another one - she’s answered facebook messages from me at 9pm on a Saturday. Did she have to? No. But it was really helpful and she could tell me exactly what she had available and I could order basically by text, email, etc. Working the way busy people do business is also important. I can’t always call a store during the hours of 10-4 or 10-5 that many local places are open.[/QUOTE]
Courtney is a great example of what I think the OP is trying to do, and I imagine she makes a killing. At any point in the day her shop is full of all the rich moms from Old Salem, Lionshare et al killing time while the kiddos ride. She caters to the customers who find Beval (2 stores within 30 minutes, either direction) too pedantic. She sell HIGH END, and maybe only one brand, bridles, helmets and tall boots, sparkly bonnets and fancy pads. BUT where she sells the most is the “equestrian lifestyle” stuff like what the OP wants to focus on. Cashmere sweaters, dubarrys, $1000 Barbour jackets, skinny jeans. Throws, beautiful scarves, etc. AND she has this cute sitting area where you can have coffee/ wine and gossip about the other moms/ trainers.
OP, so much depends on where you are. The demographics of your area in general and your horse community in particular have to be understood before you even contemplate how to center your business. Disposable income and how much of it your typical area Horse owner is willing to spend are going to make or break you regardless of what you feel should be in your shop.
Local example, one of our two local H/J/D shops relocated from a still rural outlying suburb after being there for many years. They were always on the high side price wise and trying to cater to a more upscale client then was common in the area. They moved 20 miles further in towards the city to the edge of its most affluent area, losing long time customers looking for basics close to many barns in that area. On top of that, they moved only 5 miles from the other long exsisting H/J/D store. One year later Dover opened a mile away from them…despite the wealth of the area, Dover is killing both of them.
Local store misjudged what wealthy residents were willing to spend on basics and missed the point it was easier for those folks to patronize show vendors at WEF, KHP etc to get the latest show fashions and high end tack where it can be tried and bought without special ordering. Maybe misjudged the fact some area horse folk have their horses out on the circuit with out of state based trainers and don’t shop local at all.
Interestingly, a Western based store located very close to the H/J/D stores former location has seen a big increase in basic item buyers…and has added some English oriented, low to mid range priced items. Carries feed and extensive selection of supplements too, they always eat whether mom needs new clothes or not.
You need to really identify who your client will be and make sure they exsist in your area in large enough numbers to support your store. I think a shelf, case or cabinet in your sisters store is the way to start exploring that.
You know, I’m not big on designer furniture and decor or being all matchy matchy but…that blue blanket with the snaffle bit pattern? Not going to bring me in the door. Stuff like that is highly personal and is not going to attract like you might be thinking it will. Some will like it, of course but…how many? How long can you afford to carry it waiting for a buyer?
[QUOTE=mvspencer;8604766]
This isn’t really related, but the guy who owns Tack N Rider works his butt off. There can be 20 people in the store, and he can make each person feel like you have his undivided attention simultaneously. I don’t know how he does it. He personally went and got a pair of stirrups out of one of his trailers at WEF and brought them back to his store for my friend to look at. He didn’t even have a verbal confirmation that my friend was going to buy them, and he still did it. That’s customer service! I would have been like “Go to WEF, check out my big red trailer!” And we did buy them, btw.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=soloudinhere;8604653]One of the things I really appreciate about Tack N Rider, besides that they keep a pretty large range of sizes in everything, is if I order by a particular time, it is ALWAYS mailed that day.
I’m sure they do a brisk business down in wellington - but I have bought a lot of high end stuff from them sight unseen. When I call they know what they have in stock and can tell me about it. They remember me and what I like/have bought and can tell me how something compares to what I have already bought.
RIDE in Bedford, NY is another one - she’s answered facebook messages from me at 9pm on a Saturday. Did she have to? No. But it was really helpful and she could tell me exactly what she had available and I could order basically by text, email, etc. Working the way busy people do business is also important. I can’t always call a store during the hours of 10-4 or 10-5 that many local places are open.[/QUOTE]
these are excellent examples of what I meant by having excellent customer service, which in reality is a dying art in just about all of retail across the board. it’s just not something that the horse industry has ever excelled in. i think if you are wanting to focus on high end, customers are certainly going to expect that as they are likely accustomed to shopping in high-end stores in other industries/niches that offer excellent service.
i’m going to assume that you’ve researched your market, know about the back-end business, etc. but i would advise you to ask around your local horse community to ask them what they wish you had in your area, and maybe go from there. for example, some of the other posters who mentioned wanting local stores that carry the high-end lines such as Animo, Equiline, etc. and offer custom boot fittings. I feel like my area needs that as well, and also I think our area stores lack the product knowledge/service to really offer sound advice with fitting of helmets, etc. If you can find out what a sample of your area’s horsefolks feel their local stores are missing or not doing well, you can get a jump up on identifying what your customer wants.
the advice to utilize a “pop-up” section in your sister’s store is excellent. also, you may want to do some market research on retail in general, and consider starting your business as an e-commerce only retailer, and then moving to brick & mortar when you’ve made enough to cover the overhead. this has proven very successful for retailers in other niches, and i could see it working well if you use social media to your full advantage and brand/market/hustle accordingly :).
