Opening a tack store

[soloudinhere]

If you’re going to do e-commerce, please avoid the temptation to utilize companies like English Riding Supply that encourage you to drop ship.

Most of the places that sell these products are drop shippers, so shipping is slow, they don’t know anything about the product, have basically no staff, and returns are a pain in the ass. I’d actually patronize the hell out of a store that actually had Ovation products, and not just one or two, but a large portion of the line, as I think it’s an excellent value. Places carry random items from the line or only the breeches and not the bridles, which is annoying.

[Happyhooves]

I don’t know anything about retail, but there seem to be other complications. Not sure exactly how it works, but for example, I have noticed that many tack shops don’t carry various high-end brand names guessing partly because the brand-names won’t agree to be in those stores or outside their own boutiques. It makes sense that a company wouldn’t want their European chic clothing line represented in a dusty, out-of-the way Clems Feed n Seed n Tack (much as we horsepeople love us a good Feed N Seed N Tack place for convenience.) But even if it’s a high-end boutique, they might not agree to be sold at your store just because you want to. Or there are non-compete policies. As in, if you carry XXX Brand, YYYY brand won’t agree to be sold in your tack shop. I try to patronize my local tack shop but there are times I’ve asked to have a certain brand brought in (in general or one-time purchase) and have been told it can’t be done. It’s a tough business.

One time, I walked into one tack shop unnoticed as the owner was dealing with a nasty pony mom who returned a custom order gone wrong (seemed like the mom had ordered wrong). The owner tried to hold her ground, but finally sucked up and took the return probably knowing she couldn’t totally permanently turn off a big client and her fellow pony mom friends-- but it was a big hit for her. Not knowing anyone else was in the store, she started crying, quickly went in the back room when she realized I was there and came right out, professional and pulled-together. But geez, I felt sorry for her in that moment.

[Linny]

Location, location, location…

You also need to be willing to work very hard for your clients. People who shop in fancy boutiques expect very personalized service and expect you to be there for them at odd hours (late night text about getting personalized wine glasses with farm name etched…) and honestly, the very well to do often expect more freebies than their middle class neighbors. My friend who ran a boutique for years was always awed by ladies spending $1k for a jacket threatening to take their business elsewhere if they couldn’t get the $250 cashmere scarf free with it! She was hit up weekly for gift baskets for charities. She was happy to help but there was always the expectation that the basket/items would be bigger, fancier, more valuable than the last time. She reached the end of the road when the honorary chair of a big charity asked for a $500 gift basket for a fundraiser while raving over the $2000 gown she bought for the event… at a rival boutique! now runs a lovely consignment shop catering to most of the same people but without the investment in inventory.

She found a way to provide a service that wasn’t well represented in her area. If you have a store like Dover in the area, you will have a hard time unless there is a real market for upmarket products. Even if they don’t stock high end stuff, Dover can get much of it. You can get everything from a hoof pick to a custom Samshield. No, they don’t have many “elite” brands but the huge bulk of the horsey world doesn’t need them.

I agree with starting out with a section in your sister’s shop. See what the response is and listen to what customers are requesting.

[cb06]

If you live in a horsey area (VERY horsey?), have you thought about a consignment tack shop?

I live in a VERY horsey area (VERY), friend opened a consignment tack shop, stocks some new stuff to fill holes (ie. riding gloves, socks, a few common ointments, tack soap, etc…a few boutique’y things, jewelry and such, a few new riding shirts…). Her business seems good/brisk, but she works very hard (long hours), and I don’t think is getting rich by any means…
She is in a great location, has a VERY strong online presence (sells a bunch on ebay), tries to keep quality inventory in varied price ranges (is honest if you bring something crappy in that either she can’t take it, or it can go in the ‘free’ pile).

It is different (and cheaper) than the Dover about 30 minutes away, and I often stop in there FIRST before looking online or the big store.

[BostonHJ]

I will agree with everyone else that this is not a great business plan (sorry to be a Debbie Downer). I have a good friend who bought an established local tack store that was already turning a small profit. It continues to turn a small profit - the business is about 50% consignment and 50% new, and she continues to bring in some higher end brands over time. That said, the reason this works is because this business is her HOBBY. That’s right, she has a very real full time job that pays her life expenses. The tack store is something she loves but it sucks up the majority of her free time and the hourly return on her time is less than stellar!

As the above poster said, if you are in an EXTREMELY horsey area, even if it is affluent, consignment can be a great way to go. There are several in Wellington and they seem to do well.

[Scribbler]

And another factor about affluent areas … yes, you can judge affluence in large part by looking at the obvious cost of real estate. But in our area, the cost of real estate has gotten so high that many people don’t really have as much discretionary disposable income as you’d expect, for the value of their home. Even in quite affluent areas, there are fewer independent boutiques and interesting things to buy than you’d expect, and I think fewer than 20 years ago. I’m thinking here across the board, clothes, shoes, furniture, etc.

If you are in a place where the real estate prices aren’t so extreme, and affluent people have spare cash, it might be different. If gifts are flying off the shelves at your sister’s store, that’s a good sign.

[Lexie55]

I would love to find a place where I can find good customer service - where the staff knows what fits, what doesn’t, what holds up, what doesn’t… sort of like all the great minds on COTH forms rolled into one sales associate!

I agree that consignment could definitely help. My favorite tack shop near my parents’ house had retail downstairs, consignment up. Everything from people clothes to horse clothes to saddles, bridles, etc. As you might suspect, pony equipment and kid clothes were big sellers, but adults sometimes like to trade in a jacket on a new color. The store would send saddles out on trial which was a HUGE selling point. A new saddle, they can’t really afford to let you ride in it, but consignment saddles already have marks on the billets, rubs from the stirrup leathers, etc.

I would think a cool way to carry high-end stuff would be to have an example in the store, and a catalog or nice monitor computer set up for people to browse. That way you could get by stocking less.

Also add to the business lines being a horse trailer rep. The tack store I mentioned also represented a niche market trailer that could easily be pulled by an SUV. They had one in the parking lot (I think it belonged to the owner) and you could order one through the shop.

[Kalele]

I’d like to play devil’s advocate on consignment. The biggest headache is that everyone thinks they know how much their stuff is worth. Unfortunately, it’s only worth as much as someone will pay for it. Someone may think their pair of custom-made beloved dressage boots are worth XYZ but they are a little outdated. It’s a game of how long do you allow something to sit there taking up real estate if the owner won’t come down on the price and if you say sorry we can’t sell it, did you also just lose a paying customer?

[cuatx55]

I would love a good consignment shop!

[NeedsAdvil]

Maybe consider offering a consignment section or providing “trade in” value for items that you could then sell in your store OR online. Most people getting into riding or buying a new horse would love the ability to get some items at a discount vs. buying every single thing brand new.

[Lexie55]

[QUOTE=Kalele;8606269]
I’d like to play devil’s advocate on consignment. The biggest headache is that everyone thinks they know how much their stuff is worth. Unfortunately, it’s only worth as much as someone will pay for it. Someone may think their pair of custom-made beloved dressage boots are worth XYZ but they are a little outdated. It’s a game of how long do you allow something to sit there taking up real estate if the owner won’t come down on the price and if you say sorry we can’t sell it, did you also just lose a paying customer?[/QUOTE]

If memory serves, the tack shop would price items with the consigner and tell the consigner if they were going too high. Both the owner and the long-time employee were pretty persuasive when I put DD’s pony saddle on consignment ! I think part of the deal was also that after a certain time unsold, you either came and got it, or they started marking it down 10% per month. It was all set out in the contract - I wish I could find it to save OP some time, should she decide to go that route! Being able to actually try on boots, jackets, etc. was their biggest selling point – plus you could return the horsey stuff that didn’t fit (versus having to bring Dobbins up to the shop to try on blankets)

[Scribbler]

[QUOTE=Kalele;8606269]
I’d like to play devil’s advocate on consignment. The biggest headache is that everyone thinks they know how much their stuff is worth. Unfortunately, it’s only worth as much as someone will pay for it. Someone may think their pair of custom-made beloved dressage boots are worth XYZ but they are a little outdated. It’s a game of how long do you allow something to sit there taking up real estate if the owner won’t come down on the price and if you say sorry we can’t sell it, did you also just lose a paying customer?[/QUOTE]

I always find it interesting that “custom made” is meant to be a selling point in second-hand goods. The whole point of custom made is that it was fitted to a particular horse or a particular person. Once the boots, saddle, coat, etc., are being passed on to another user, the custom-fitting advantage is lost. Indeed, an “off the rack” sizing is more likely to fit more people (or horses) than something custom-fit to a particular odd size.

I suppose it’s also true that some items, such as boots, might be all-around better quality from the companies that do custom, versus the more mass-produced items. But really the value is in getting it fitted to you personally.

Of course, if you find a custom-made item that is a good match for your own hard to fit size, when you can’t fit mass-produced, that would be a bonus.

[vxf111]

Scribbler, agree 100%. Most of the value of custom is lost on resale

[vxf111]

I never tire of the ways people try to spin the sale of used goods.

Someone on eBay has a pair of euroseat breeches where the butt got all stretched out and saggy. They are charging more than original retail for these and billing them as “extra room in the seat” breeches worth paying a premium for

Had to share the link, because you know you’re all lining up for pre stained and pre-butt stretched out breeches

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ariat-Khaki-Breeches-Size-30R-Cotton-Spandex-w-xtra-stretch-behind-/201556165272?hash=item2eedaf0298:g:uLAAAOSwv9hW3zUZ

[MtnDrmz]

[QUOTE=vxf111;8609353]
I never tire of the ways people try to spin the sale of used goods.

Someone on eBay has a pair of euroseat breeches where the butt got all stretched out and saggy. They are charging more than original retail for these and billing them as “extra room in the seat” breeches worth paying a premium for

Had to share the link, because you know you’re all lining up for pre stained and pre-butt stretched out breeches

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ariat-Khaki-Breeches-Size-30R-Cotton-Spandex-w-xtra-stretch-behind-/201556165272?hash=item2eedaf0298:g:uLAAAOSwv9hW3zUZ[/QUOTE]

:eek: :lol::eek::no: I litterally don’t have words :lol:

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=MtnDrmz;8609380]
:eek: :lol::eek::no: I litterally don’t have words :lol:[/QUOTE]

But for $85+ you could have extra space in your pants

The diaper look is coming back?!

[Scribbler]

[QUOTE=vxf111;8609353]
I never tire of the ways people try to spin the sale of used goods.

Someone on eBay has a pair of euroseat breeches where the butt got all stretched out and saggy. They are charging more than original retail for these and billing them as “extra room in the seat” breeches worth paying a premium for

Had to share the link, because you know you’re all lining up for pre stained and pre-butt stretched out breeches

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ariat-Khaki-Breeches-Size-30R-Cotton-Spandex-w-xtra-stretch-behind-/201556165272?hash=item2eedaf0298:g:uLAAAOSwv9hW3zUZ[/QUOTE]

OMG

[Trixie]

LOL!

I will ALWAYS go out of my way to go somewhere that has a lot of awesome consignments - particularly if prices are reasonable.

I will almost never go out of my way to go to Dover unless I need something that only Dover will stock. I don’t really even bother with the tent sales.

We’re blessed with some pretty amazing tack stores around here and the ones I consistently patronize have either good sales or excellent consignments. The others are fun, but they’re not really getting my money. High end stuff is a fun draw, but I don’t usually purchase it at full price.

For instance - my adorable ex got me a $200 gift card to a tack store that sells things like $55 headbands. So far I’ve only been able to buy a container of saddle soap, because everything there is so high end that I’m troubled to find something in my price range of said $200. When I went in to look for a new pair of paddock boots, ready to buy on the spot, they had several options in the $300+ range but the only options under $200 were awful. I’ll probably wind up buying a show shirt or something. Their “sale” items still wind up being far more expensive than my gift card.

[The_Blonde_amp_The_Bay]

[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]

Off topic and I don’t want this to sound like a disgruntled shopper, but this totally surprises me! I had been shopping there for a few years, I’m a few hours north of Wellington but come down for shows. I’m a big fan of some of the European brands they carry so I was happy to find them but then one day (about 20 purchases later), I didn’t try on a pair of breeches at Global that ended up being mini-sized. A week later I was in town dropping off my saddle at JRD so I stopped in, bought some things and asked about the breeches. He said to mail them back for exchange, no problem. I came back three days later to pick up my saddle so I brought them in rather than mailing and was told no way jose. Meanwhile, I had two NS bits in my hand, an ogilvy half pad, a Stubben girth and the replacement breeches in a size up. I didn’t buy any of it and haven’t been back since. Maybe he had an off day? Maybe they were on sale and he couldn’t move them? I was really upset to say the least. I’m not a returner in general and it made me wildly uncomfortable.

In any event, I’ve now started my own shop since we don’t have an english location in my area, let alone one that carries high end brands. Loved reading this thread, lots of wonderful insights!

[vxf111]

[QUOTE=MtnDrmz;8609380]
:eek: :lol::eek::no: I litterally don’t have words :lol:[/QUOTE]

AND THEY SOLD!!!