Placed a high-end dressage saddle ($2995 consignment price) on consignment at Pelham Saddlery. It had not sold after many months so I requested it back. It arrived in, I kid you not, a box sized 14x14x24 inches. Yes, it was literally rolled up, placed in a plastic bag, and stuffed into this box. In addition, the box was not double-walled, leaving my saddle to take the brunt of any weight placed on top of the box. Fortunately, although stretched, the threading holding panels to flaps was still intact. However, the top grain on one of the sweat flaps is stretched and “crinkley”. Pelham rep did not offer any explanation. She did not return my additional email communication after our telephone call. I was shocked and thought I should let others know. Lesson: Be certain to clarify/confirm the packaging to be used if you are requesting your consignment saddle be returned. (Interestingly, a consignment saddle I ordered from Pelham Saddlery to try arrived in a full size saddle box with lots of packing material.) I will not be doing business with them anymore.
Oh how awful.
You know, I’d been thinking of just plopping some of my saddles down at Ricks or someplace to sell on consignment, but this very experience of yours scares me. How could a saddle of mine survive and keep blemish free and lovely looking with all this shipping back and forth, and what if the shipper is careless? What happens then to my saddle? A shop certainly won’t step up, do I just suffer the depreciation?
Now I know I’ll stick to ebay or tack trader to sell my saddles.
How awful for you. Such a reputable shop as well.
If it makes you feel any better, a saddle I’d purchased ages ago in teh UK finally arrived the other week [edit] in the smallest box I’ve ever seen, I went to fetch it and said to myself “good golly there can’t possibly be a saddle in there”… sure enough, the seller had packed it in, and it arrived blemish free… but my heart leapt into my throat when I saw the box.
Thanks for the Heads Up
Pelham Saddlery has a good reputation for selling used saddles. It’s too bad they didn’t take better care of you and the saddle you entrusted to them.
I had never thought to ask a consignment store about the protection of my saddle before sale. Your story suggests we ought to, so thanks for your post.
I think the persons who pack this way are just trying to save on shipping costs–at the expense of the recipient. I have purchased many saddles over the years long distance (from both shops and private parties–and even one direct from Germany!) and the only other one received packed in such a way was one I purchased from a pawn shop as a “collectible”. Unfortunately, that one did not survive but I did receive my money back.
In the case of Pelham, I was extremely disappointed in the nonchalant manner in which this problem was addressed. With their resources, I would have expected them to offer some solutions at least for the “crinkled” finish on the flap. Better would have been to offer to pay for me to have a saddler take a look at the saddle to confirm that stitching is ok and check the remainder of the saddle for damage. (Pelham confirmed that that saddle was in “new” condition when accepted and noted such in the consignment listing.)
I recently BOUGHT a consignment saddle from Pelham. The saddle was listed for $1295, but it is old - 25 years old - and it needed an immense amount of “help” to get it “happy”…It’s an Albion Original Comfort.
So I went in and wanted to offer $1150. They said NO, they could not present an offer of $1150 because it wasn’t within the 10% limit. :no::no:
I was PISSED. If I WERE that seller, I would’ve wanted to know about ANY offers coming in that may be close. I was sooo mad and vowed that I would never ever give them business again. I did buy the saddle - I loved it. I paid $1175.
When you buy a saddle from them, they give you a $20 free coupon. I spent exactly $19.95 and not a penny more.
I would suggest if you guys are going to place a saddle on consignment that you also discuss offers. Was the price good on my saddle? Not really. It wasn’t terrible - I had found other of the same model (different sizes) for $900 elsewhere…but I needed an 18 MW!
Good luck!
Thats a really good point too, and I’m glad you posted it. If I were selling a saddle I would want to take offers… then again, a shop if they accept offers on some, but not others, because different sellers have different criteria, could make for many headaches.
Rick’s is good about the saddles, but they take either 25% commission OR you get the full amount as a store credit. Unfortunately, I don’t want that much store credit, so they don’t have my saddle. However, if you are happy w/ the store credit, they will bring you any offer if you want, or offers w/i a certain range, etc… They are very accomodating that way.
I’m sorry you had such a lousy experience w/ Pelham. It really is sad that customer service has gone the same way as most common sense…
25% commission is a pretty standard rate…
I just tried a couple of saddles at pelham. They just had them in a plastic bag and rolled the flaps and placed in a box. No extra packing material. The one saddle was a used saddle that was being sold for $100 less than the new price. I had expected when it arrived that it would be in near new condition. While it was in good shape, no way was it worth $100 less than the new price. I thought if it fit I would offer a more reasonable price, but since it didn’t I just sent it back. I cant believe they dont at least contact the seller. In this market you never know. Your first offer may be your best and only.
Hmmm. I was told that the rolling and stuffing of the saddles was not the norm by the person who manages the consignment saddles. It would be interesting to have feedback regarding Pelham’s shipping of their new saddles. I wonder if they roll those too?
That is why I would never put a saddle on consignment, I just sell them outright. Not only do you do better money wise but you don’t have to worry about the care of a very expensive item out of your sight. I have seen a local shop in OK that just stacks saddles like plates, throws them on the floor, etc. Once they sold a saddle of mine and sold it for HALF of my lowest price. No apology, no offer to make up the $$. They often lose saddles, lose paperwork, etc…
Traumwind, I will assume that you have not visited Pelham Saddlery. Saddles are stacked 6-8 on top of each other. Customers tear through the piles of saddles, throwing them on the floor and just stacking any old way afterwards. When I started taking in consignment saddles, I was no longer open to the public, so saddles are put on their own stand and covered. No customers pawing over them. As for shipping, I go through a huge ordeal to pack them very carefully and then insure for value. In 14 years, haven’t had one problem. However, I have seen customers just throw them back in the box when returning. In my opinion, the buck stops with the shop and the shop accepts full responsibility for the care of the saddle I take at least a dozen photos that can be send out to potential customers. This also gives me a record of the saddle and any blemishes in case I need to file with UPS.
As for offers, I research each saddle and determain a realistic sellling price instead of “lets try this price”.
As for rolling and stuffing a saddle in a small box…I’d be right on top of that. No excuse. Guess they must be doing so much business they can afford to lose a few customers.
My brand new $5000 County was shipped to me rolled up and put inside what was, essentially, an over sized shipping tube. I was surprised, but it was is flawless condition when it was unpacked.
This actually seems to be a pretty common method of transportation, however the box probably should have been sturdier.
Shipping tubes are pretty sturdy, I was thinking the last time that I shipped a saddle that a round container would be a better choice than a square one!
[QUOTE=ExJumper;3990116]
My brand new $5000 County was shipped to me rolled up and put inside what was, essentially, an over sized shipping tube. I was surprised, but it was is flawless condition when it was unpacked.
This actually seems to be a pretty common method of transportation, however the box probably should have been sturdier.[/QUOTE]
I recently bought a demo from County and it came to me this way, as well. I was a little surprised when I saw the box -couldn’t believe that my saddle was actually in it, but it was in excellent condition!
My Neidersuss-Hippostar was shipped to me from Holland. The box looked like it had been kicked all the way from Europe to Colorado. I was horrified!
Fortunately, the saddle was unharmed.
I bought an Albion from Trumbull Mountain not long ago. It arrived nicely packed and padded. I’ve sold saddles through Pelham and was happy with their service – but have no idea how the saddles were treated once they left my hands.
