What's Up With Some Online Horse Shops Being Identical?

[spaceagejuliet]

I used to work for that “State Line Tack in a PetSmart store” in NJ! Its great to think I may have helped some of you there in the past <3

From what I know:

State Line was originally a brick and mortar shop, and expanded. They were then bought by a larger dog/pet mail order company. PetSmart then bought that company.

After that, PetSmart operated State Line for a while and expanded sections into their stores. (I believe every horse owner has something like 2.4 dogs).

Then, State Line was sold to TABcom, its current owner. Its a bigger company that specializes in running niche online retail sites. They owned Dog.com and have picked up a lot of other online retailers since, including both Horse.com and State Line.

[BatCoach]

@furlong47

Our Petsmart had a fairly large Stateline section in it. It was there from at least the mid 90s, because I know I got my first breeches there and I remember going there to spend my very first tax refund as a teen :lol: It closed sometime in the mid to late 00s and was replaced in that part of the store by a Banfield pet clinic. I got some pretty good deals at the clearance sale too.

I used to work at the SLT in a Petsmart in my late teens and it was so fun. I loved stocking the shelves and helping people select the right item. Quite a few times non-horse people would wander into the horse section and start asking questions. It was a good opportunity to educate. I miss the old SLT.

[Toblersmom]

@avjudge

In the case of State Line Tack & Horse.com, while it does seem skeevy (and I’m not a fan of their constant x% off-but-not-really pricing), that’s really what happened. State Line Tack was a store on the NH/Mass. border that was bought by a big operator some years back (which either became or was bought in turn by Tabcom); from the Horse.com site, “In 2005, TABcom, LLC (formerly PetsUnited) acquired Country Supply, rebranded it as Horse.com and established an online presence.” I’m pretty sure Tabcom also owns one or (probably) more non-horse online pet brands.

My assumption had been that, as suggested above, they kept the separate brands for loyalty purposes, but that doesn’t make so much sense for horse.com which I now find didn’t have that name in its prior (independent) life. But I’m not in marketing - I’m sure they think there’s a reason!

Interesting, I thought State Line Tack started with a store on the PA/MD border. At least there was a State Line Tack located there in the mid to late 90’s. I drove by it everyday going from Oxford, PA to Elkton, MD.

[Bluey]

@BatCoach

I used to work at the SLT in a Petsmart in my late teens and it was so fun. I loved stocking the shelves and helping people select the right item. Quite a few times non-horse people would wander into the horse section and start asking questions. It was a good opportunity to educate. I miss the old SLT.

Good of you to help customers.

As a customer, once I bought horse feed, fly spray and a hoof pick.
They were on sale and everyone needs more hoof picks, right?

At the counter, the lady there was looking it over, turning it this and that way.
Then she asked what it was, so she could look it up in their computer?

[BatCoach]

@Bluey She prob thought it was a funny looking screwdriver haha. Smartpak has a funny video series where they put horsey stuff like a fly mask in front of non horse people and make them guess what it is.

[findeight]

@marymane

Huh, interesting. The more you know, I guess. I didn’t think any of the stores mentioned were scams since I’ve never heard bad reviews just that I didn’t understand why there were “copies” and what motivation a business would have to do it.

If you never see any bad reviews? That, in itself ,is suspicious.and is not a way to judge any online business. Fake reviews are easy to create and legit businesses will get some disgruntled customers no matter how good they are. If nothing but sunshine and rainbows shows up, yellow flag.

[findeight]

@Toblersmom

Interesting, I thought State Line Tack started with a store on the PA/MD border. At least there was a State Line Tack located there in the mid to late 90’s. I drove by it everyday going from Oxford, PA to Elkton, MD.

I bought at State Line Tack in Plaistow NH, just north of Boston on the NH line circa 1992. Bought at Dover in Wellesley MA back then too. Neither is the same today.

[IndysMom]

There was a state line tack outside of Rochester ny. Got my first pair of hobbyhorse chaps there!

[seabreeze]

@Toblersmom

Interesting, I thought State Line Tack started with a store on the PA/MD border. At least there was a State Line Tack located there in the mid to late 90’s. I drove by it everyday going from Oxford, PA to Elkton, MD.

I remember there was a State Line Tack store in Hockessin, DE…right around where DE/MD/PA all come together. When I built my little barn back in the mid-90’s, I made the trip up there to buy all my barn supplies. There’s a Dover store in the same location now, I believe.

[marymane]

@catieeesm

Most of the same tack stores source from the same companies. I’ve actually become a fan of supporting the smaller, more boutique equestrian stores. There are a bunch out there like Wellesley Equestrian, The Stylish Equestrian and My Equestrian Style. I feel like we should be supporting more small businesses in the horse world.

I’ve heard of Wellesley. I’d really love to try one of the candles they stock some day…if I can ever get over the guilt of spending almost $20 bucks on one. As a novelty gift it’s a great idea though. Though definitely not the sort of thing one would want to get if they used candles a lot and burned through them fast.

[marymane]

@findeight

If you never see any bad reviews? That, in itself ,is suspicious.and is not a way to judge any online business. Fake reviews are easy to create and legit businesses will get some disgruntled customers no matter how good they are. If nothing but sunshine and rainbows shows up, yellow flag.

I didn’t mean I’d never heard anyone speaking negatively about them. Just that I’d never heard anything legitimately shady that would make them worthy of avoiding at all costs. Their service seems pretty average from what I’ve seen and heard though I’ve personally never ordered from them.

[walktrot]

The original State Line Tack was in a barn in Plaistow, New Hampshire that is now Dover Saddlery. They did some major work before they opened, including moving the stairway that goes to the basement. State Line was a destination store because they had a good inventory, great prices, and they were in tax-free NH a couple of miles from the Massachusetts border. We used to get a group together in the spring to stock up for the season. Dover was in Wellesley MA before it started to grow to what it is now. Pelham Saddlery is about 15-20 minutes from Plaistow. When I was saddle shopping in 2000 I was cautioned to stop at State Line and try some, but don’t buy anything. Head to Pelham for a much better selection of new and used. I had an “ah” and left with an Albion. Back then Pelham had a decent selection of clothing, tack and supplies. Now just about every corner is stuffed with saddles.