Derby House Closing- what do you think?

well if they want to survive online they will need to pull their socks up! their service is appalling.

charging 6 squid p&p for a pair of bandages I don't think so.

I gave up using them years ago. taking money for goods not in stock without informing the customer is not the way to do business
 
Is this the same Derby House online that regularly gets slated on here?:confused: if it is they need to concentrate on their online service!!:eek:;rolleyes:

As for closing the shops TBH I am not surprised as you will see a lot more retailers of all sorts going this way in the next 12-18 months as people are in 'economy' mode and try and cut their spending on anything other necessities - how many people on here check eBay and other online shops when buying things in favour of using a local shop?:confused: Personally I rarely buy things from shops these days - its either online or from a big show as the products arfe either significantly cheaper or are different from the shops:o I appreciate its difficult for shops with huge rent, rates, staffing bills etc but if they all persist in selling the same stuff instead of differentiating themselves it will keep happening:rolleyes:
 
dwteam said:
I'm only suprised that the Wrightington store is mangaing to afloat to be honest, as the staff are uninterested, sniffy and unknowledgeable. I asked not so long ago about Sprenger stirrups and the assistant told me a lot of old garbage. I pointed out her inaccuracies to her and she got all hoity toity about it. A couple of the younger girls are not so bad but some of the 'old hands' think they're above serving you. I take my buisiness elsewhere now.
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I always found the staff at my local DH store to be helpful and I usually went away with more than what I went for...

Shame. I will not buy from them online because they are so unreliable, with no interest in the customer...
 
The shop is nowhere near as good as it used to be so i am not shocked everytime i go there i seem to come out empty handed as they didnt have what i wanted was far better before they took it over
 
PoppyAnderson said:
I'm only suprised that the Wrightington store is mangaing to afloat to be honest, as the staff are uninterested, sniffy and unknowledgeable. I asked not so long ago about Sprenger stirrups and the assistant told me a lot of old garbage. I pointed out her inaccuracies to her and she got all hoity toity about it. A couple of the younger girls are not so bad but some of the 'old hands' think they're above serving you. I take my buisiness elsewhere now.
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Pretty much exactly what I was going to say! You're made to feel like you've just crawled out of the gutter if you don't go in adorned head to toe in Joules, Ariat and Dubarry and finding a member of staff to help you is usually a fairly lost cause. As for the mail order side, I've never once received an order in the quoted time. I definitely stick to the smaller tack shops, much more helpful and generally better value for money :)
 
I WILL NEVER EVER BUY FROM THEM AGAIN.

Last year I was holding a dressage and jumping day in aid of S.P.A.N.A. on 4th July 2010

i ORDERED the white dressage boards in March 2010

was told a week to 10 days .

14 days later phoned was told oh they haven't come in yet they will come next week

next week came and went phoned again got the same answer

10 days later phoned again def next week. you guessed it same again. phoned was told 28th I said is this sure thing I have a show I need them yes I was told nother 2 weeks went buy . phoned again. same thing

( many phone calls cam and went all the same)
i phoned again saying look its now only 2 weeks before my show are you going to get these in or I will buy from else where yes the girl said next Thursday. The next Friday I phoned was told oh we out of stock they will be in at the end of the month (ie July* I said

Well that is no good My show is next week and I ordered these in March. you can stick the order and I want to write a complaint which i did to manager and got NO reply.'



I will never buy from them their customer services stinks.

I then ordered them from Robinsons on the Monday before the show on express and was told they be here on the friday well they arrived on the Wed:cool: how is that for service.

I later got a catalogue from derby i phoned up and said take my name of the catalogue delivery I wont ever buy from you again and hung up.
 
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I can't say Im surprised, they've let me down with their online service repeatedly promising stock that never arrives and I find them overpriced. I've been to the shop a couple of times and again I've found it overpriced, not well stocked and hard to find what I'm looking for, and usually go away disappointed.

My local independent saddlery, Crewe and Alsager, on the other hand are fantastic. They have a range of brands at fantastic prices, their shop is friendly and well stocked, I love having a root round. If they don't have what you need then they will happily order for you, I have been using them for 20 years and I honestly don't thunk they can be beaten (and no I don't work for them!)
 
I wouldn't touch Derby House with a bargepole.
Their online system once malfunctioned and sent me three TO rugs (I ordered one).
They tried to refuse to take them back, implied that I had ordered three deliberately and just didn't realise it. When they finally agreed to take them back, they tried to get me to pay postage both ways for the rugs I hadn't ordered, and didn't want.
Never again.
S :D
 
Another one who isnt surprised the shops are closing, went to the Matlock one once and vowed never to waste my time there again, tried to sell my OH a hat that didnt fit. havent used online with them for years as got fed up with paying for stuff that wasnt in stock and taking ages for a refund
 
I must say that they are rarely busy when I go there (Wrightington store) and the quality has gone down hill. Also they rarely, if ever have what I go for, especially if it is 7ft rugs, which they never seem to have, which is annoying to say the least. Nowadays I tend to shop online, it is cheaper and quicker.
FDC
 
They are a victim of their own success....!!!

when the original Derby House was open it was a little friendly shop in a nice friendly village, then the owners retired and it all got too big and too expensive. I feel sorry for the people that are about to loos their jobs in the shops that are closing as these shops were independant before Derby House bought them.

The fact they started using Katie Price in their advertising put me off and I havent bought anything from them since !!
 
Janette said:
Katie Price on the cover of the catalogue turned me off DH. Posing like page three girl on a catalogue that kids could look at....... Gave the impression of DH being tacky and 'cheap'.

I can't see that KP is soley responsible for the downturn of DH's fortunes, but she sure as hell didn't help either.
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Well said !!!
 
Wrightington is my 'local' DH too. I remember the old one in Newburgh village - a regular Aladdin's cave. At the new one, I tend to come away empty-handed, although their lotions and potions department is impressive. I think their buyers need shooting - lots of 'tat' from goodness only knows where in the sales and some cheap awful stuff you'd expect to find at the other 'superstore' in the area. They have definitely gone downmarket, although I haven't a bad word to say about the staff. The store is very pleasant to shop in, but now has a show pony outlet where Ponies on Parade or some such has a 'stall'. Nobody was manning it and nobody was shopping at it.
The downhill slide started with Tottie (who the heck are they?) and KP.
 
brighteyes said:
Wrightington is my 'local' DH too. I remember the old one in Newburgh village - a regular Aladdin's cave. At the new one, I tend to come away empty-handed, although their lotions and potions department is impressive. I think their buyers need shooting - lots of 'tat' from goodness only knows where in the sales and some cheap awful stuff you'd expect to find at the other 'superstore' in the area. They have definitely gone downmarket, although I haven't a bad word to say about the staff. The store is very pleasant to shop in, but now has a show pony outlet where Ponies on Parade or some such has a 'stall'. Nobody was manning it and nobody was shopping at it.
The downhill slide started with Tottie (who the heck are they?) and KP.
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My local too - much preferred the old one, you could have a good rummage and they always seemed to have loads in. Went today, and they are now stocking Horze, but the big middle bit was empty. Cafe busy though!! It's Pretty Ponies that bit, went to have a show jacket altered there
 
i have been very unimpressed with their online service and try not to order from them if i can find whatever i want elsewhere. i can't even remember what happened with my order but it was very unsatisfactorily dealt with, i know that... distaste for them lingers.
they took over Olney Saddlery, which although expensive had top quality gear, and a GREAT choice of breeches in all sizes and colours, and turned it into a cheapo rubbish shop. such a shame.
 
I loved Derby House when they were still at Parbold .... lovely , lovely people and staff , we were offered tea or coffee and handmade biccies , they got a chair for my Gran and chatted to her whilst I shopped . When they moved I had 1 trip round and so disappointed , staff weren't interested and snippy when you asked questions, clearance stuff just dumped on the floor , I wanted quite alot of items but they just didnt care . The ladies in the cafe were nice and friendly and the food was good. I dont think DH brand warrents the price , and the online has been steadily getting worse . Ditto KP stuff ... brought their reputation right down and then the "chain " of shops ... too much and you cannot keep on top of customer service. Sad.
 
Derby House used to be fantastic. They used to have a huge tented area in the middle with loads of clearance stuff in - really really cheap. Then about 3 years ago just before Xmas, they opened their warehouse near Ormskirk for a two day sale. It was just a small industrial unit on an industrial estate When you walked in you were told that everything had 70% off whatever price was on the label. So I bought loads of stuff and then picked up 3 pairs of Ariat breeches which had previously been £75. So with 70% off, I expected them to be about £25 each. The girl put them through at £50 each I questioned her and she told me "Well i had to buy them at full price last week, so you're not having them at 70% off when I had to pay full price!" Needless to say, I told her where to stick her Ariat breeches. Her attitude stunk and the two male assistants behind the counter were clearly really embarrassed by her attitude.
So all I can say to the news that DH is closing is Good Riddance!
 
I used to love them, spent a large amount of money there - showing stuff mainly. Then I felt it all went a bit tacky, customer servive was not good. They did not play the game well enough so that's that.
 
Oh no.. I wonder what will happen to Olney Saddlery now. I hope someone else takes it on, and that gorgeous oak panelled, 4 storey shop, in the Market Square remains as a saddlery. I love that shop. I was sad when DH took over Olney Saddlery, but the DH Olney shop was actually still OK with plenty of stock, and as the DH brand was pretty good value, the shop always seemed busy whenever I went.

However it's not that local to me, and I must admit, I did stop making the trip over when the KP advertising campaign started. I think the whole KP thing was a massive mistake, and myself and most people I know didn't want to buy a brand (DH) that came with seedy (KP) connotations.
 
marmalade76 said:
I would say that our most local Derby House was not as good as the shop they bought out (Moreton Saddlery), more cheap nasty stuff, less good quality stuff, virtually no saddles.
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I agree - used to LOVE moreton Saddlery!

The only really good thing about Derby House in Moreton was that bargain rug room - saying that the last two rugs I got at bargain prices I did buy off of the internet - One from Robinsons and one from Equestrain Warehouse.

I think the problem is that stores can not contend with the internet any more - we as consumers are not paying through the nose if we dont have to and equestrian wares are not what they used to be 20 years ago - you have your value range, middle range and top end. It used to be all top end.... That is the problem now :D Its not just horsey stuff either! :D
 
cm2581 said:
I used to work for one of the saddleries they bought out -jet set saddery in Scotland. They also ran a mail order business. Derby house utterly ruined it. It's sad to see what Margaret and Richard built up just flushed down the toilet. I remember the original Derby house saddlery. It was a great shop. Wonder where it all went so terribly wrong? Apart from the obvious kp range!
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Totally agree - Jet Set was a great place. I always popped in when I was down in Ayrshire. They used to have a really good saddle fitter too.
We used to get the original Derby House catalogue too, in the days before the internet, and drooled over the lovely showing gear in it.
Being 5' nothing with stocky legs and no boobs, the KP range was of no interest to me - plus the colours were hideous! It really put me off Derby House.
 
I have to say having moved around the country a bit that Warwickshire was by far the best for tack shops, Tower Farm, Townfields and a little independant called Sandy's near Bulkington. DH used to be great but has got worse and worse. I waited 3 months for a tail rake. Got all sort of stupid excuses and now won't use them unless they are the last resort.
 
Derby House was a lovely place to shop when they were at Parbold. Excellent quality jackets and breeches and tack, I had a few saddles from them as well. But the rot set in when they started buying up all the independents, Jet Set Saddlery etc, who all provided a good service and some different products from the norm. After that, Derby House became a boring generic product provider with ABSOLUTELY APPALLING customer service.

I am totally unsurprised that they are selling lots of shops. I am VERY surprised that anyone still shops there!
 
Not surprised really - tack shops are really feeling it, we used to have laods were I used to live & the nearest up until a few months back was a good half hour drive from my house.

They are really rubbish at mail order though - I like DHs selection but there customer service is poor, I would never order online from them as they either send the wrong thing or they dont have what you want in stock & you have to wait. Could spell the end for them if they dont improve!
 
It would seem that I'm in the minority, but my experiences with them are all good. Bought some long leather boots half price from their website. They arrived 2 days later (free delivery) and were too small. I took them to the store and they were exchanged no problem. I go to the Lancashire store and have always found the staff to be helpful. Is this the store that is staying open? I hope so!
 
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