Do You Equine Shop Online or Shop Locally?

[DougalJ]

Just curious to know how you equine shop? Do you tend to surf the internet and find that the easier option or do you support your local saddlery. I will admit I do a bit of both but if I can find what I need I will shop locally and try not to look at whether I can then get it cheaper online. Having had a clothes shop many years ago and how hard it is these days to stay in business, these local saddleries need the support. However some products I need I cannot find locally so I then buy it online. What are your shopping habits?

 

[Ranyhyn]

online, every time.

 

[flying solo]

I mostly shop online because the tack shops around my area are pretty poor. No where stocks 4ft9 rugs for the shetland and buying my daughter riding clothes etc is almost impossible. I went to purchase trimmers for doing the ponies faces the cheapest I could get from the 3 local tack shops were £75.49! I went to boots and bought mens hair clippers for £10 and they worked a treat. I will purchase proper equine one's but not at silly prices x

 

[cm2581]

I used to shop locally but Derby house bought said shop and made it awful - I could never get what I wanted. But now the previous owners have bought it back so things are looking up!! Unfortunately I have since moved away from that area and I'm really struggling. There is one shop that used to be good but a new manager seems to be trashing it!!

 

[pebblemania]

Normally I shop locally as like to support and I always want things right now! Recently been going online as things do seem to be cheaper. not trying to plug but have had a couple of rugs from an online supplier that is local to me so dont feel too bad about not supporting local business. Good value and service: www.hgequestrian.co.uk:)

 

[karen_c]

A mixture of the two, local tack shop are very helpful and happy to exchange things if I get the sizes wrong so have bought things for the horse, most rugs etc from them, but they don't have a massive selection of clothing so a lot of the stuff for me comes from the interweb!

 

[Gilbey]

Online always because of price and quality. The only shops around tend to sell very cheap rubbish.

 

[muddygreymare]

Online now but used to be a mixture until I stopped going to the saddlery as they were so rude. Mostly shopped online beforehand though as they were quite expensive in there compared to online

 

[Tost]

The local tack shop was so overly priced that I soon resorted to driving 40 minutes to the neighbouring county as a tack shop there was awesome. They had everything I needed there. It was not cheap but it wasn't anywhere near as expensive as my local tack shop and the staff were really friendly and gave me advice every time I enquired on a product. I did also use Derby House and had no problems with them.

 

[Ranyhyn]

I would love to support and shop at local tack shops, but the only one local is well outpriced by the internet and in this day and age you can't very well spend more money keeping other people afloat when you yourself are sinking!

Such a shame

Locally I think we have Pritchards, Robinsons and thats about it I think.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I buy hay-nets and most rugs from local place as I am there buying feed, otherwise on-line especially Ebay, as I am buying second hand or the sort of things not stocked locally, I find I can research on-line, thus I got the Swivel stirrups which are great, if not indispensible, a second hand but perfect Wintec, and a second or third hand Jeffries saddle.

 

[Paddy Irish]

I do try to shop locally but my local shop doesnt sell the make of rug that i like so most of my rug buying comes via prequestrian through eBay , oh and also my champion riding hat which was £30 cheaper at afore mentioned eBay shop , but i did have it fitted by my friend who works in a saddlery and is qualified to fit a hat! I will be having a new saddle for paddy next week though, which i will by from my local shop , just to make sure that the fit is correct , i wouldn't trust that i could get it right buying this most important piece of kit on-line , so my conscience is clear..

 

[MrsHutt]

Both, really. The most local tack shop is really helpful and will order in anything you want, but are not cheap (they do have good sales, sometimes). Then there's Speedgate and Frogpool not far away (for trying on! ) I'll use these if I can't wait for something, but otherwise I'll mainly go on line.

I'm also a terrible impulse shopper, so when those on line companies send me emails advertising 'bargains' I am usually tempted (even if I don't need anything!!)

 

[DougalJ]

So upshot so far is that the local tack shops need to up their game a bit as general opinion is that we tend to use the internet for our shopping for choice and fair prices...

 

[H20AYL]

I own an equestrian supplies website and Ive had mixed feedback as a lot of people like to be able to see what theyre buying and they like to be able to buy stuff now, rather than wait!
It might be a shop for me next year!!

 

[poorchickens]

I live 10 mins from Ingatestone Saddlery which is excellent so am there most weekends A lot of their stock is as cheap as places online, with the added bonus of being able to return it if need be.

Otherwise, I have some favourite sellers on eBay (for matchy matchy) and Equestrian Clearance is brill for rugs.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I own an equestrian supplies website and Ive had mixed feedback as a lot of people like to be able to see what theyre buying and they like to be able to buy stuff now, rather than wait!
It might be a shop for me next year!!

If you are making a profit stick with it, the costs of a shop are horrific, and feedback from customers is not always accurate, after all they are your on-line customers so must be happy to use you.
Yes, they will be more likely to buy Lickits on impulse, but look at your core sales streams, how many footfalls would you need, to sell as many from a retail outlet?

 

[Snowysadude]

I do both as we do have a cheap and cheerful place (sheilas) with a slightly mad but brilliant owner so it work well. Local tackshops to me otherwise are very expensive although for the area I am in there is more than most people think (5 or 6 within 20 mins of my house).

 

[hairycob]

I mostly use RB Equestrian as I can nip there in my lunch break & will ofen get stuff in if they don't stock it. I do scour ebay first though for bargains.