Do you still buy from tack shops?

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Tilda

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As per the title really I am interested in finding out for a project I am doing whether people still buy from tack shops and if so what sort of things and how much on average would you spend on a monthly/ yearly basis?

I tend to buy things that need to fit well eg: hat or emergency items like fly spray the midges seem to appear overnight for everything else I tend to research and buy on line but wondered whether I was alone in this?
 
I rarely buy online - I like to support my local tack shop which provides excellent advice, a good range and competitive pricing. For example, I purchased a drop noseband a few months back, a decent English one so not cheap, they ordered it in for me as the ones they had in stock did not fit. As horse now sold I asked them at the weekend if they would possibly take it back (was never used) for a credit but they happily gave me my money back. An online shop would not give you this kind of service. This kind of service is no doubt why they were named BETA retailer of the year for the 2nd time in 2011. Just about the only thing I but online are supastuds which I buy direct from the manufacturer. If everyone bought everything online your local tack shop would not be there when you need something in an emergency, food for thought!
 
Yes our local tack shop is very obliging and helpful with a really knowledgeable owner. She gets stuff in for us and is always willing to try to help. I usually visit the big stores like Robbis or DH rather than order off them. I have used Equestrian clearance and was very happy with them.
FDC
 
Jane_Lou said:
If everyone bought everything online your local tack shop would not be there when you need something in an emergency, food for thought!
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Very good point Jane_Lou although my local 'tack' shop is predominently a feed store and I do by my feed from there. Also now I think of it I seem to have a lot of emergencies as I'm sure I've bought something else from them every month over the winter!
 
I always buy from the local tack shops.

I don't want to risk that something I buy will not fit. There seems to be discrepancies in sizing depending on manufacturer ie. head collars, my horse has both full and cob size that fit.
I don't want the hassle of sending something back for a replacement and for that reason alone I will continue to shop local :).
 
I buy my feed at the local tack/feed shop, but they are VERY expensive for bits & bobs. I have just found somewhere near work that seems very good though, so will be going there more.

I do buy some stuff off Ebay - I love weird & different bits, and they mainly come off ebay.
 
Buy most of my tack and rugs online, its cheaper and there's more choice. I used to buy various bits and bobs from my local tack store but after disgusting customer service last time I don't really want to buy anything from them any more. Will have a look at the sale rugs and tack as you can get some bargains.

Buy my feed from a local little feed shop where they know me, lovely people and he'll order anything in for me.
 
If I possibly can, I do buy from tack shops. Unfortunately the Internet has meant many tack shops have been forced to close.:(
 
I never, ever, buy online.

Well, actually I do, I order from my tack store and then go and collect. ;)

I have a farm store 25 minutes away in the nearest town for buckets etc and Veterinary stuff (anything from needles to anti-biotics and de-wormer off the shelf), a local feed merchant 10 minutes away, and an excellent tack store just 15 minutes away (the largest in the Province, and the Province is seven times the size of England;)) for everything else both English and Western.
 
I mostly buy when I'm at a show - so from 'tack shops in a tent' :D. We don't have a very local tack shop and the big shows have so much more choice.

I also buy online when I know exactly what I want. But very often they are internet sites run by a tack shop so don't really see the problem with it.
 
I used to buy from my local tack shop,but then he opened an ebay store and wouldn't let you pick things up .he would only post,i refuse to pay £2.00 postage on something i can collect in 15 mins,so not anymore but on the plus side i can get to robinsons in 20 mins :D
 
We are lucky in that we have 3 tack shops within 10 minutes drive. One is also a feed store and there is another feed store about 10 minutes away. We get all our feed and bedding locally and buy all supplements there as well. We buy gloves, grooming kit, hairnets, plaiting thread etc locally too. I wouldn't dream of buying a hat/BP on-line, as these need to be fitted correctly.
Unfortunately all the local shops only seem to sell clothing for skinny minnies, so I have bought breeches online.
Also visit Robinson's/Derby House (about an hour away) every now and again.
I much prefer to be able to judge the quality of whatever I am buying than risk finding that the item is not what I wanted and having to pay to send it back.
Our local tack shops provide all sorts of services, such as bit loan, adverts for livery yards etc, stocking schedules for local shows. One in particular has very knowledgeable staff, who are more than willing to offer advice if asked.
It would be a sad loss if any of these shops were to close IMO.
 
MrsMozart said:
Yup :D

For the 'Got it now!' feeling :D

The 'I need it Now!' times.

The 'Postage is too high!' times.

The 'I want to be able to try it on 'cos I won't be bothered to send it back if it doesn't fit' times.
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god yer and i like my tack shop it smells good (new horsey stuff) and its a nice sociable place:)
 
Most definitely. I like to be able to see and feel what I'm getting and try it on if it's for me. My old tack shop was also a place to gather for gossip and would mind your puppy while you went shopping and didn't mind if it wee'd. They would let rugs etc out on approval as long as you tried them on over a thin summer sheet or something and you could just take them back if they didn't fit. You can look at the adverts as well at the same time. I also buy at Burghley each year and take advantage of special offers, buy one get one free etc on supplements and the like. I find that most of the stall holders will let you bring i.e. rugs back if they don't fit, but that does depend on you being there for more than one day. Can't be doing with e-bay. Was a nice idea to start off with, but like everything is now just commercialised.
 
I use both, I'm the ultimate bargain hunter (tightwad, get it from my father).

Today I bought a nice white padded numnah and some sheepskin lined overreach boots, they were both very reasonable.
This tack shop is mainly a feed store, so the stuff is usually quite expensive, I don't usually buy anything but feed from there.

I have a horsatack near where I live too, and their prices are always good. I buy the odd things from there, a cheap polypad type thing, a medium weight weatherbeeta combo rug for £44.99, treats, joules stuff if I'm feeling flush (or if it's in the sale) fly spray, shampoo, feed supp etc etc. Actually that is quite a lot of stuff now I've typed it haha :P

If I can get it online cheaper I will though, I am a proper ebayer, I WILL stay up untill 2am to get whatever it is cheap :P haha.
Equestrian clearance is good if you get it before it's sold out (a day after being put up).

I like to feel like I do support my local shops, but I also like to feel like I've had a bargain. Sales people know this and don't bother with me now, they know I won't buy it haha :D
 
I almost exclusively buy online. My local tack shop closed about 5years ago and although dh and robbies are about 45mins away i dont really like going- find them a bit souless to be honest. I miss that local feeling, the woman who owned the saddlery up the road always chatted, was a world full of info, and that smell....of leather...mmmmmm takes me back to my childhood...and you just dont get that in the big super stores.

So i tend to buy everything online while im in work- especially if i can get free shipping. Im another one who likes ebay too..but you do have t have the time and patience to be bothered with it! ...good to do while the footie is on!
 
I do a 3-4 times a year, as it's a bit of a distance to travel to.
The rest of the time I buy online, and that's also because generally they are things that my local tack store does not carry.
 
My local tack shop owner's horses share a field with mine, and is also my best friend!
I get pretty much everything from her as I get a 10% discount - she's not very expensive in the first place, and she'll bring stuff down to the yard for me (and take it back/bring a different size if it doesn't fit!) I call that good customer service, and wouldn't go anywhere else!
It really annoys me when you hear people say "I'll try it on in the tack shop, then look for the cheapest price online"
If you've had the service from the tack shop, do them a favour and cough up the extra few ££'s. You might not be able to do this when all the small tack shops have closed down through lack of business, and it might ultimately cost you more when you have to pay return postage for something doesn't fit!
 
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