Market research for a tack shop.

meandmyself

meandmyself

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I'm planning to type a set of questions and post them (with a SAE) to local horsey places. I'm not sure what sort of questions I should be asking. I was thinking along the lines of this:

Would you use tackshop in X location?
What hours would be best for you?
The tackshop with stock sups/small tack/boots/fly spray/medical supplies/etc, would you buy these?
What other products would you like to see?
Would you be interested in a dog range?

Any other question that I should be asking?

Thanks!
 
Maybe ask what their most frequent horse related purchases are?

Also, where they normally purchase items. E.g. no point in stocking feeds which everone already is having delivered by a feedmerchant.

Be careful not to use too many leading questions because people will write "yes" rather than explain why it's a "maybe, but.."

Not really sure tbh, just ideas - good luck!
 
Thanks- great points!
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What about questions relating to online ordering - I would much prefer to order from my local shop if they did online ordering. Townfield are great for me because they have a brochure and I can ring up and have stuff posted out via next day delivery if necessary. Good luck.
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If you can get a copy of the BETA directory, it should show you all the equine businesses in your area, you can then use it to identify your competitors, pick a sample for your market research.
Postal surveys have a low response rate - lucky if you get 25% of them back....and respondents aren't always truthful. You may be better going to a local show etc, and interviewing people in person....you might want to address things like frequency of purchase, amount spent, online store usage (and reasons), etc.
Oh, and have you tried Mintel?
Good luck.
S
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I'd make an educated guess on how far people will travel - for sake of argument 10 miles - then map out all your competitors within 10 miles and assess what they sell and prices - take a typical "basket" - e.g. 20kg bag of horse and pony nuts, youngstock mix, Molychop, and the most popular suplements, e.g. garlic and something else. Find out by visiting or phone what they charge and what brands they sell the most of (e.g. you could ask "whats most popular" as if you were making a purchasing decision rather than you being a competitor). Same with tack and toiletries.

As for a questionnaire, I work in marketing and specialised in research questionnaires at uni, so if you want to send me a copy I can suggest any improvements. You might be best visiting yards in person, see if a few people will fill it out then and there, and you're more likely to catch the conversation with suggestions for what they can't get or who they like and don't like to buy from and why. A typical mailer response rate is 1-2%, but offer an incentive - maybe a free bag of feed or paddock lick (approx value £20?) when answers drawn out of a hat, and you can expect a postal response rate of 20-25% and higher if in person. Make it easy for them, and make them want to reply with something in it for them.
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I've had to do questionnaires for uni research - letting them post answers back is dreadful. Out of four hundred I think I got about twelve so I had to go out with a clipboard and stand in the street for just bloody hours getting what I needed. However, I worked out that if you stand there with a bag/box of brightly coloured freebies you end up with a queue. In my case, I went with a box of Brunchetta snack things, uni pens and keyrings - every respondent got one of each. In your case I'd get a lucky-dip box of goodies - packs of horsey treats, mane combs, hoof picks, plastic curry combs, horsey pens/keyrings/post-it notes, jodhpur clips, an instant tack-wipe cloth, a coat-sheen cloth, etc. etc. (but keep them cheap or you'll end up bankrupt!) and say they can take their pick of one if they'll just answer your questions. I know I'm a sucker for things like that and this way you get the all important market research that you need.

Be prepared, however, for the most shockingly rude and abrupt refusals ever, and try to mention the goodies before the questionnaire. If you're prepared for a gruelling day, and you're at a big enough show with enough treats to go round, you could get upwards of two hundred respondents (my best in one day before I nearly died of exhaustion was 218) but it's excruciatingly hard work.
 
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