Setting up a small tack shop.... Also in careers

[Ginge Crosby]

Anyone done it/got any ideas how to?

Just something i've been pondering over, and just wondering where to start, for example where to get stock from, how much stock to buy in, what sort of business rates there are to pay, that sort of thing.

also in careers & ed

cheers guys

 

[bj666]

Research your area . Is there a need for a shop ? If so who will you be aiming it at , who are your customers ? You have to compete with the internet , not easy on a small scale . Derby House it seems are closing their shops apart from 1 and consentrating on the internet more , so even more pressure on small shops to offer that little bit extra . You need to have a reasonable selection but not too much , you will buy in mistakes and have to sell them off before you can buy in new stock ( unless you have spare money ) . But the main thing is customer service .... that will make or break you . You have to be knowledgeable on alot of subjects , bits ,rugs, lotions , potions , tack , jod fittings , etc etc , offer suggestions but dont be pushy. Dont preach to your customers , be interested in what they say and tell you , try to remember them next time they are in . A smile and hello but dont pounce on them when they walk in thru the door but dont leave them too long before you ask if they need any help . Think about what you like about your fav shops and try to do that . Deal with good quality companies and you wont go far wrong . You will need to either give them references for credit when you open an account ( if they want you ) and there is usually quite a big first order you have to place with each company ( afew thousand pounds ) or pay as you go . Have a suitable shop that people can park easily near by , good display room and keep it tidy . Be honest with your customers , if you dont know ,say ,or ask the company . Like I say treat your customers as you want to be treated . Big money commitment , big time commitment , no days off unless you are going to employ someone .... big worry if things slow down , but .... people will always spend on their horses ... new rug ... fly spray ... headcollar ....bridle broke need a new one ... bit .... shampoo etc etc so stick to what sells before you rush in to stocking Katie Price stuff !!!!! NOT !!!!
Talk to your bank , they need to be your friend and Im sure they can help with a business manager person who will help with setting up . Take your time to trot around yards , farriers, dentists , riding clubs , vets and advertise where you are and what you do and opening hours . Maybe be a drop off point for a rug washing service ? Lots to think about ... Good Luck

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I echo everything bj666 has said. And it's worth reiterating: it's not only Derby House who are evolving to reflect a changing market place. I have 2 local tack shops and both now hold far less stock than a year ago. One shop has morphed into a general pet store - they're very good for rugs and feed/bedding but their other stock is very limited. The second shop is ok and can order stuff in for you but it's very expensive and, again, a high proportion of their trade is feed/bedding. Starting up a new, small tack shop, you will never be able to compete with on line suppliers for price. What you would probably find is that customers call in to get the hands-on side of buying, but once they'd decided which one to nuy, they go off and buy it on line or from e-bay! Internet shopping is the future I'm afraid and I doubt of you'd get a small tack shop off the ground to be honest.

Do your market research very very carefully or you could get your fingers badly burned!

 

[unicornleather]

I echo everything bj666 has said. And it's worth reiterating: it's not only Derby House who are evolving to reflect a changing market place. I have 2 local tack shops and both now hold far less stock than a year ago. One shop has morphed into a general pet store - they're very good for rugs and feed/bedding but their other stock is very limited. The second shop is ok and can order stuff in for you but it's very expensive and, again, a high proportion of their trade is feed/bedding. Starting up a new, small tack shop, you will never be able to compete with on line suppliers for price. What you would probably find is that customers call in to get the hands-on side of buying, but once they'd decided which one to nuy, they go off and buy it on line or from e-bay! Internet shopping is the future I'm afraid and I doubt of you'd get a small tack shop off the ground to be honest.

Do your market research very very carefully or you could get your fingers badly burned!

As the previous 2 posters have said .
It is VERY hard to do,whatever you have in stock someone will always want what you haven't got and when you say you can order it, they simply won't wait and go elsewhere.
The internet largely killed my trade, my bread and butter money was saddlery repairs, in the last 15 years or so people just buy new imported saddlery so I couldn't compete.
Repairs I must say, are making a bit of a come back in the last couple of years or so, maybe due to the economy at the moment, people are making do, but I design and make new saddlery and accessories and have some unique products no one else has to sell, that is what keeps me going plus the repairs, saddle fitting & flocking.
If you have the services of a Saddler to fall back on then you will gain more customers. I repair tack for some other saddlery shops, this attracts more customers to them rather than jo bloggs up the road who doesn't do repairs and bespoke saddlery manufacture and while they are in the shop, they often impulse buy more goods than they intended!
TRY to sell unique products that not many are selling if you can source them.
Where about's are you?
Have you got any suppliers (wholesalers) lined up?
I can give you a run down on the main ones if you pm me, hope this helps, Oz

PS.Forgot to add, back in the middle 90's I had a small saddlery shop in a parade of shops, was the worst thing I could have done, so expensive to run, insurances, council rates, wages for staff, electricity,phone etc as soon as you are in business everyone jumps on the bandwagon and charges you more.
I soon went back to having a small workshop here where I live and sell mainly online.pm me and I will show you my sites.

 

[Ginge Crosby]

Thanks for the replies.

TBH i've just been brainstorming what to do with my life, having my own little business would be my idea of a perfect career but i would rather take a bite of reality and decide if it's a viable option BEFORE jumping into something and 'getting my fingers burnt', as someone else wisely put it!

I'm on the outskirts of Aberystwyth; there's a general store (like countrywide) in Aber town and one in the next town over (Tregaron), but no real proper 'tack' shops that i'm aware of (someone else from the area please point me in the right direction if i'm wrong!!). These 2 stores, whilst their equine staff are fantastically helpful, don't have a big range, nothing is ever priced up (or if it is, it doesnt include VAT so you get to the till and its more expensive than you thought). Prices vary wildy - some things are ALOT more expensive than you'd find on the net, and others are nearly half the price of a net bargain. eg i bought a fly mask last night from the one in Tregaron because it was about £4 cheaper than i could get online.

I'd be the first person to hold my hands up and say if i can get it cheaper online, i will; i just wondered if it would be possible to run a small shop and compete with the online prices.... if i was to go down this route, I would run an online service alongside the shop, as i know many people prefer to shop online.

My friend has had a rug washing service set up for a couple of months, so the rug drop-off idea is something i'd definitely be looking into. The local stores had a similar service with another rug washing service, but chances were if you dropped off your rugs with them for cleaning you wouldnt see them for a good 6 months; their service has definitely lost popularity so again being able to offer this as a well run service would definitely be welcomed in the area!

Also, i was amazed when this friend said she wasnt going to offer rug repairs..... it only seemed common sense to me to offer this alongside rug washing - if i had a filthy broken rug, i wouldnt want to send it to be cleaned, THEN to a repairer. As i'm pretty handy with a sewing machine, and repair all my rugs myself, i think offering a repair service would also be something i'd look into.

again, thanks for the replies, given me some food for thought!

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

OP, how about looking at a franchise? You may not get a tack shop one, but you could have a good lifestyle, work from home and be your boss, with having back up too. We do have our own pet shop/tack and feed store, but we also have an Oscar pet food franchise. There are franchise fairs http://www.thefranchiseshow.co.uk/

 

[Kaylum]

Get yourself a good accountant and I mean that and a website even if its just to show what you sell. You will be surprised how much that will help your business as people are willing to travel quite a distance if you have good stuff to look at and opening on a sundays which not many do. Dont get masses of stock but make sure you can get it within a week. so pick and choose your suppliers. The best one we had we were able to walk around their warehouse and just buy what we wanted and the minimum amount was £100. But that was about 8 years ago when the .com boom had started and we made a lot of money. Now everyone has got into the online shopping business and there is a lot of competition. We made a lot of money online and ended up selling the business just at the right time. We also had a good contract with a carrier.

If you need any advice pm me and I will see if I can help as I have helped quite a few people in the past.

 

[Hairy Old Cob]

I would advise you to not even think about in the current economic climate I have been thinking about a gun- country store but now is not the time.

 

[chilledoutpony]

Bit of a late reply here hahah! I know snowhill trade saddlery is really good for you to buy in bulk and sell on, around 100 headcollars for £1 each!

I don't like buying online if I am honest, I love the experience of going to the tack shop. Picking and choosing. If I go to the actual shop I tend to pick up something I don't neccacarily need! If I'm shopping on the internet for a rug, some jods. Id only buy that,but in the tack shop I might pick up a lickit and some lavender wash or something (just an example)!

Vouchers are always good, offer vouchers. For 2014 Christmas I was bought £40 vouchers and i've only got £2 left on it now!

I would set one up if i was you! If I could,I would!

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

There were several small start ups which failed locally, I think they wanted to sell saddlery, the only one that started up and stayed is one which is near the ferry terminal, so gets all trade from the largish island plus surrounding, I mean about 15 miles radius.
She also trades online, though this is not obvious, not promoted in the shop and different name.
She has a lot of rugs, I mean can offer two or three choices. A few saddles, boots, lots of brushes etc, lots of supplements, shampoos. Good selection of clothes for teenagers and adults ie her average customers, small changing room.
Opens 11.00 or 12.00 to 5.00 or 5.30, 5 days a week, so manages to keep her horses.
Its hard work and really a one man band, knows all her customers, has a noticeboard, stocks branded feeds, and some unbranded horse and pony nuts. Its a small store in an industrial estate, so will not attract pet owners, she does not do deliveries either.
The other one I use has similar customer base and is basically a feed store with extras., not rugs, probably no storage.5 days a week 11.00 to 6.00, again a one man band. She does deliveries, but I think it is far too much for her, seen her delivering at 11.00pm! Also sells garden stuff, plants, shrubs etc, obviously therefore needs to have knowledge of both.
Neither are making a massive profit [I think], even though established a number of years.

PS did we ever get feedback from OP?