Shopping at HOYS

AnotherNewbie said:
....who goes to hoys for the day and impulsively buys a new lorry just because they are displaying them?!
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To be fair, I had been to look at Equitrec and Alexanders at their premises for a new box as my hip was making driving a big manual box difficult and I wanted a small one. I had shelved the idea of a small box as I didn't like the quality of the boxes I had seen.

Went to Osberton, saw a Bloomfields and loved it. It was another year before I got the wherewithal to actually buy one, but if I had not seen one there then I would not have. It was certainly over the price that I had intended to pay, but the difference in quality was out of this world, and had I not seen them exhibiting I would never have seen them. With the price being above my budget, I simply would not have got in the car and visited the factory. Once seen we juggled finances to make it happen.
 
Red-1 said:
To be fair, I had been to look at Equitrec and Alexanders at their premises for a new box as my hip was making driving a big manual box difficult and I wanted a small one. I had shelved the idea of a small box as I didn't like the quality of the boxes I had seen.

Went to Osberton, saw a Bloomfields and loved it. It was another year before I got the wherewithal to actually buy one, but if I had not seen one there then I would not have. It was certainly over the price that I had intended to pay, but the difference in quality was out of this world, and had I not seen them exhibiting I would never have seen them. With the price being above my budget, I simply would not have got in the car and visited the factory. Once seen we juggled finances to make it happen.
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Agree with this ^^. Ive been umming and arring about changing transport. Having the old trailer versus van versus 7.5t debate. So when i visit a show the boxes are the first thing i go and look at. The bloomsfield ones certainly seem to be the best, and i certainly wouldnt have travelled to there site to view. Just need to save some pennies, by which time i will have no doubt changed my mind again and will need another show so i can finally make a decision
 
jojo5 said:
Come on guys........as long as you are under 15 years of age, the size of a whippet and love your designer riding gear and tack to have more bling than a Swarovski factory, you’ll be fine at HOYS....😜
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You have just described my daughter perfectly, and removed my last excuse not to go next year!
 
I went for the first time on Saturday, OH got me tickets for my birthday. I absolutely loved the actual horse stuff - showjumping, scurry driving, displays etc.

I was a bit disappointed by the shopping. Got a couple of things but there was nowhere near as much horsey stuff as I expected, and what there was was not massively appealing. I don't want to spend £40 on a new numnah/saddle-cloth... especially not when it's covered in bling! I have never understood the need for horsey stuff to be sparkly/blingy...

Plus it was almost impossible to get into most of the "saddlery" stalls because it was so cramped.

I enjoyed my day though, but wouldn't go just for the shopping.
 
When it was at Wembley (I only went a couple of times years and years ago) I don't remember much in the way of shopping stalls, as there simply wasn't the room. The show was just about the horses and the competition.

I supposed moving to the NEC means that there is much more space, so the organisers want to fill it up to make money. I wonder with all this live streaming if the organisers are shooting themselves in the foot. I was going to Blenheim on cross country day but because of the live streaming I went on the cheaper dressage day, had leisure to walk round the course and then watched it at home.

I think there is a bit of a crisis for traders overall.
 
I've been to HOYS three or four times now and I was also really disappointed by the lack of stands this year. I remember five years ago it was PACKED with them - I remember getting there this year and thinking 'Where's the rest of the stalls?' - half the space was empty!

The few that were actually horsey were the new 'designer' start-up brands selling breeches for 100 quid.

I missed the stalls that were jam packed with bargains :(
 
Sorry, Darbs..🤣🤣

The best place for shopping used to be Hickstead (it maybe still is, I am just too far away to get there now) - there were loads of stands, many of which were directly equestrian, and others which were nice quality merchandise. There was also a separate set of stands over at the dressage. And when I think about it, lots of my bigger purchases for myself ( thick coats, decent boots etc) were bought there from the 'bargain bins' - many still going today, including two Gersemi jackets which have been great and cost a fraction of their real price - I was just lucky that they were there on the hanger when I was!!
 
We have a trade stand for my husband's business so from the point of view of a trader:

Cost of a pitch goes up every year, HOYS has always been VERY expensive, you have to take a huge amount to cover your costs. We have never been able to justify it.

Less people are buying at shows, partly due to online, partly due to less disposable income and partly due to the cost of entry and food being most of their budget.

Those organising shows have no interest in how much traders take they are just interested in filling the pitches so they often don't organise/market shows to encourage people to shop (last time I went to HOYS as a punter I had very little time in the tradestands as I didn't want to miss the actual competition).

We have seen costs of attending rise over the years while our take goes down it is simply no longer profitable to do the big horse shows so we don't. We still do some other shows but not many, we prefer selling opportunities where the organiser has a stake in our success so we are tending to use outlets that charge a % commission on sales with no fee unless they sell. Lower risk for us and normally a better outcome as the owner tends to work harder to get sales for us.

Either shows are going to have much less shopping in future or show organisers will have to have a rethink. But also as a customer please do your bit and buy from the traders while you are there rather than browsing at a show and buying online later.
 
Kat said:
We have a trade stand for my husband's business so from the point of view of a trader:

Cost of a pitch goes up every year, HOYS has always been VERY expensive, you have to take a huge amount to cover your costs. We have never been able to justify it.

Less people are buying at shows, partly due to online, partly due to less disposable income and partly due to the cost of entry and food being most of their budget.

Those organising shows have no interest in how much traders take they are just interested in filling the pitches so they often don't organise/market shows to encourage people to shop (last time I went to HOYS as a punter I had very little time in the tradestands as I didn't want to miss the actual competition).

We have seen costs of attending rise over the years while our take goes down it is simply no longer profitable to do the big horse shows so we don't. We still do some other shows but not many, we prefer selling opportunities where the organiser has a stake in our success so we are tending to use outlets that charge a % commission on sales with no fee unless they sell. Lower risk for us and normally a better outcome as the owner tends to work harder to get sales for us.

Either shows are going to have much less shopping in future or show organisers will have to have a rethink. But also as a customer please do your bit and buy from the traders while you are there rather than browsing at a show and buying online later.
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This completely! I run a tradestand for my business, it’s my main source of income & as you know, the hours are long & it’s hard work! I’m not in the league of HOYS, Royal Windsor & the other big shows simply because it’s too expensive! I know other traders with bigger set ups who have stopped going, the outlay is way too much. I stick with higher end local to me shows & events & do very well. But nothing is more irritating when you’ve worked a long & hard day for someone to ask for a discount for 8 studs, yes a real story, or to tell you they can buy it £2 cheaper online. Ok, go on then but use us or lose us!
 
I've noticed the same at Hickstead though haven't been for a couple of years, I also found there were a lot less "bargains" at the stands, there used to be loads on things like rugs but now everything is pretty much full price but makes sense now people have said the prices have gone up to have a stand

I've also noticed the increase in non horsey shops or shops selling horrifically priced show wear/ stuff I wouldn't be buying at a show due to fitting etc and aftercare I'd want a local store. I much prefer browsing through the proper tack stores with all their differences products although probably better for my bank balance this way 😂 I dont tend to look at the "posh" stands as the non horsey ones dont interest me and I cant afford the ones that have products costing thousands of pounds
 
So they want horsebox companies... that is the last thing I would be looking at buying if I attended something like that, I dont even usually look at those things if they are there. Would love to know the sales/ follow ups those companies get vs the smaller, more interesting tack stands
 
Kat said:
Those organising shows have no interest in how much traders take they are just interested in filling the pitches so they often don't organise/market shows to encourage people to shop (last time I went to HOYS as a punter I had very little time in the tradestands as I didn't want to miss the actual competition).
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this is the problem at olympia. I always go on a dressage day and there's barely time to walk from one end to the other in the shopping bit before you have to sit back down, add in grabbing something for tea as it's an evening performance and there's no chance really.

Crazy_cat_lady said:
So they want horsebox companies... that is the last thing I would be looking at buying if I attended something like that, I dont even usually look at those things if they are there. Would love to know the sales/ follow ups those companies get vs the smaller, more interesting tack stands
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OH and I always spend a good bit of time looking at the ones at YHL, not looking to buy unfortunately as my budget is very much at the opposite end of the market, but it's a great opportunity to compare the different manufacturers and chat to them about features (which we then think about for my old truck!). Before I bought the new rubber mats for my box I had already had a good look at the same ones in new demo boxes :p
If I was in the position of buying a new box it's the ideal way to see lots without travelling all over.
 
olympia shopping is best done in the morning ;)

I think there is a good argument for the horseboxes tbh, useful for many to see a few in the same place.
 
merlinsquest said:
But nothing is more irritating when you’ve worked a long & hard day for someone to ask for a discount for 8 studs, yes a real story, or to tell you they can buy it £2 cheaper online. Ok, go on then but use us or lose us!
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People bemoaning the lack of tradestands really need to examine their shopping habits. I'm guilty myself (often due to indecision or lack of time but still) we need to buy from the stands or they will go.
 
Kat said:
People bemoaning the lack of tradestands really need to examine their shopping habits. I'm guilty myself (often due to indecision or lack of time but still) we need to buy from the stands or they will go.
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Thanks for your support! The vast majority of customers are jolly, supportive & pleased we are there! Last weekend a lady came in & said “you’ve been here all day so I must buy something & support you, thank you for coming” makes it all worthwhile. The other end of the scale was the lady who said “I think you should give me a discount” err think what you like but that’s the price! Or the one who complained because the studs were £2.50 each & she thought “they should be £1” err you work a 12/14 hour day & sit here selling studs (SupaStuds) for £1 then 😳 Saying that, if someone spends a lot or supports us regularly then I will give a discount, but really why would I give people my money? It’s how I pay my bills & it’s not for us to support your hobby. I love the shows & am proud of my shop & it’s all worthwhile when you get nice comments & have a good show. For those asking about stand prices, my friend paid £12,500 for his pitch at Hickstead...
 
12.5k?!! Crikey

Did anyone see the stand that was all in white near the entrance to the shopping part at hoys? I’m pretty sure it was near there. We decided to give it a wide berth as it looked totally out of our league 😂 interested hear the prices, I think it was clothing?
 
holeymoley said:
12.5k?!! Crikey

Did anyone see the stand that was all in white near the entrance to the shopping part at hoys? I’m pretty sure it was near there. We decided to give it a wide berth as it looked totally out of our league 😂 interested hear the prices, I think it was clothing?
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I saw it but also gave it a wide berth...
 
Maybe perhaps support smaller shows? I went to a lovely regional show last summer and it was brilliant.
 
tallyho! said:
Maybe perhaps support smaller shows? I went to a lovely regional show last summer and it was brilliant.
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They can still be pretty expensive. We have done Chatsworth Horse Trials a few times but a pitch costs several hundred and on the friday there are virtually no shoppers, Saturday and Sunday are busier but we don't take enough to really make it worth continuing with. County shows and big country shows or game fairs are a similar problem, expensive to do and in previous years we have just about covered costs but sales are not what they used to be.

We have done agricultural shows, ploughing matches and similar which tend to be cheaper but people don't come intending to shop in the same way as bigger shows and again sales seem to be on a downward trajectory (not just us).

Often it is a choice between spending £100 to make £300 or spending £800 to make £1000!

We don't do any horse events anymore as people just don't spend enough to make it worthwhile. We have been concentrating on craft events and physical shops.
 
I went to HOYS in Sunday evening but hadn’t been feeling well so didn’t do the trade stands at all but what really struck me that Sunday evening Leading show jumper of the year and supreme night was not sold out. Quite a lot of gaps in the seating and the end corner block which admittedly isn’t going to be good viewing was empty. Years ago it would be sold out and at Wembley I can remember the ticket touts outside the doors trying to buy tickets to resell. I don’t know if that is price of tickets, lack of show jumping on free to view TV or that a Sunday night. I won the tickets and probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise and watching the show jumping did feel quite out of touch with who is jumping now but that is probably that back in the day I was competing in the lower reaches of affiliated and came across the people on the national circuit so knew many of them. I hope it can be brought back to sell out.
 
Do you it is just online sales then? I have to admit I still do tack shop shopping as well as online. I like the experience and once you add on postage it’s often more expensive unless it’s in a sale.
 
We went Saturday & having not been for 5 or 6 years was very noticeable how little there was. Either extortionate designer brands, gin, over priced food or charity's. I used to spend hours looking around years ago & I'd had a browse in an hour this time. YHL is leagues ahead for shopping.
 
I think it is just economics - people simply don't have the spare cash to splash and are more cautious despite 0% interest rates. Wages have generally not kept up with prices and everyone has the concern about Brexit in the back of their minds. I can remember making a comment several years ago on a H & H thread, thinking that we had probably reached the height of the horse owning economy and I think I have been proved right. People have been cutting down on numbers of animals they own, people don't always replace ones that pass on.

I know there is still a vibrant horse economy but not just quite what it was, plus the internet and trade stands just can't make the money they could so can't offer the bargains.
 
ester said:
People have said similar about YHL in recent years though to haven't they?
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Yes, for exactly the same reasons. I have been to YHL ever since it was started with hardly a break. I used to go to a man from Wales who made rugs but he was forced out by the internet and rugs made in China.
 
Some of the shopping at HOYS was good but looking at the bags being carried by customers it was the same few stalls that were favourites

There were lots of smaller horsey companies there that usually trade online so it was really nice to see their stuff up close. And the stands from various societies seemed to hold interest and some of those were really well attended.

What really struck me this year though were a few pushy vendors, one in particular used features of my appearance to try to call me over which other people would almost certainly have been offended by. I therefore learned to avoid those stalls by finding a route past during the time I was there - this meant that I visited none of the stalls around them losing those potential business.
 
I didn't like the pushy vendors either. I said 'no thank you' to one and then the man next to him (working for the same stall) almost leapt on me trying to get me to change my mind. It was actually quite intimidating, so like you I kept well away from that stall after that.
 
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