What is essential in a good tack shop?

amandathepanda

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I haven't been on here for a while as had lots of things going on on my life but as I'm in the middle of setting up a new tack shop I'd really appreciate any input HHO users can give me into what makes a tack shop special? What makes you keep going back to particular tack shops & makes you avoid using others? Any particular products you can't live without & think I should stock?
I will be starting off with just a basic shop, aim to stock feed within 3 months & have my website up & running within 6 months of trading. I will be focusing on general riding & horsey products but aiming to have bespoke competitions kit in the very near future. I've already got a friend who is a silversmith hand making silver stockpins for me (which will be hallmarked), I've just bought an industrial sewing machine so I can do rug repairs & I will also be offering a rug washing service.
Is there anything else you think I should offer which might encourage my customers to become regular customers? All suggestions will be very much appreciated!
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Maesfen

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Have knowledgeable staff who are friendly but not pushy. There's nothing worse than someone hovering over your shoulder; makes me feel at least, very uncomfortable!

Good quality tack, not the foreign rubbish with plenty of each size.
Be prepared to source items for customers who know what they want or point them in the right direction at least.
A good book or video section would be used I think.
What about a secondhand section too, tack and clothes, possibly sold for owner with commission to you; that worked very well for one near us? Their only stipulation was it all had to be clean and sound.

Coffee and tea machine would be nice!

Best of luck with it.
 

itsme123

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well, we have two tack shops locally. One, the nearest, is a feed store that sells the odd sabre bridle and over priced clothing. But the only place locally to get wormers and feed.

The other shop sells everything (except feed and wormers)and is truly fab. the staff are lovely and they will always order in anything they havent got in stock.

I usually end up buying stuff from the feed store because if I'm in there buying wormers etc I often think "oh, I could do with so and so" and end up buying it, despite it being twice the price of the other place, simply because I'm there and can't be bothered with using two different stores.

So selling wormers, tack AND feed is good.

I also love a good bargain bin! discontinued stock from suppliers etc. Also good quality second hand tack
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bushbaby28

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Staff who are trained to fit equipment eg hats, body protectors etc and the ability to order in anything that they don't have in stock eg supplements and things although i understand this isnt always possible

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hope that helps
 

amandathepanda

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Thanks for your comments MFH_09! I'm liking the tea/coffee suggestion
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I'll be staffing the shop myself & would like to think that I come across as knowledgable without being pushy. Around here we have a couple of tack shops but the staff are so snotty & b1tchy it does tend to put you off going there! Liking the second hand tack suggestion too
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random_rider

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Glittery mane and tail gel
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I cant believe the one near me didnt have any
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LOL

Oh and you could get a notice board and people could put there horses for sale/loan or horse boxes or horse services etc on there.
 

itsme123

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I'm LMAO at the coffee machine. My OH hates taking me to the tack shop because he knows I'm never in and out, I always bump into someone I know and spend at least half an hour in there...
 

MACCIMOO

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[ QUOTE ]
A good range of stuff to have a good browse round.
Secondhand tack does it for me as I love a bargain!

[/ QUOTE ]there use to be a really good tack shop in guildford and he use to have a second hand table and loads of bargains,we have surrey equestrian about 3 miles from home,they are really helpfull,very well priced and do feed ect
 

joeanne

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we have 2 near us, both have good and bad points.
my main bugbear is the staff not knowing enough(if anything!) about the products they stock.
oh and a saddler that you dont have to wait a month for to fit your new tack is a bonus too!
i dont mind paying for things with a bit of quality to them, but i dont want to have to take a bank loan for it either!
 

WeeBrown

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Definitely staff that leave you alone to browse but are available (and well trained/knoweldgeable) when you want service. Can't stand staff who are constantly watching you, or worse never seem to know what you're after.
A good selection of stock from different suppliers (I hate going places when they only stock one or two brands).
If you do a website make sure as much stuff as possible is on it - there is quite a good saddlery shop near us but only certain items are on his website.
If you do a notice board for people to advertise horses etc make sure it's a big one, well away from doors or stairways - every tack shop I go to seem to put it in these places.
Good luck - I'd love to own a tack shop but would probably buy up all the stuff!
 

smallbutgreat

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Professional and friendly fitting service ... for hats, body protectors and saddles.

Good line of "basics" for things like numnahs.

Wide and up-to-date selection of books and DVDs ( and YES, a coffee bar to browse through them at. I've had some of my best, best ever horsy gossips in tack shops and I so MISS England for it!).

Interesting, weird knick-knacks, humourous things and stocking fillers ...
 

nuffield

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lots and lots ofstock actully in-stock and in all sizes. nothing worse than going somewhere and theres no 5" bits or med wt rugs left or whatever.
 

Brontie

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If you dont have it in stock. Dont display it. Also a webiste with the products on would be great, it means people like me that dont drive and parents refuse to take tack shopping can still shop online
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scotsmare

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If you can get feed on the go from the day you open people will have much more reason to come to your shop!!

Also, your website needs to be stock controlled so that you don't sell out in the shop then sell the same thing on the website! (Take note Derby House
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)

Tea / coffee is good - with some blokey magazines as well as horsey ones
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As wide a range as your budget and suppliers will allow is the only other piece of advice I can give you.

I used to have a tack shop so if you need someone to bounce ideas off I'd be happy to oblige
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druid

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A decent range of rug brands (not just one or two).

Dressgae items, just the basics like saddlecloths - all the ones here have sod all and it really pisses me off having to order online!

Space! Everything crammed together does not make for easy browsing.

A good stock level - having to ask for in stock items is irritating

The ability to order in wierd and wonderful bits.

A good range of clipper blades

Feed - could you manage to do a own brand line in conjunction with a big name? (For example my local places feed is made by D&H but is about 40% cheaper for teh same thing as the branded bags!)
 

Abbeygale

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I think making sure your customers know that if you don't have it in stock you are able to get it in is a bonus.

With rugs and tack I would say I like to see a range of cheapy stuff and some more expensive stuff - I don't always want to buy a really expensive (but lovely) bridle / rug, if I am about to put it on a youngster etc.
 

suzyseymour

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The reason I had changed tack shops is, my mare is 17hh so I can't get most things in her size without ordering them in. Which I don't mind, but its is really anoying when you have to weeks for the item. The new tack shop orders the items the day I go in and I have them in no time.

I alwys think it would be handy having a couple of sacks of dried dog food in. Loads on people with horses have dogs so would be much easier to pick it all up in the same place.
 

dwi

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I'd say feed is the most important. I use one particular tack shop because I go in to buy a sack of Good doer and end up coming out with a new tail rake as well. My local tack shop has a big range of chocoloate bars on the counter and I can never resist buying something because I'm always on the way home from work and hungry. My other thought would be the time that you are open. I can just get to the tackshop from work before it closes at 5.30, if they closed at 5 they wouldn't get my business at all.
 

Coffee_Bean

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A good feed choice is good. Try to stock all the main brands, Baileys, Dodson and Horrel, Winergy, Spillers, Dengie and I'm sure I've forgotten one!

A good range of expensive things like tack and rugs, so that you can cater for all budgets.

Lots of little items so that people see it and can't remember if they have it
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Supplements.
 

LadyRascasse

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everything with prices nothing worse than shopping round find something you like then having to go and ask for the price. also would recommend you do your research in your local ones because if your alot more expensive people won't come

everyone likes things cheap!!
 

Ludi-doodi

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Clean and tidy and things set out in a way that it's easy to see and if you do order something for someone, call them to tell them you've ordered it and when it's likely to arrive and then call them when it's arrived.

There's a tack shop less than 3 miles from my home, but I'll do a 20 mile+ round trip to my favourite shop as the nearer one was very untidy and a bit grubby but they rarely if ever call you when you've ordered something and have been known to sell the item you've ordered before you've even had a chance to call to find if it's arrived!! Technically, I'm still waiting for a saddle I ordered 5 years ago!! (obviously gave up and went elsewhere!)
 
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