When you buy horsey items online...

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FleabittenT

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A client of mine has asked me to re-design the website for their tack shop, so I was hoping to pick everyone's brains for inspiration :)

When you are buying tack, rugs, jods etc online, where do you mainly shop, and why?

What do you like about your favourite stores? Are there any features you really like? Or anything you would like to see?

Is there anything that puts you off?

Any thoughts about any part of buying horsey items would be very much appreciated, in terms of layout, style, content, anything really!

Thanks a lot :D
 
Only got time for a quick reply, so two things that spring to mind are; Having postage charge clearly visible on the home page or on banner at top of the pages. Also good photo's of products that enlarge when clicked on.
Oooh, good sale section always encourages me to pop back for a look.
 
I shop on the Premier Equine site and on the TDS sadderly site.

Both are excellent quality and show the items with lots of pictures and detailed descriptions.
I also like the fact they have a 'human' contact number on the site incase you get stuck or want advise :)
 
Only sell what is immediatly available or in stock (inc size and colour selections)'
Have good pics of everything (there is nothing worse than looking for eg. a girth, then finding that half the listings don't have decent pics, the ones you like aren't in stock in the size/colour you want (which you find out several days after ordering!) is sooo annoying!).
A contact us form where you can ask and get a promt reply for questions about the products.
Have an order summary to check before pressing the final 'confirm' button.
Clear delivery cost info.
I prefer goods with thumbnail pics in a list view.
Easy menus for finding what you want, with sales stuff listed seperatly (sometimes I like just sale shopping!). The dropdown type like old mill and derby house menus I find are easy and clear to use.
 
When it comes to bridlework, boots etc I like to know measurements of them so I know which size to chose and that it will fit... I like straightforward easy layout and the ability to only order items that are in stock :)
 
Good pictures and a decent description - there is one website i've browsed that is so frustrating as they don't have any description - just the title of what the item is. Oh, and agree with the comment about the postage - so frustrating adding stuff to your basket and then finding they want to charge you a billion pounds to post them to you!
 
ThePony said:
Only sell what is immediatly available or in stock (inc size and colour selections)
Click to expand...

Totally agree with this one! Nothing worse than ordering, getting all excited about your new goodies and then getting an email saying out of stock :(

Thanks all, really useful :)

Also, how much postage/delivery are you happy to pay? Is there a kind of amount in your head that makes you click off the page?

Thanks again!
 
One of the things I really hate is websites with 'intro' pages - ie a page that does nothing but have a pretty picture, the website name and 'click here to enter'! I want to get straight to the action, thank you!

Ditto what others say about clear information about delivery and postal charges. Some sites only let you see the postage charge after you have registered, chosen your item and gone to check out.
 
Although this is not directly related to website design - having experienced this this morning, one of the things that really bugs me is when you order something, you're given an estimated dispatch (say 5-7 days) and when it is now 10 days later you log on and your order still says processing. Rang the company and told there are delays due to issues with the supplier - would recommend to build something in so that an order status can be updated with notes like those - far less annoying for the customer to know there are delays than to sit around wondering where their items are..........
 
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All the above suggestions sound good to me!

Another suggestion is being able to search by colour (My friend wanted numnah or polo bandages in mint green as a chistmas present... it is quite a rare colour and difficult to find if I have to open every single item to discover whether I can buy it in mint green!!)

Maybe have a "If you like this item you may also like these" bit at the bottom with a selection of similar items but for different prices.
 
Cant explain exactly what i do and dont like but 2 websites i like using are Ride Away and sederholmselected.
Ride Away is clear and easy to use and a big plus is knowing how many items are left instock, makes things alot easier. Well layed out, easy to use and good pics.
Sederholmselected on carries limited items unlike Ride Away but they have very good discriptions, good pics that you can enlarge and its easy to use.
I also like Old Dairy Saddlery as it well broken down into catorgries so no searching about for things.
 
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