Yard to Yard Shop - Northamptonshire area

[NeddyUp]

Hi
I am currently setting my own business up supplying equine supplies, and am looking to expand on my original idea buy offering a yard to yard service where i bring the products to you on your request and a time and day that suits you.... Id really appreciate feed back on this idea from any one that has done this with there own business, or i fyou have had this service at your yard, or if you think it would work where you are.... Thanks

 

[pottamus]

Hi,

We have just completed a survey of our online customers for our web shop and it seems that convenience does feature highly in peoples desire to buy, but more importantly is the price they pay or are willing to pay. So my thoughts are that you will have to include some sort of cost within your product price for travelling to these yards and that may make you a little more dear than can be sourced elsewhere for the same goods?
We have this issue a bit with our online shop with certain products but we are never going to be able to compete with bulk buyers like the big names who get discounts for volume.
Perhaps people will pay for convenience but just bear in mind that things are going to be tough this year financially and economically and you may find yourself tooing and frowing around for people and not earning enough.
The margins on most everyday horsey items are quite small - we make 20-30% via our suppliers but have no travelling costs because we are online.
Ideally you need a few people at a yard that are looking to spend money rather than turning up for one or two...to make it viable.
Just a few thoughts really from someone that is going through the mill of trying to get people to part with money and get a little share of the money available to be spent within the equine marketplace! If you need any more advice just pm me as would be happy to share our experiences.

 

[LCobby]

Mobile shop or delivery to order?
Minimum order value to make it worth while?.

I always spend more when at the sadldlery as you see things you never knew you wanted.
As for calling on yards, Saturday would be the only day to catch majority of the livery owners

 

[NeddyUp]

Thanks for all your feed back - it would be an online shop with yard to yard stops (mobile shop)

 

[SALLYT]

I quite like the idea but undertand the cost and profit issues.
When I decide I want something I want it like yesterday so often end up paying for next day delivery, however when you need to send something back to the on line shop it makes the saving on the initial purchase zero.

So to be able to return the goods delivered to the yard or swap for something else would certainly appeal to me.

 

[Salcey]

We used to do this with feed and the saddlery stuff. Sometimes it was great but sometimes getting payment was a pain. Also catching people at the right time at the yard.

Best of luck.

 

[ISHmad]

Biggest issue I see with this - and this is meant with the greatest of respect and isn't aimed at you, it is a generalisation - is that with all the thefts going on people are very very wary indeed about who comes onto a yard. So I'm not sure how good a reception or otherwise you would get.

Apologies for the negative post, just putting my thoughts down in writing.

 

[NeddyUp]

i appreciate all responses, i would like to do it by appointment or on requests so to avoid this problem of the thefit issue....

 

[Donkeymad]

We used to do it and, to be quite frank, it was a complete waste of time and money.

 

[angiebaby]

I like going out shopping far too much to have someone come to the yard, even for horse feed!

 

[Vix1978]

As a YO, I would expect to receive some sort of commission/site fee for someone wanting to come and sell their products at my yard. That might be something else you would need to factor into your costs....