Whoa! It’s tack sale season again already.
Like lots of horse lovers, I’ve been cleaning out closets. I’ve dug through my garden shed (where I’ve perennially stored lots of horse stuff).
That’s right. I’m vending again. This time it’s a tack sale organized by the local 4-H group. This event tends to be extremely well-attended, year after year.
My table is reserved. My saddle pads are laundered. The boots are polished. The saddle is clean and sparkling. The show shirts are washed and ironed. You get the picture.
Now it’s time to price all that stuff.
As I pack my jumbo totes for the trip, I am hoping not to have to repack them after the sale. It was hard enough weed through my long-time collection of equestrian-related accumulation. I really don’t want to bring stuff home and try to find places to store it again.
So I am pricing my items to move.
Sure, a couple of things may command higher prices. My faithful big-name dressage saddle, for instance, may draw real money. My quilted saddle pads are (You guessed it!) $5 apiece. So are a handful of halters that suddenly materialized in my shed. (Just when I thought I had sold, donated, or given away all of them.)
Deep discounts draw shoppers!
A few years ago, my table was quite popular at a local tack sale. Folks started calling it “The Five-Dollar Table,” because I offered tons of items for that price. Old bridles, saddle pads, bits, brushes, halters – you name it. Almost everything was $5.
I went home with two filled totes and three empty ones. And a pocket full of $5 bills. On the way, I stopped for lunch with a friend and lightened my pocket a bit as well. All in all, I counted that day as a win.
Boots must be clean to sell.
Tack sale vending is largely about pricing things right – as in, small prices.
For costly items (such as fine condition saddles, fancy leather chaps, sparkly show shirts, and leather full-seat riding breeches), many sellers start pricing at 50% below retail. That stuff has to be pristine, even at half-off.
Basic items like grooming brushes, bits, halters, buckets, are usually priced much lower. Shoppers can find those on every table at the sale.
Used boots may go cheap too, unless they are genuine leather, pricey brands, and super condition. I’ve seen Ariats, Dublins, and even Hermes for $10-$20. (I’m selling a lovely pair of Frye cowboy boots for $30.)
Safety helmets usually don’t sell well. It’s hard to tell if they’ve been compromised by a tumble. So people steer away from them, unless they are practically give-aways. There may be someone gearing up for kiddy rides, pony camps, or birthday parties that’s willing to pick up a few extra helmets for a song.
The big question about tack sale pricing is simple.
Are you willing to haul all that stuff home with you after the sale?
If you really want to lighten your load, then your prices have to be low enough to draw the bargain-hunting browsers.
Negotiations are part of the game.
Tack sale shoppers expect to haggle over prices. Everyone does it!
“You’re asking $25 for this turnout blanket? I only have $12. Is that OK?”
“Your tall field boots are $40. I’ll give you $18.”
“These riding crops are marked $10 apiece. Can I have three for $20?”
“If I buy the bridle, will you toss in a bit to go with it?”
This stuff happens. And most sellers are willing to play along with the give-and-take. Some will make counter-offers, encouraging some back-and-forth with buyers.
In fact, as the sale progresses, many begin dropping their prices, just to empty their tables. The best bargains can always be found in the final hour of the sale, as the crowd begins to thin. Sure, the pickings may be thinner then, but shoppers can scoop up some super deals from eager sellers. It’s not uncommon for a buyer to return to a seller with a repeated offer (or even a lower one), right before the sale closes.
Donations are always an option.
Last fall, I set up a table at a local tack sale. When it was over, I made two piles: KEEP and DONATE. I packed accordingly. I drove to my chosen donation site and dropped off that pile. Then I went home and stashed the other pile in preparation for this next sale.
This time, I have resolved not to bring anything home (except maybe that saddle, if it doesn’t sell). I’ve already inquired, and the hosting 4-H group will accept donations on-site. That will definitely lighten my load for the trip home!
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Image/s: Public domain photo/s
