2013 has been busy. As a result, I have purchased from several online vendors, and four have excelled in customer service: 2 horse-related, and 2 life-related. I highly recommend my friends, family, and readers give these companies a try. In no particular order:
- Zulily. This online discount store offers incredible daily deals for women, maternity, babies, children, men, the home, and often for horse-lovers! I love to open a daily email and see Kerrits or Ariat. But there are also great products for your non-horsey life like my personal favorite Sistema. A few months ago, I ordered a teething necklace for a friend who was a new mom. The package got lost in the mail. One email to Zulily customer service, and they had refunded my purchase and given me a $10 Zulily credit. The products are all excellent quality. The customer service exceeded my expectations. I will be a loyal customer for a very long time!
- SmartPak. I admit, when I first started seeing ads for pre-dosed supplements in little disposable blister cups, I was skeptical. But this company has wowed me. First, the supplements are measured accurately, stored appropriately, and labeled for safety. And they aren’t much more expensive pre-measured than if you purchased them in bulk and dosed your own. Second, there is free shipping on SmartPaks over $40, orders over $75, or to delivered to your boarding barn weekly. Third, with the SmartPerks program, you get 10% off all SmartPak brand equipment. And finally, the expert service with this retailer is unrivaled. They know the names, ages, breeds, ailments, and feeding regimen of all three of my horses. They provide advice and answer questions whenever I call. And if it’s the middle of the night and I’m worried about a symptom, SmartPak has an online equestrian health library free of charge.
- Brookstone. These products make life easier and more comfortable. Really, that’s all you need to know! But they cemented my business this year. Every holiday season I find great gifts at Brookstone. This year, I purchased most in an actual store. But I ordered a gift for my husband online and paid extra for overnight shipping. With the UPS debacle, the package was delivered late. I emailed Brookstone to let them know. Without any debate, the company sent me a note within 24 hours promising to refund the shipping charge.
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Good Vendors Keep Humans Happy and in the Saddle
Nouvelle Research (Cur-OST). Dr. Tom Schell has created a line of nutraceutical products for horses, humans, and dogs. My mare has been on Cur-OST EQ Plus GTF for 22 days now. When I began seeing improvement within a week, I emailed Dr. Schell on a Sunday night with questions. He responded almost immediately, and patiently answered each of my follow-up questions. The night after placing my order for the EQ Plus, I decided to add the Immune & Repair formula to her regimen for three months. I called and spoke to “Molly” who grabbed my EQ Plus shipment and added the new supplement to save me a second shipping charge. The products arrived the next day. Nouvelle has proven to be customer-centered and I look forward to a healthier horse in 2014 as a result.
Capital Cowgirl 
Thank you for the video you left me on my blog! And thanks for the company reviews! Especially that last one… I’ll be sure to check it out.
Sure thing. Thanks for reading. I look forward to following your riding in 2014.
Same here!
SmartPak is AMAZING. I’ve consistently had nothing but good experiences with them. I recently bought two insulated water bucket covers – one for each of my horses. My horse destroyed his in three days (he’s four years old.. enough said). I emailed them, and they immediately offered to give me store credit for the price of the bucket cover. On top of that, I never once mentioned my horse or pony’s name in my email to them, but they emailed me back referring to both my horse and pony by name! I was super impressed, as always. I’ll have to check out Zulily. I’m always up for a good equestrian-related deal.
I agree. I had never used SmartPak until about a year ago, and I can’t imagine horse-life without them! I’ve never heard of anyone who wasn’t satisfied with SmartPak’s service. Yes, do check out Zulily. If you sign up for the emails, you can “favorite” certain vendors and be notified when a deal is coming. Good luck bargain-hunting!
Ah, I totally agree on SmartPak! Seems like I get a call a couple times a year from them just to ask how things are going. I ordered a saddle, kept it for a month, decided I wasn’t going to use it, and was able to return it for a full refund. They are great and their supplements are superb.
I asked my husband to get me a bottle of Cowboy Magic from SmartPak and have it shipped to the barn for Christmas. He didn’t believe the shipping would be free, so he bought me a gift certificate instead! They really have a good thing going. Next time I’m in the market for a saddle, I’ll remember your experience.
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