Tractor Supply Company and Rural King are two of the biggest names in farm, ranch and rural lifestyle retail. With their focus on selling core agricultural products and supplies, the two chains have a lot in common and are each other‘s closest competitors. However, there are also some notable differences between Tractor Supply and Rural King in areas like store footprint, product selection, and overall shopping experience.
As someone who has shopped at both Tractor Supply and Rural King for years, I wanted to do an in-depth comparison to help other rural-minded folks decide which retailer might be the better fit. In this article, I‘ll be looking at how Tractor Supply and Rural King stack up in terms of history, locations, product assortment, prices, return policy, customer service and more. By the end, you‘ll have all the info you need to choose the right store for your needs.
Company History and Background
Let‘s start with some background on each company. Tractor Supply was founded way back in 1938 as a mail-order tractor parts business. The first Tractor Supply retail store opened in 1939 in Minot, North Dakota. From those humble beginnings, Tractor Supply has grown into the largest rural lifestyle retailer in the U.S. with over 2,000 stores across 49 states.
Interestingly, despite its name, Tractor Supply does not actually sell tractors. The company did originally but phased them out in favor of focusing on aftermarket tractor parts, accessories and related products. Today, Tractor Supply‘s product mix spans categories like livestock feed and supplies, horse and pet products, hardware, tools, lawn and garden, work apparel and truck accessories. The target market is farmers, ranchers, tradesmen, small acreage owners and other rural residents.
Rural King traces its roots back to 1960, when it was founded in Mattoon, Illinois. From a single store, Rural King has grown its footprint to about 120 stores today. Most of these are concentrated in the Midwest and South, across 13 states including Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. Like Tractor Supply, Rural King‘s mission is to serve the particular product needs of customers in rural markets.
A key difference from Tractor Supply is that Rural King still sells actual tractors to this day. Rural King‘s tractor brand is called Rural King Tractors or RK Tractors for short. These include compact, sub-compact and utility tractor models designed for farm, ranch and property maintenance applications. Beyond tractors, Rural King‘s other main product categories closely mirror Tractor Supply and include farm and livestock supplies, sporting goods, lawn and garden, tools, hardware, automotive and clothing.
Store Locations and Distribution
With over 2,000 stores in 49 states, Tractor Supply has by far the larger retail footprint and geographic reach compared to Rural King‘s 120 stores across 13 states. This wider distribution gives Tractor Supply an edge when it comes to customer convenience and access. For the majority of the rural population in the U.S., a Tractor Supply location is likely to be closer than a Rural King.
However, for customers that do have both a Tractor Supply and Rural King store in reasonable proximity, Rural King may be the more appealing option to visit. Why? Rural King stores tend to be larger than Tractor Supply locations. The average Rural King is over 85,000 square feet in size. By comparison, Tractor Supply stores average around 15,000-20,000 square feet.
That extra space allows Rural King to stock a broader and deeper assortment of products beyond just the core farming and animal care basics. Rural King shoppers can not only pick up feed and farm supplies but also hunting and fishing gear, houseware and home decor, toys and more. The stores are positioned as more of a one-stop-shop for rural living needs.
Still, what Tractor Supply may lack in absolute store size is made up for with its more accessible store network. Tractor Supply also has multiple store formats to serve different types of markets. Its standard "Tractor Supply Co." stores make up the bulk of locations. But there are also over 170 "Petsense by Tractor Supply" stores that specialize in pet products and services. On top of that are Tractor Supply‘s "Homeworks" stores offering home improvement products.
Product Selection and Availability
As we‘ve touched on, Tractor Supply and Rural King carry many of the same types of products geared toward rural customers including:
- Farm & livestock supplies (feed, medicines, fencing, etc.)
- Lawn & garden (mowers, tools, planters, etc.)
- Home improvement/hardware
- Pet food and supplies
- Automotive supplies (oil, truck accessories, tires, etc.)
- Apparel (work wear, boots, outerwear, etc.)
- Sporting goods (hunting, fishing, camping gear)
In most of these categories, I‘ve found the product selection to be relatively comparable between the two retailers. Both carry many of the same major brands that customers look for such as Purina animal feed, Carhartt work clothes, Milwaukee power tools and so on.
However, there are a few key product differences I‘ve noticed. First is the fact that only Rural King sells its own brand of tractors and riding mowers. If you‘re in the market for a compact tractor for your property, Rural King is the place to go between the two. Tractor Supply does sell some riding mowers but not the larger tractors.
Another difference is that Rural King tends to sell firearms while Tractor Supply does not. Most Rural King locations have a gun department where you can purchase rifles, shotguns, ammunition and hunting supplies. If you‘re an avid hunter, this could make Rural King a better choice.
Aside from those distinctions, Tractor Supply and Rural King are extremely close when it comes to overlapping product assortment. I will say that in my experience, the larger size of Rural King stores does tend to allow them to stock a broader variety of products and sizes beyond just the core assortment. So you may have slightly better luck finding what you need without having to place a special order.
With that said, Tractor Supply‘s much larger distribution network means they can often get special order products delivered to store faster than Rural King can. I‘ve had instances of placing special orders at both retailers and receiving the item quicker from Tractor Supply. Just something to keep in mind depending on your shopping urgency.
Prices and Promotions
Comparing prices head-to-head between Tractor Supply and Rural King is tricky, as prices can vary quite a bit by store location for both companies. With that said, I‘ve found that prices are very competitive between the two retailers, especially on identical branded products.
From what I‘ve seen, if a Tractor Supply and Rural King store are located very close to each other, the nearby competition tends to keep prices in close parity. It seems neither wants to lose customers to the other on price alone. If you have both retailers in your area, it‘s worth checking prices at both to see for yourself.
One area where Rural King may have an advantage is when it comes to store-wide promotions and sales. Rural King regularly runs attractive sales and seasonal promotions, both in-store and online. For example, Rural King has a huge semi-annual "End of Season" sale with discounts up to 75% off across all departments.
Rural King also has a very popular weekly ad that highlights deals across key categories like power tools, pet supplies, auto, clothing and more. Tractor Supply has a weekly ad as well but it tends to focus more on specific farming and animal care products vs. storewide deals.
So if you enjoy the feeling of "deal hunting" and are open to planning your shopping around promotional events, Rural King might deliver a little more excitement and potential savings. However, for most everyday purchase needs, expect to find comparable and competitive pricing at both Tractor Supply and Rural King.
Return Policy
Tractor Supply and Rural King both have fairly standard return policies that allow most items to be returned within 30 days of purchase for a full refund or exchange. Some exceptions apply for things like gas-powered equipment, electronics, ammunition, etc.
From a strict policy perspective, the key difference is that Rural King allows returns on items without a receipt (Tractor Supply requires a receipt unless the purchase can be verified by other means). Rural King gives store credit for returns without a receipt.
Perhaps more meaningful than the official policy is the general return experience and hassle factor. Here I give the edge to Rural King. In my dealings returning items to both retailers over the years, the process has consistently been quicker and smoother at Rural King. Staff are trained to process returns efficiently with minimal friction.
At Tractor Supply, I‘ve occasionally encountered pushback or delays on returns if the item isn‘t in absolutely perfect resale condition or there‘s any other potential complication. Nothing major but enough to make the experience a bit less seamless compared to Rural King‘s "no questions asked" approach.
Customer Service
Customer service is another area where individual experiences can vary widely, but I‘ll share my general take. In my opinion, Rural King has a slight edge in staff friendliness and helpfulness compared to Tractor Supply.
At Rural King, I‘ve found that staff tend to go out of their way to assist customers, whether it‘s locating a product, loading heavy/bulky items or providing advice and tips. There seems to be a strong service mindset and willingness to go the extra mile. It aligns with Rural King‘s slogan "Small enough to listen, Big enough to deliver!".
Tractor Supply certainly has many knowledgeable and courteous employees as well. With its larger scale though, the customer experience feels a bit more hit-or-miss. Sometimes you get an associate who is a true expert on animal feed or power tools. Other times, it may be a newer employee who is less certain about specific product applications and problem-solving.
These are subjective assessments of course, and I don‘t want to paint Tractor Supply customer service in too negative a light. I‘ve had many positive experiences there through the years. But gun to my head, I‘d probably declare Rural King the winner in the service category.
The Verdict
So, when it comes to Tractor Supply vs. Rural King, which farm and home retailer is better? Honestly, both are excellent options for rural homesteaders, and the "right" choice mostly comes down to your individual situation and needs.
If you want the absolute widest selection of products, or your property maintenance plans involve a compact tractor purchase, Rural King is a great fit. Rural King‘s spacious stores, seasonal promotions and helpful service also make them a smart pick if you have a local one nearby.
For most rural residents though, Tractor Supply will be the more accessible and convenient choice between the two given their huge network of over 2,000 locations. Tractor Supply‘s "anytime, anywhere" presence and specialty Petsense stores give them the overall edge in my book.
Ultimately, you can‘t go too wrong with either Tractor Supply or Rural King for your farm and ranch supply needs. Both provide a strong mix of product selection, brand variety and fair prices targeted to the rural lifestyle. My advice is to visit your nearest location of each store and see which feels like the better fit for you. Happy shopping!
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