It is my opinion that in tougher times retailers should not push the customer into purchasing the most expensive items, because if they do the public will tend to favour the discount and online services. Not everybody is a SkiBunny in this world.[/QUOTE]
Chris: You hit the nail on the head!
Chris, actually I wasn't referring to that statement at all; otherwise, I would have quoted it in my response. However, I am referring to the main theme of your post, which was your insinuation -- yet again -- that lens manufacturers are somehow ripping people off while selling substandard, over-priced products.Originally Posted by Chris
Yet you implied that it should not only be shared by everyone, but that you were in fact "brain-washed" if you didn't share this opinion.
I don't have an "attack mode," Chris. Moreover, since you are routinely the antagonist in discussions like this, wouldn't it be a "defense mode?"So I believe that your entrance into this discussion has been in full attack mode, as per your above quote.
No, but you are apparently very bitter over Corporate America -- or at least Optical Corporations. ;)
Chris, retailers should recommend whatever products they believe best address the needs of the patient, and leave it to the customer to decide what she can or cannot afford. Wouldn't it be both remiss and presumptuous of eyecare professionals not to at least offer the patient products and services that they feel may benefit the patient?
Further, progressive lenses, while more expensive than traditional bifocals, are certainly not the only premium products out there. Are you also discouraging the use of other premium-priced options, including high-index lens materials, anti-reflection coatings, fashion frames, photochromics, Rx sunglasses, and so on? Should opticians and optometrists refrain from even offering these as options to patients, because they cost more money or require certain compromises?
Darryl J. Meister, ABOM
Indeed, otherwise it'd be a better world :)
Wrong again Darryl..........................
Thanks 35oldguy, I am just trying to be a critic of our times in relation to prior years when there was good old competition in the optical field on both sides of the fence...........manufacturing or and retail.
More than half the optical retailers are non regulated in the USA, which means an optician needs many years of expirience on his back to become good and where the young ones enter the profession with a minimum of education. These are mostly the ones that are targeted to sell high priced items.
Then you have the corporations that are ruthlessly buying up the supply lines to the retailer which includes their own competition.
The retailer of today also faces direct competition by manufacturers corporation owned retail chains, These chains operate with managements that consist of high profile marketing specialist's which have only profits in mind as their bottom line.
All of this is going to lead to total imperialism............we have been through this argument a few times before and probably will again.
Where will this lead in tough economic times:
The indepent retailer will loose out to the new wave optical chains that have not yet made an entrance, or have been copied, on this continent.
Some of the optical chains that have become successful in Europe over the last few years are so superbly organized with their own central labs that they can and do supply their mainly franchised stores with the high priced items as AR, progressives, high index at a quarter of the price that they are sold in North America. Of course their retail outlets can beat just about every competitor in the way of pricing and still make money.
And to Darryl:
Wrong again Darryl................The main theme "The Dysosaur in need of Oxygene" is not referring to lens manufacturers at all. If you also would have read the first post it was referring to the large optical Trade shows which in my opinion are a dying institution because they do not attract enough visitors these days.
I am now leaving on a mini holiday...................a few days in a nice Country Inn on the romantic Rideau Canal in Ontario...........no telephones, no computers, no Laptop, no e-mail, no business and no Optiboard. If you want to save your response we can continue argumentation by next Thursday or Friday.
I didn't say the theme of this thread referred to lens manufacturers, I said the theme of your post (i.e., 9-17-05 6:08 am) did. And it did. Though one could argue that attacking corporate optical in general is the underlying theme of your thread, as well.
Darryl J. Meister, ABOM
Arguing about lenses is fine. But when you argue about arguing it gets a little boring for the rest of us. Besides, it's obvious Ryser won this round. Let it go Darryl and try again some other time.
Jason, while I do find it odd that you would accuse anyone of "arguing about arguing" after your last posts to me (you eventually started attacking me on my use of English, of all things), I can believe that you failed to see that Chris simply misunderstood a statement I made. He thought I was referring to his entire thread, when in fact I was referring to a specific response. And pointing this out to him was my last contribution to the subject, so your post here seems to be little more than an excuse to interject some needless hostility into the discussion.
Actually, Uncle! You and Chris can take the win.
Last edited by Darryl Meister; 09-18-2005 at 03:18 PM.
Darryl J. Meister, ABOM
I just got home, loved the show! Great booths, did purchasing, in fact had to wait in line at many frame manufacteres booths, found some new frame sompanies Ill consider and took some classes to put towards my ABO requirements, Over all good stuff by day and great stuff by night. It was a nice gettaway for my hubby and me and the opportunity to see and touch and feel was great, and my clear appt book for the next couple of months becuase I just purchased will be very nice, save my reps some gas and me some time, which costa almost as much as gas. I say yipee Vision Expo, good times, good deals, ok educationals.
Cindy
Nice report......................
Thanks Cindy for the report......................However it would be interesting to hear from some of the others who attended.................on either side of the fence............exhibitors as well as visitors.
Would also be interested to see some official attendance figures.
Done some searching...............
I am bringing this up again......did some searching for press releases on Vision Expo West........with a result of NOTHING.
No fanfares .....no press releases........just dead silence from the exhibition people. Nothing in Vision Monday at all after the show. Very un-usual and puzzling.
Hi Chris,
I can tell you (absent printed data) two things:
1. The education was swamped (even on Wednesday, a typically slow day). My education seminars were packed...had to bring in additional chairs. And, other speaker-friends I talked with experienced the same enrollment.
2. At a glance, the show floor did not seem as packed as previous years, however, a few vendor friends of mine told me that they wrote record business. Perhaps the many lookers are being replaced with fewer buyers.
So, opti-friend, I hate to burst your bubble (or desire) to see the trade shows die...they are alive and well.
: )
Laurie
Hi Laurie,
1) Your lecture was full............congratulations.........always gives a satisfying feeling.
2) Most sales reps will say they wrote fantastic orders even when the order book is empty. Is part of the game.
3) You have not burst my bubble........yet............I still have not seen any attendance figures.
There is no desire to see trade shows die, on the contrary I would like to see them blossom like they used to, because anything that blossoms will bear fruit.
The dead silence after the show (as usual), does not indicate a heavy blossom but I would be glad to be corrected with some valid numbers.
Had some conversation with one major exhibitor at show, who stated that the whole show was extremely quite. Same comment from one non exhibiting supplier that just went for a visit.
Found only 2003 figures........................
The last attendance figure I just found on the web is 2003:
International Vision Expo and Conference (West)
Date 15 September 2005 - 17 September 2005
LocationSands Expo Convention Center, Las Vegas, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Contact inquiry@visionexpo.com
Website http://www.visionexpowest.com
Future Dates September 2006
Sponsorships Vision Council of America (VCA).
Event Edition16 FrequencyAnnual
Last event 2003
National Exhibitors434
Net Area 159,000 F
International Exhibitors 53
Total Exhibitors 487
Price - Space Only27.00 - 30.00 US$
Total Attendance 12,514
Price - Space & shell On request US$
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 09-25-2005 at 11:30 AM.
Really don't think that attendence of the show is the only factor. I have been at the last 13 NY shows and each year more and more vendors have been there. We had more total units this year than in any other year!
It does feel like attendence is down but if sales are up the show is better!
If you had a web site that got tons of hits but you did little business is that a good site? I would say low hits and good sales would be much better!
I have found that the serious shopper is going to the shows and the lookers are staying home!
How come then that the direct reports I have receive that the show was very quite?
First of all I was talking about the NY show. Since I have actually been to the show for the last 13 years.
I have only been to the West show 3 of the last 10 years.
You have direct reports from who? I hope it is more than 10 or 11 people. I have spoken to about 10 people and some said is was very busy some not. But I was not there!
I understand why you want you bash Expo! Every person that goes to the show see your competition and you might lose business. If you can get people to stop going you will lose less. UNDERSTOOD.
I think Expo is a great place to go to see people, new products and to learn more about the business.
This means that I beat your attendance by a few times as an exhibitor in New York and who finally got fed up with these shows. Reasons hashed through a few times on this board...........go look in the archives.
Direct reports means..................from people that actually have been there exhibiting and also visiting.
I really doubt that anybody has that agenda, and even if they did it would be unlikely that they could sway people who were intent on going from changing their minds. The big companies have the dollars to allocated for trade shows and use their presence to perpetuate and reinforce their marketing dollars. Smaller regional/domestic companies and overseas companies have a much greater financial risk at being an exhibitor.
No question. The shows are a great place for all those reasons but for many businesses economic reality must dictate their presence or not.
No press release to be found......................
Thanks Doc, you always make good sense. The success of a show is it's big seller. A double booth cost's $ 5,000 plus rentals from carpet to chairs. In my case it used to be a$ 10,000 weekend. In the case of major corporation you can possibly multiply that cost by 10.
When you come from overseas you can also add good size travel expenses.
All the shows, world wide, have not performed so well over the past few years, because of several reasons. Therefore it is of interest to see if the attendance has gone up or down.
I think that Vision Expo management has totally neglected to inform the optical press with a press release giving some results. You can find plenty press releases from prior to the show...........but none after.
In Marchon's case, I hear you can multiply that $10K by 100.
The people from my office that went said it was really busy--they had nonstop appointments and classes all over the place. I didn't really ask them about attendance, but it doesn't sound like it was slow.
They both went to NYC in March and said it was dead by comparison--everyone, including them, was out running around New York rather than actually, you know, attending the show.
Usually exhibition booth's like Marchon and other tha have the size of a small city block have alway's been busy and are not a real measurefor attendance. You would have to judge by the rows of the smaller booth.
There is still no press release about the show. Dead silence by show management...........definitely not as usual.
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