Dispensing via "drop-shipping" vs. "from the board"

[ilanh]

My optician tends to dispense via drop shipping rather than from the board ie: instead of sending the dispensed frame to the lab she prefers to leave it on the board and has the manufacturer ship the frame to the lab. She claims that the advantage of this is that she has a better grasp of the inventory and that she doesn't have to constantly reorder frames for the board. I have seen some disadvantages: Mainly, there seems to be occasional lengthy delays on the part of the frame companies to ship to the lab (backorders etc). Sometimes I get hefty shipping charges on these piecemeal type of orders (often exceeding 15% of the entire cost of the frames). Lastly, on a few occasions the patients have noted that what they tried on in the optical shop did not feel like what came back from the lab (obviously it was not exactly the same). I have seen patients who were thrilled with the fit of a particular frame in the shop and yet very disappointed in the fit of the drop-shipped frame. My inclination would be to send the actual frame to the lab and reorder frames for the optical shop when they get depleted. Anyone have any opinions?

IH

[chip anderson]

Drop shiping to the lab is fine, especially if pt. needed a size or color you didn't have in stock. Dispensing should probably be done from your shop when possible. This way you get the job to lab faster but the adjustment can be done once the lenses are mounted. If you pre-adjust the lab will screw it up (bend the nose pads in, etc.) anyway so you might have the patient come in for dispensing.


Chip

[For-Life]

My optician tends to dispense via drop shipping rather than from the board ie: instead of sending the dispensed frame to the lab she prefers to leave it on the board and has the manufacturer ship the frame to the lab. She claims that the advantage of this is that she has a better grasp of the inventory and that she doesn't have to constantly reorder frames for the board. I have seen some disadvantages: Mainly, there seems to be occasional lengthy delays on the part of the frame companies to ship to the lab (backorders etc). Sometimes I get hefty shipping charges on these piecemeal type of orders (often exceeding 15% of the entire cost of the frames). Lastly, on a few occasions the patients have noted that what they tried on in the optical shop did not feel like what came back from the lab (obviously it was not exactly the same). I have seen patients who were thrilled with the fit of a particular frame in the shop and yet very disappointed in the fit of the drop-shipped frame. My inclination would be to send the actual frame to the lab and reorder frames for the optical shop when they get depleted. Anyone have any opinions?

IH

There are some very good benefits to her stance, but the points you bring up are valid.

In the case of backordered frames make sure the supplier tells you immediately, so then you would use the current frame in stock.

Those shipping orders may be high, but check into the issue and see if they would have been the same if she did not order the frame directly (you are being charged that anyways, but indirectly). If they are different then for that particular company try talking to them. It is them that are also in the benefit when the frame is reordered. If your dispensery only re-orders the frame the next time then it might be forgotten and less orders are done through that company. Or you can go the route that for those companies you use the board frame.

Finally, to the customer, just mention that it is a fresh, clean frame that has never been warn or tried on. From a store who uses stock for orders once and a while I get the question if the board frame will be used or if I will order it in. So in choosing one way or the other you just cannot win.

[drk]

Ilan,
There are an equal number of advantages and disadvantages to each method:

Dropshipping:
Keeps your best inventory on the board
Keeps your staff from constantly having to enter/tag frames
Keeps your expenses steady vs. large purchases
Can keep your visits with a rep to a minimum

Selling off board:
Allows flexibility in frame purchasing
Gets around backorders
Keeps you in better control of your inventory costs
Batches shipping costs, invoice payments

In our optical, we have those we keep on the board (usually high-turning hot sellers) and we have those we sell off the board (usually an untested, emerging line, or a dying line, or ones that we just want to retire).

Personally, I like the feeling of selling a frame off the board, because it's "cashing in" on the wholesale frame investment. However, I will not let a fast-turning frame disappear from my board, either!

It all boils down to the fine balance of: 1.) Not getting stuck with inventory, and 2.) Keeping a hot-selling inventory on hand. The age-old inventory management conundrum. (It's like the stock market.)

[chip anderson]

Of course with off the board selling you get rid of dingy, multi-handled frames and nose pads that go yellow before they go yellow, etc.

[mirage2k2]

ok

[spartus]

I've done both, and I tend to prefer selling off the board. Drop-shipping is great--less paperwork and shipping on your end, just for two benefits. On the negative side, you're buying that frame twice, which, if it's a great-seller, you would have done anyway. You also have the added advantage of keeping a great-selling frame in stock. But if it's a dog, then you're keeping a dog (granted, a dog that sold) on the board in place of something that might be better.

The other thing on the minus side is that it'll dramatically increase your returns, since there'll really be no other way to bring in new product. Also, call me a little masochistic, but it's kind of fun to find a frame for that challenging patient when you're thin on stock, rather than just plunking them into the hot seller of the week. You figure out solutions you wouldn't have ordinarily, plus you just might sell that dog you've been trying to get rid of for weeks. ;)

[Johns]

Ilan,


Dropshipping:
Keeps your best inventory on the board

I'd have to disagree with that one...

If your frames on the board are repeatedly tried on by your customers, after a few days of that, how "best" can they be. (Not to mention the make-up build-up... eeww!)

[Chris Ryser]

My inclination would be to send the actual frame to the lab and reorder frames for the optical shop when they get depleted. Anyone have any opinions?

Yes I have an opinion...................you are the boss, and you have a good point.

It may be bothersome to your optician but some patients prefer to get the frame they tried on.

[chip anderson]

I prefer to sell from stock and re-plenish stock, but some customers want to feel that the frame they are getting has never been tried on. I even see women going into the grocery store, taking out some kind of "new" wipes and cleaning the handles of grocery carts before they will shop (skairt uf avian flu, I guess.)


Chip

[Lady Nicole]

If your frames on the board are repeatedly tried on by your customers, after a few days of that, how "best" can they be. (Not to mention the make-up build-up... eeww!)

That's why you take the frames to the patient, and clean/realign them after you're done.

[okoart]

Our company receives drop ships all the time.

While the optician sends the frame out for Rx, they drop ship an identical sizer to us for a clip.

Sometimes they have manufacturer of the frame drop ship to us.

Saves time for all.

Higher customer service :cheers:

[ldyflsh]

I sell off the boards and drop ship only in an emergency...the only frames I send out to the labs are drilled. All other jobs are done by using the 4T tracer....this way, I don't have to ship the frame out, wait for it to come back (or not....) It's cut the turn around time by 3-4 days. ;)

[Johns]

That's why you take the frames to the patient, and clean/realign them after you're done.

\


Ok, so now you've go a frame that has been tried on, cleaned, adn realligned dozens of times...I still don't see what's "fresh" about that.

[big daddy]

TO properly get your measurements you need to fit the frame to the customer off of the board. We all know that we have those customers in which the frame never feels right. I am not sure I would want to go through that fight twice by having new frames drop shipped. I think one of the X factors is having a frame that once it is complete, goes right on the patient and it feels just like the day they picked it out. It could be me though, cause I am about the moment, and making the small things just right.

[AdmiralKnight]

Except the frames never come back the same as the went in. The lab will bend the frame, if not purposely, and it won't feel the same when the patient comes in to get them.

We do both. We sent most of our frames and re-order. I, personally, though, would rather order new for every patient. If you're good at what you do, you can make the frame feel as good as the first time the patient tried it on. Our reps are good at getting the crud out, so even if we drop-shipped (never heard that term before) everything, our stock would stay current. Yes, there's the problem of the frames getting dingy looking... but if you sell off the board, and a frame hasn't moved in a while, it looks dingy anyway... and then you give it to the customer! :O