On-line optical stores

[lab fly]

Has anyone noticed an increase in patients ordering their frames/lenses on-line? When the 1-800-contacts started it was slow but now is relatively popular. Do you think the trend of online will spread into other optical fields?

[Jacqui]

Do you think the trend of online will spread into other optical fields?

Already has.

[For-Life]

For glasses, no.

The best example is clothing. While there has been segments who have purchased clothing online most people still have not or have not even considered buying it online. Now we can say that most people do not buy online, but even from the people who buy products online like computers, electronics, dvd's, there is only a small percentage of them who have bought clothing online.

I really should not say this without citing an article, but I have read the studies and do not have the article with me anymore.

People want to touch, feel, try on the clothing.

That is the same way it is with glasses. People need to wear them first. Even if I sold frames ONLY on the internet, I know I would only have the smallest of an audience.

[chip anderson]

Actually, I will not buy frames on line even wholesale because, I want to look, touch, feel and hopefully at least guestimate the quality, etc. in person. Were it not for this there would probabaly be no need for reps and ''expo's".

In fact there may be or possibly will be a day when "samples" are sent for physical examination and all ordering, returns, etc. can be handled on line and remotely. Of course we would miss all the clevage and mini-skirts and golf games to influcence our buying criteria.

For retail, I think that almost all of it will be maintained in brick and mortar because if one is going to wear it, touch, feel, appearance will always be important to most customers. How many of us have had frames that looked terrible on the first 299 women that tried it on and looked marvelous on the 300th? You just can't do this on line.

Chip