Sola UK

**John R** · 03-10-2001, 05:06 AM

It would seem that Sola have now pulled out of Optafair in April in the UK. Just what are they playing at. Also a rumor that they have picked up the Asda/Walmart contract to surface their lenses. If true this will probly lose them a lot of product sales as inderpendents will not want to push their products any more.

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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk

**Maria** · 03-10-2001, 03:08 PM

We've got someone from Sola doing a talk at college in a couple of weeks. I shall ask :)

**Steve Machol** · 03-10-2001, 04:29 PM

Maria,

Who's giving the talk?

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OptiBoard Administrator

**John R** · 03-10-2001, 06:35 PM

Why not, bet they wont know owt :bbg: or let on think its about 3 weeks before they offically announce the contract but this is only heresay so i did'nt say it.
Bet your ss branch wont have anything to do with sola blanks now.....

**Maria** · 03-10-2001, 06:45 PM

Steve - I don't know who's doing the talk, no-one knows. Well, I assume someone, somewhere knows, but they haven't told me or my classmates. For some reason, I think it's a woman. I'm sure that narrows it down no end!
And John, as you well know, price comes before principles, particularly when the Sola Grad is on two for one :)

**Maria** · 03-10-2001, 06:47 PM

Oh wow! The above post has earned me another star and a swanky new title! (It's a good thing I didn't win it on the religious debate over on Just Conversation, people may think I'd sold my soul to Satan :)

**John R** · 03-12-2001, 02:56 AM

Price before principles again :bbg: still principles dont get you profits....

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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk

**Shwing** · 03-15-2001, 11:50 PM

So this means that you are a "Masterboarder?"

With your accent, I would be careful about how you pronounce that...

**John R** · 03-16-2001, 08:22 AM

Now i wondered why my keyboard was so sticky

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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk

**Steve** · 04-03-2001, 06:58 AM

As the Commercial Director of SOLA UK I would like to respond to Johns comments.

We have decided to direct our marketing efforts away from exhibitions this year and to re-allocate that money to help independent opticians build their business.

We see the independent sector as key partners in our business and in 2001 we are concentrating on 2 key initiatives. Launching innovative new and professionally differentiated products and working to become the effortless service provider - both initiatives will bring tangible benefits to independent opticians and eyewear consumers in the UK.

We will be keeping in close contact with our customers through increased sales and marketing activity. The re-direction of funds away from exhibitions has enabled us to do many things including: A new advertising campaign designed to introduce some of the new products and services to our customers; A new effortless guide to dispensing added value lenses; A newsletter designed to communicate the key issues we face as optical professionals and to offer solutions and idea's to improve the practice; New merchandising material designed to increase practice footfall and to improve dispensing values and of course the usual freebies and novelties.

In fact we are very excited about the future and the customers I have spoken to have received these initiatives very positively.

Of course for those customers who planned to see us at Optrafair we would like to discuss these initiatives with you and I would say there has never been a better time for you to contact us to arrange a visit to SOLA or a practice visit from your Regional Lens Manager.

We are currently undertaking trials to supply ASDA, just as we supply other major retailers in the world of optics. These relationships enhance our offer to the independent optician by allowing us to invest whilst maintaining a competitive cost base.

Look out for the next ad in the optician magazine on Friday 6th April 2001.

Kind Regards

Steve Wright FBDO
Commercial Director

**John R** · 04-03-2001, 02:01 PM

Thank you for that reply its nice to see someone else from the UK side of things here. Nice to see that the rumor mill is working to the truth for a change.
One point you say
"We are currently undertaking trials to supply ASDA"
Would that be all their work or just some of it. If you cant or dont want to answer that point i will understand.

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Every day a grind
Every week a bind
www.iooi.co.uk