A good place to purchase Readers??

**rob.optician** · 10-14-2006, 10:38 AM

:bbg: I'm looking for somewhere to purchase basic - cheap readers? Something I could sell in the office for $15-$20. We don't sell that many of readers but I do need to touch up or selection a little bit.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

**chip anderson** · 10-14-2006, 05:50 PM

Wall-Mart, Costco, Dollar Stores, Everything's A Dollar, Any Drug Store, Any discount house, retail price: $1.00 to $ 5.00. No way you can get them for that and compete. The ready mades you can get are of no better no worse quality.
None of them have peened screws and the hinges are 5, 5.5 and 6 mm so stock up non them you will be replaceing them constantly even though you don' sell them.
Even the fancy ones with hand painted frames and hand painted wooden cases will rot on your shelves.

Chip

**Joann Raytar** · 10-14-2006, 07:56 PM

We have Cross Readers that our wholesale lab distributes and we do well with them.

**Johns** · 10-14-2006, 09:11 PM

Originally Posted by chip anderson

Even the fancy ones with hand painted frames and hand painted wooden cases will rot on your shelves.
Chip

We bought 40 dozen with bright colors, spring hinges, and cheap rhinestones in them. One of our offices sold 3 dozen the first week. We sell them $12ea or 2 for $20. Our average otc reader sale is $40. (If you need one pair, you can use 4) The profit margin is exceptional, and you can't buy them at WM.

They WILLl rot on your shelves if that's how you display them. I built a display that holds 50 pair of readers, and we keep it stocked. People stick their head in the door and say, "Is this the place with al the cool readers?", and many times they end up making an appt. and buying a regular pair.

**Jim Mush** · 10-14-2006, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by rob.optician

:bbg: I'm looking for somewhere to purchase basic - cheap readers? Something I could sell in the office for $15-$20. We don't sell that many of readers but I do need to touch up or selection a little bit.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Kmart, walmart, CVS, some curb markets. Many others, just look around.

**LKahn** · 10-15-2006, 10:39 AM

The basic reader business is pretty much owned by 2 large vendors Magnivision and Foster Grant. They have complete programs with displays. This business is all about price points. To be different in this area and to make money, in this area may I suggest you look at some of the hand painted frame reader vendors. The product is different, has fashion and is far more difficult to compare in price which should translate into better margins.

**Johns** · 10-15-2006, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by LKahn

The basic reader business is pretty much owned by 2 large vendors Magnivision and Foster Grant. They have complete programs with displays. This business is all about price points. To be different in this area and to make money, in this area may I suggest you look at some of the hand painted frame reader vendors. The product is different, has fashion and is far more difficult to compare in price which should translate into better margins.

Yes, the BASIC reader market is! That's a market you don't want.

On the other hand, don't ealt with vendors that force you to sell readers at $50-200. Buy good looking, better quality readers, and move a lot of them.

PM me if you want some better leads...

**optigrrl** · 10-15-2006, 02:23 PM

europia has Cinzia - several styles, very reasonable.

http://www.cinzia-designs.com/catalo...e+Eyes+Readers

Check 'em out!

**OptiJim** · 10-16-2006, 09:25 AM

Get some plus power poly's and edge them into your old stock and sell them as readers. The customer gets a good quality pair and you get to turn old stock into cash.

**Dot the Eye** · 10-16-2006, 07:37 PM

Foster Grant (FGX) is releasing a new line of AR coated higher-end readers that will be available only to the independent market. I got a preview of these last month and they are worth taking a look at.

**LENNY** · 10-16-2006, 08:04 PM

Poly?
Why Poly?

**chip anderson** · 10-17-2006, 06:41 AM

Lenny:
You just natually knows that dem readers needs UV, Light Weight, and impact resistance. Don't realize how violent novels and technical books can be?
I know some ophthalmologist that write "UV" protection on every Rx they write, including readers (they own thier one in-house optical merchandising). Never saw an Rx from a non-self referring prescriber with a UV specification.

Chip