$12.00 glasses ordered online

[Leighlee]

Hi all,

I recently had a patient come in and ask me to measure her PD so that she could order her glasses online for $12.00!! That was for single vision, Bifocals were $33. Any one else had to deal with this? And if so, can you give some suggestions on how to discourage patients from this online ordering? Obviously, OUR frames and lenses are of a higher quality, and we provide better costumer service. But it is hard to convince someone that it is better to pay $300 to $500 on average for glasses when they can get them for $12 to $33. HELP!
Leighlee:(

[chip anderson]

I used to work for an O.M.D. that had been a multi-millionaire for over 25 years. He watched every penny at the office (was quite generous socially) but he took his family to pay-less for shoes.
Don't worry about it. There will always be tears of service and products, does the mercedes dealer worry if some rich individuals drive used chey's?
If your product is worth what you charge there will be a market. If not you will either adapt or starve.
The world isn't obligated to buy from us no matter how much better we think we are.

Chip

[KStraker]

It happened to me once. My reply, "Good luck with that."

[Uncle Fester]

Read this thread if you'd like.http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...ing+for+PD%27s

Searching a bit should find several more threads and posts about this as it is becoming more common. I'm starting a policy of charging $60 for a measurement and follow up services but it becomes a question of your States laws over whether it's a part of an exam.

[Andrew Weiss]

I'm starting a policy of charging $60 for a measurement and follow up services but it becomes a question of your States laws over whether it's a part of an exam.

Good show, Fester. :) We're investing our time, we should be paid for it.

[CFranz]

Twelve dollars? That ain't nothing. I've found a place that sells eight dollar glasses, with five dollar A/R coating. Shipping was four dollars, which bumped up the price to twelve.

I thought of getting a pair as a lark, to see how they actually came out. Just in case someone ever asked about them, I would be able to show them just what an eight dollar pair of spex looked like. But It seemed like a waste of twelve dollars. (Unless I can write it off somehow, hmmm. . . . )

[Happylady]

I post at another message board and one of the women there has really been pushing Zenni Optical for glasses. She has gotten at least 15 pairs there and loves all of them.

So several other people at the site have ordered glasses from there and they all seem to love them, too. :( We all love to knock internet eyeglasses but plenty of people are ordering them and liking them. Of course I am not happy about it, but it's the truth.

[Dave Nelson]

plenty of people are ordering them and loving them because they are using the services of opticians and paying little or nothing. They shop opticial stores to choose frames, using both the time and services of an optician, as well as the $75,000 investment in frame selection the optician has, then gets the PD, lens selection and advice, and often free service and adjustments for months or years afterward. The online retailer has no such investment in time, training, staff or inventory, and can then pass the "savings" off to the consumer. I spent many hours trying to fix online purchases for clients until one rude jerk actually spent nearly an hour of my time before demanding I "do something" to make his progressives work.
In a similar circumstance today, I would give PDs to anyone who asked for them. I charge $60 per hour, with a MINIMUM one hour of time, just like any auto mechanic worth his salt. If your online progrssives are'nt your cup of tea, I will have someone PRE-PAY $60, with the disclaimer that I may only have a 50/50 chance of getting them to work even poorly, and if they don't, I keep the $60, 'cause I earned it.

[rbaker]

Go to Google Alerts:

http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=

And enter "internet glasses" or "glasses on line" and you will receive an education.

[LENNY]

Go to Google Alerts:

http://www.google.com/alerts?hl=en&gl=

And enter "internet glasses" or "glasses on line" and you will receive an education.

It is a good idea if all of us go to googe and do the search on certain key words like cheap glasses, eyeglasses ...

I am shure they pay for every click!

[edKENdance]

I found a place where I can buy 100 dollar bills online for 1 dollar!

IT'S WIN WIN!

[kws6000]

plenty of people are ordering them and loving them because they are using the services of opticians and paying little or nothing. They shop opticial stores to choose frames, using both the time and services of an optician, as well as the $75,000 investment in frame selection the optician has, then gets the PD, lens selection and advice, and often free service and adjustments for months or years afterward. The online retailer has no such investment in time, training, staff or inventory, and can then pass the "savings" off to the consumer. I spent many hours trying to fix online purchases for clients until one rude jerk actually spent nearly an hour of my time before demanding I "do something" to make his progressives work.
In a similar circumstance today, I would give PDs to anyone who asked for them. I charge $60 per hour, with a MINIMUM one hour of time, just like any auto mechanic worth his salt. If your online progrssives are'nt your cup of tea, I will have someone PRE-PAY $60, with the disclaimer that I may only have a 50/50 chance of getting them to work even poorly, and if they don't, I keep the $60, 'cause I earned it.

Why shouldnt you get paid for your time? In your position i would charge at least $50 for the pd and a flat rate of $125 for troubleshooting online eyeglass problems.

If the customer doesnt want to pay,let them go elsewhere.

[Jacqui]

Read this thread if you'd like.http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...ing+for+PD%27s

Searching a bit should find several more threads and posts about this as it is becoming more common. I'm starting a policy of charging $60 for a measurement and follow up services but it becomes a question of your States laws over whether it's a part of an exam.

As I've said before, I have a sign up in the office that reads $35 for PD, $50 for checking Rx, $65 for fitting.

[Leighlee]

Hi again,

Can anyone tell me what kind of lenses are being dispensed by these online eye glass sites?...Say for instance what brand/quality of progressives. And are these lenses up to our regulated standards as far as thickness?

[jediron1]

As I've said before, I have a sign up in the office that reads $35 for PD, $50 for checking Rx, $65 for fitting.

I Like that! I think I m going to do something similar.

I think Confusious also said: " Man who buys $12 glasses deserves what he gets "

;)