Dispute between VSP and Aspex

**rdcoach5** · 06-07-2010, 12:12 PM

Who knows the reason VSP will not allow Aspex frames to be used starting August 1 ?

**drk** · 06-07-2010, 12:21 PM

http://www.law360.com/registrations/...cy_check=false

http://www.law360.com/registrations/...cy_check=false

**rdcoach5** · 06-07-2010, 05:10 PM

Is this over who has rights to magnetic clip-ons?

**bigeyejim** · 06-07-2010, 05:52 PM

You know, Aspex is like the guy who keeps getting beaten up, but keeps going back for more.

Granted, they have won a few, but geez!

I don't think I would ever buy anything from them just because they spend so much time in court.

**Jana Lewis** · 06-07-2010, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by bigeyejim

You know, Aspex is like the guy who keeps getting beaten up, but keeps going back for more.

Granted, they have won a few, but geez!

I don't think I would ever buy anything from them just because they spend so much time in court.

I won't buy from them because they sell 'em at wal-mart. :)

**harry888** · 06-07-2010, 07:55 PM

Sorry, I don't see Aspex as the victim, I see them as the perpetrator who has used the legal system to perpetually sue anyone who makes any sort of magnetic clip. It has caused quite a bit of resentment among sales reps that I've talked to lately.

So much resentment, that previous detractors of VSP are secretly pleased that Aspex finally sued the wrong entity who can fight back.

Harry

Originally Posted by bigeyejim

You know, Aspex is like the guy who keeps getting beaten up, but keeps going back for more.

Granted, they have won a few, but geez!

I don't think I would ever buy anything from them just because they spend so much time in court.

**Jubilee** · 06-07-2010, 10:20 PM

I don't think this is about the clip on deal unless they are going after Marchon. Altair won based upon the differences in design, and that ruling was affirmed on appeal. http://www.cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions/07-1380.pdf

Plus it is an anti-trust not a patent infringement suit..

**Uilleann** · 06-08-2010, 12:38 PM

I'm not sure what the dist up here is all about. None of us can actually SELL anything from Aspex since every bloody frame they make is on perpetual back order. They can't fill an order to save themselves. Hard to have a dog in the fight when they aren't able to supply said dog in the first place ain't it? :hammer:

**rdcoach5** · 06-09-2010, 07:55 AM

I've only had 1 frame on back-order recently and that was actually just a clip. We've sold a ton of these frames.

**Uilleann** · 06-09-2010, 10:00 AM

Really? What's a "ton" for you? We're doing something probably close to 10-12 a month and of those, 9-11 will be on back order EVERY single time we call to order for sizing or color. And not just a few days...it's a month to three months in every case. My rep is getting tired of hearing from us, as his cell is programmed into speed dial now. I don't know if he's got any frames in his bags left to show at this point. We see him later today I believe so we'll ask again then if there's been any progress made on this front...stay tuned.

**drk** · 06-09-2010, 12:48 PM

And let's face it...the frames are borderline crap.

I'm trying to wean (and this helps) and do the Chemistrie Sunclips.

**rdcoach5** · 06-09-2010, 04:52 PM

About 12-14 / month ,lately

**skt** · 06-10-2010, 05:10 PM

they lost me when 1) they took Takumi(a quality Japanese product with great styling) and turned it into Chinese junk and 2) sued a friend in NC who had to disband his mag business

**rdcoach5** · 06-10-2010, 07:34 PM

Just ordered another today and it's not on Back- Order. So far , no quality issues, knock on wood.

**Uilleann** · 06-11-2010, 10:24 AM

In talking to our rep, we were given some shpeel about Chinese New Year, and a labor strike, and material vendors falling through etc. etc.

Time will tell. Good luck one and all!

**bigeyejim** · 06-11-2010, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Uilleann

In talking to our rep, we were given some shpeel about Chinese New Year, and a labor strike, and material vendors falling through etc. etc.

Time will tell. Good luck one and all!

Great, the Chinese are starting to unionize. I remember when factories in Mexico tried to organize look what happened to them.

Perhaps we can put the out-of-work Americans to work in the old American Optical factory.

Or is there is life on Mars, maybe that's cheaper. I'm sure WM can figure out a way to do that!!

happy friday!

:cheers::cheers::cheers:

**Uilleann** · 06-11-2010, 05:03 PM

I shudder to think what UPS charges for interplanetary shipping - especially 2nd day or faster! And I wonder what the tire tracks across every one of our poor box will look like now? Lunar rover-esque? HAHAHA:cheers::cheers::cheers::hammer:

**Happylady** · 06-16-2010, 11:45 AM

We also sell a lot of Aspex frames, probably at least 10 a month. We haven't had problems with back orders or quality. We also don't pay for shipping.

**OptiChick21** · 06-16-2010, 05:30 PM

I'd say about twice a year Aspex goes through a spell where nearly everything is B/O. It can be quite fustrating. Right now things seem OK to me, fingers crossed! But I get backorders on and off like that with nearly every company. Marchon is having a lot right now and they blame the Chinese too.
We had both our Easyclip and our Takumi reps in today and they both gave us a letter written by Aspex to their customers. Obviously it spins VSP in a negative light, that they are trying to bully everyone into becoming like Altair and Marchon (owned by VSP). The letter makes it seem more like VSP stopped paying for Aspex as "in-network" frames so that people would buy clip ons from Altair and Marchon instead. Aspex feels like they are "protecting our rights" as Optometrists and Opticians to chose what frames are best for our patients and not based on what frames VSP says we can use.
It does beg the issue, is VSP slowly becoming a monopoly (like Eyemed/Luxottica)??? Forcing you to carry their frame lines and giving better reimbursements on them? Where will it stop??