As I have mention oft before, I like and use Luxottica products in our practice, and have no problem with the fact that they own a retail chain. Luxottica reps are always telling us that the common ownership of these companies poses no threat to private practices (and indeed, Lux/LC is somehow this benevolent force in the optical industry that only wishes to help us all...).
Recently, one of our patients brought in a really slick SunGlass Hut flyer that had been direct mailed to her house. It did a great job showing off the RayBan and Killer Loop lines. On the back of this little mailer, there was a big coupon (which I've pasted above).
Here's my beef. Over the past couple years, Lux dangled the SunGlass Hut name in front of private practices and intimated that, if they would just put in "Sun Centers" and try to sell through the sunwear, Lux would someday allow SunGlass Hut signage at private opticals. According to Lux, 2700 practices put in sun centers. However, to date there has been no indication that Lux is even beginning to put any SunGlass Hut signage in any private optical.
When queried at Vision Expo East, a Lux representative informed me that, after a year of study, (better sit down folks, this is going to be a shocker) private OD offices by and large don't do a great job at selling plano sunwear! Gasp!
When I asked if ANYTHING was going to be done for the 2700 opticals that did put in Sun Centers, I was told "Well, the Sun Center signage has gotten better."
Come on! Luxottica is doing a lot to get back into private practices (many of which abandoned them when they purchased LC). If you want back in, you are going to have to live up to (and beyond) the promises you imply or implicitly make to your accounts.
"Well, Pete, what do you expect?" Luxottica might ask. I'm so happy you asked! The patient with the flyer wanted to know if we could make SunGlass Hut frames into prescription sunglasses. I informed her that, not only could we fit Rx lenses to the frames, but the RayBans she was considering were less expensive in our office than at SunGlass Hut. Would it kill Lux to put "and participating private offices" next to LensCrafters? Our rep could procure our agreement to honor the coupon and maybe even (Heaven forbid) supply us with pop stuff that says "We can fit your SunGlass Hut frames with Rx lenses." (or something like that).
Will I still buy from Luxottica? Yes, for now. Am I happy with EyeMed? Looks promising, but we're still evaluating it. Will I purchase any more sunwear from Luxottica? Nope, not till they do SOMETHING for the accounts that put in all that sunwear...
I'm not saying Lux/LC doesn't have the right to direct business to each other using the retail and frame lines. However, if you're going to pull this ****, at least have the decency to drop the "we're here to help you" charade!
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