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Thread: BC Minister ORDERING optometrist to take FREE PD

  1. #26
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Quote Originally Posted by Golfnorth View Post

    Chris
    So why don't we all give free pd's then use our computers to help our "customers" buy online right from the convenience of our stores? Now wouldn't that be customer service?


    Golfnorth.................I am still at golf south and I have never said that you should do it for free. I have been posting many times that optical services should be given at a charge if glasses are going to be purchased on-line or else where.

    Why should opticians give anything free if a consumer wants to use his expirence and knowdlege. I have said many times over that mechanics, plumbers , barbers and many more charge for the time worked plus cost of materials. Why not apply that system in a B&M store ?

    The consumer who sets his mind to buy cheap on-line gets only a semi-finished unchecked product so he needs some afterservice. so charge em.

  2. #27
    OptiBoard Professional gibby2020's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Peter J Shaw OD View Post
    ...........................I did a little survey on ODs on facebook thoe that replied said it affected <5% of their market. The public knows that eyeglasses are a high tech medical device requiring expertise in fitting, of greater worry to me was the de-regulation of opticians in BC, not good for the public welfare in my opinion>
    I'm a little doubtful about just 5% as I'm in a smaller community with high % of 50+yr olds and they are definitely asking about and trying online glasses. Now how well they work is a big question. They are not going to be honest when they come back.

    If they get lucky and they work right out the box, chalk that up to luck. I tell them that there's more than just taking a PD to making an rx work for the person, and I know that's not being done online. So all the stars had to be aligned for the glassses to work!

    If the online rx does not work at all, some of those people will resent the fact that they have to come back to us: the B&M's. They may not come back to the same place out of guilt,spite, resentment or a combo of all. They may drift to another retailer for a pair that works then may end up back with you yrs down the line. That has to be happening to all B&M's to some degree. It's human nature. The degree may vary depending on demographics and earnings of the community we do business in.
    Another group of online shoppers will end up with a pair that is wearable but not as good as their B&M pair. There's denial in this group. Some will tell you the online pair is the best ever but as you ask questions you find they are returning to B&M pair often.

    In the end what I'm learning so far is: high end product is not what the majority of my customers want or need. In the recession/depression (I feel) we're in, the latest FF lens at a heafty price tag is going to chase them away. Also a good chunk of the 20-50yr old crowd is lost to online! They have limited job/earning prospects so price is the most important driver for them.
    We B&M's have to be able to offer local service at a very competitve price to survive. THe consumer has too much power in the equation right now. There needs to be a great extinction of optical providers to return us to homeostasis. I'm not wishing this on the independant optician or optom but on the bigs.

    Sorry kinda long

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