Luxottica responds to 60 minutes segment

**GokhanSF** · 10-29-2012, 10:46 AM

Kentmitchell1961 not all businesses sell Lux product so don't generalize... There are a lot of optical shops who only sell high-end independent eyewear and are very successful... When it comes to your examples about all those other companies I am laughing so hard here :)))))))))))) You do realize Chevy doesn't buy their car from Ford, Samsung doesn't buy and sell Apple or Sony phones right????? On the other hand you buy from Lux and sell it... What makes your store different than LC if you are selling the same product??? Don't tell me service, because they can get your glasses back to you in an hour, they got 90 day money back guarantee, they got 30% discounts, so tell me what do you have????

**kentmitchell1961** · 10-29-2012, 10:52 AM

Ahh, but chevy/ford sell cars and buy a lot of bits from the same companies, and sam/apple/motorola and the rest all make phones (plus buy the same chips and all.. As to us, we do sell some Lux and have the 90 day thing, some stuff in a coupe of hours, we do the service thing, nothing but ABOC staff and vsp (ugg). And we do specials also... We all have out place and we can all ***** about some company or the other, I am not a fan or Marchon/vsp, but so what? My main beef is and will always be with online, and second is the huge markup of lenses, that is someplace that needs fixing. Specsavers and many European eyewear places give you a free set of fab Pentax sv lenses with every frame, we have to charge $90+ for the same lenses. Why?

BTW congrats on the sweep of the Tigers...!

**GokhanSF** · 10-29-2012, 11:01 AM

Why give something free when people are willing to pay for it?????

**kentmitchell1961** · 10-29-2012, 11:02 AM

;> True...... Very American....

**djeyes** · 10-29-2012, 11:08 AM

I am not a fan of Luxottica, however, I do carry some of their products for the credibility value. Some patients/consumers are shopping for brands such as Coach and Ray Ban and I want to fill their need. Lux, in turn, does pay a licensing fee for the right to market their products with a brand. Those licensing agreements are sometimes valued in the billions. I am not sure if 60 minutes made a mention of that. On the flip side, Maui and Kaenon are indeed top notch products, however, they are quite expensive. Maui seems to becoming a recognizable brand and Kaenon is far behind. These companies have very little marketing and they rely on the ECP to educate the consumer. So why the heck are we paying top dollar for plastic and metal?
My strategy is to offer bundled value pricing on low end, non branded frames, competitive pricing on familiar brands (Coach,Ray Ban) and legitimate luxury pricing on luxury products (Salt, Sama, LaFont). Sort of a Good Better Best scenario. Its hard to compete marketing to one demographic unless your patient base can allow it. I have been trying to adapt the best I know and I value all of your opinions.

**Johns** · 10-29-2012, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by djeyes

These companies have very little marketing and they rely on the ECP to educate the consumer. So why the heck are we paying top dollar for plastic and metal?

Not to mention that they will undercut you by selling to wholesale clubs. ECPS are the ONLY reason Maui is even a brand name.

**Jarhead Daddy** · 10-29-2012, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by GokhanSF

Jarhead and Kenstmitchell1961 you guys both realize that Lux is in business to put you out of business right? I worked for Lux as a manager for 9 years and that was the only game plan we got.... Sell you all of our products and kill your business relations with others than monitor your sales to see if it is worth opening a Lencrafters next to you than stop selling you all the product once we open the LC. You already trained your customers to buy Prada and if you can't sell it to them anymore new LC store will.

Keep selling their product and remember what I just wrote here when you got LC next door. Good luck to you because luck is all you got at this point.

Luxottica is in business to make a profit. If that includes an LC accross the street, so be it. They don't sell trash and from what I saw, their patient service is pretty good. I got my start in optical in an LC lab. We are a bit more customized here, not necessarily in frames, but in patient service, lab service, insurances, etc. I suppose they could undercut me at some point, but our frame selection is pretty well diversified, and I think we would be able to give LC a good run for its money. Time will tell.

**kentmitchell1961** · 10-29-2012, 12:33 PM

My old LC that I worked in is in the mall with a couple of private opticals and we all played well together, no running with scissors. Actually it was handy having them around, but not all LC's/Pearles/Sears et all are the same.......

**mauirob** · 03-07-2014, 06:48 PM

What you said!

**Uilleann** · 03-07-2014, 06:58 PM

Wow - resurrection here! So Rob, do you work with Maui (guess from your handle)? Are they finally giving up and going to be sucked into the giant Lux monstrosity - and all the horrid brand dilution and quality depletion that always occurs with that move?

**mauirob** · 03-07-2014, 09:21 PM

No and no.
Yes I've been with Maui Jim since 2001. And I can tell you that we have not been acquired by Lux. We are not for sale & are still privately held. As I tell my accounts: The day that Lux acquires MJ is the day we've both made a mistake.

That day is not today. ;)

**Chris Ryser** · 01-17-2017, 01:29 AM

This thread started ……………..10-23-2012, 10:16 AM

Has come to an end, due to the new merger between Luxottica and Essilor, announced yesterday January 15. 2017.

**lensmanmd** · 01-17-2017, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by GokhanSF

$700 for a crap from Dior? You must be out of your mind. I am looking all the brands you mentioned here and realize they are all piece of crap and I would rather quit this business than selling them to my valued customers.
Next time you go to Vision Expo if you do check out:
Barton Perreira, Orgreen, Bevel, Salt, Sama, Anne et Valentin, Theo, Alain Mikli, Entourage of 7, Mykita, ic! Berlin, Face a Face, Lafont, Dita, Lindberg, Activist Eyewear, Alexander Daas, Cutler&Gross, Gold&Wood, Leisure Society, and Starck Eyes.
So you can really see who is really out there as high-end frame manufacturer.

Ummm, Lux owns Alain Mikli (don't forget Oliver Peoples, too), and if allowed, they will go after these other companies as well. Another point, in the mass market optical business, consumers equate designer brands as quality brands. We all know that Lux cheapened Chanel, Bvlgari, Prada and others. Consumers, however, continue to seek these brands out. I would choose OGI, LaFont, Ic! Berlin, et al, over anything Lux produces. But I also choose Bowers and Wilkins over Onkyo. Tag Heuer over Movado (can't afford Breitling or Rolex). I will spend some extra for quality, and I know that a designer logo, or a popular brand does not always equal quality.

The point here is, this merger is not good for our business. Independent labs have been muscled out by Essilor and will continue at a more rapid pace when these two become one giant machine. High quality eyewear will become a niche product, more so than it is currently, once Lux uses their combined powers to assimilate popular and trendy designer brands.

And speaking of OGI, I have loved their products. A great marriage of quality at a reasonable price. The only problem, my clients do not recognize the brand and they were hard to sell to the average Joe and Joan. Joe and Joan were looking for Prada, Chanel and Giorgio Armani. Even Tom Ford frames were a tough sell at first because of the price. Now, not so much, because Joe and Joan have come to learn the name.

Unless you are a luxury or specialty optical, the high COGs of the brands mentioned here are not sustainable for the average B&M opticals. Essilux/Luxilor will not be good for the Mom and Pops.

**Chris Ryser** · 01-17-2017, 07:30 AM

Originally Posted by lensmanmd

The point here is, this merger is not good for our business. Independent labs have been muscled out by Essilor and will continue at a more rapid pace when these two become one giant machine. High quality eyewear will become a niche product, more so than it is currently, once Lux uses their combined powers to assimilate popular and trendy designer brands.

Unless you are a luxury or specialty optical, the high COGs of the brands mentioned here are not sustainable for the average B&M opticals. Essilux/Luxilor will not be good for the Mom and Pops.

All this is an old thread and should be forgotten about it.

Make your comments on the new and busy one, to keep updated