I think buying eyewear online is

[Chris Ryser]

Online eyewear is currently "owned" by web-based, pure internet players. Mostly non-professional, eyeball-grabbing, money-losing, venture capital spending, jump-on-the-bandwagon prospectors

. When professional optometrists and opticians, with real practices and licenses eventually figure out how to properly leverage the online opportunity, which is massive, they will take back what is naturally theirs. Yes, having a proper website, and even an ecommerce solution is a fantastic idea, and is definitely the way of the future. If you think otherwise, I believe you will begin to circle the drain very soon.

optimensch ....................... you have made some interesting post's.

This one however will need some re-thinking and correction. Essilor, the largest and richest world wide corporation in the optical industry purchased the then largest on-liner "Frames Direct" to 100% around 4-5 years ago, and still uses the 2 optometrist`s who formerly owned it
as front management.

Around the same time Essilor also purchased the Gupta family run GKB Optical (for 50 years) in India. GKB operates a large number of labs across India with over 2000 employees. They operate also 65 optical retail stores.

Dec 18, 2012 – India's Largest Eyewear Store, India's largest online eyewear destination for sunglasses, spectacles and contact lenses. Over 5000 products ....................... http://www.gkboptical.com

As India is the largest optical market worldwide at this date, the Essilor owned GKB on-line optical, together with Frames Direct in the USA, has made Èssilor the largest on-line optical owner-operater above all others.

Online eyewear is currently "owned" by web-based, pure internet players. Mostly non-professional, eyeball-grabbing, money-losing, venture capital spending, jump-on-the-bandwagon prospectors

If the largest corporation of professional optical`s has made the decision to back and own the on-line optical retail, which I assume is not a mostly non-professional, eyeball-grabbing, venture capital spending, jump-on- the-bandwagon prospector, it should be the moment to seriously re-think the way of operating the conventional B&M retail and not start to fight it, because I believe it is too late for that.

[HindSight2020]

optimensch ....................... you have made some interesting post's.

This one however will need some re-thinking and correction. Essilor, the largest and richest world wide corporation in the optical industry purchased the then largest on-liner "Frames Direct" to 100% around 4-5 years ago, and still uses the 2 optometrist`s who formerly owned it
as front management.

Around the same time Essilor also purchased the Gupta family run GKB Optical (for 50 years) in India. GKB operates a large number of labs across India with over 2000 employees. They operate also 65 optical retail stores.

Dec 18, 2012 – India's Largest Eyewear Store, India's largest online eyewear destination for sunglasses, spectacles and contact lenses. Over 5000 products ....................... http://www.gkboptical.com

As India is the largest optical market worldwide at this date, the Essilor owned GKB on-line optical, together with Frames Direct in the USA, has made Èssilor the largest on-line optical owner-operater above all others.



If the largest corporation of professional optical`s has made the decision to back and own the on-line optical retail, which I assume is not a mostly non-professional, eyeball-grabbing, venture capital spending, jump-on- the-bandwagon prospector, it should be the moment to seriously re-think the way of operating the conventional B&M retail and not start to fight it, because I believe it is too late for that.

Essilor is against everything independent ECP's stand for. And yet, it's hard to believe that there are still so many naive loyal supporters out there.

[Chris Ryser]

You are right HindSight ...............................

However Essilor does not make any big move without having made proper feasibility studies. The move into on-line optical retail sales must be the result of a in depth analysis. We should accept that as a fact.

If the B&M retail gets smaller the on-line sales get larger. Glasses are needed world wide and the manufacturers will sell their goods any way to one or the other.
Essilor has enlarged their presence towards the consumer in on-line retail on a world wide basis. Are you going to stop them and all the others ?