Our future...

[Hx04]

Hi, I'm new to the optiBoard! I've read a lot of interesting discussions and learned a lot of useful tips to better ourselves in our practice from this site. I do have one concern though: What is the future of our industry going to be 5-10 years from now?

Ever since Clearly Contacts heavily attacked our industry with their aggressive advertisements, it brought our industry down to a whole new standard. Clearly's contacts likes to brainwash our consumers with low budget frames & no name lenses creating a false impression that all eye-wear should cost the same; otherwise, the public now feel ripped off or they think they're paying for our "overhead costs".

We need to bring our standard's back by engaging our consumers with why quality matters. Why would people purchase a $500 iPad over a $200 blackberry playbook? Or a $80.00 pair of Nike shoes over $20.00 no name pair? The same theory should be applied to progressive lenses, coatings and our frames. Lets face it, we can all match Clearly's pricing on lenses...but who has to take time to explain to our patients why they're not seeing as clear? Then they will ask, "What brand was I fitted with?". Soon enough, they think they were fitted poorly, making our practice look low quality, yet that thinking never applies to the online. Our industry was built to protect our consumers ensuring they are fitted properly and maintained for years down the road. Online players are trying to destroy that.

Safilo discontinued the whole Armani collection, then gets dumped on clearly's website that introduces it as "brand new inventory & latest styles". It tries to line it up with our own frame selections that we have to sweat for to stock in our practices. I'm sick of reading articles online that our practices and optometrist's will be come extinct or shut down. Service is no longer considered valuable.

"Take your own PD", what a joke that is! I have clients who complain their eye is pulling if the pd is slightly off. Clearly Contacts makes that measurements look as it means nothing. Congrats to Clearly Contacts for being the first company to breakthrough successfully selling the lowest quality crap in our industry. Sure they'll have a d&g frame here or a ray-ban there to look as if they carry "brands".

I hope we can all come up with strategies & ideas to make our consumers and patients become more aware. I'm still optimistic about our industry's future and wish everyone to continue to do well, even the chain stores. It's a healthy economy for our practice. Some people may disagree with me on here, but I'm just voicing my concern :)

[Chris Ryser]

I hope we can all come up with strategies & ideas to make our consumers and paitents become more aware. I'm still optimistic about our industry's future and wish everyone to continue to do well, even the chain stores. It's a healthy economy for our practice. Some people may disagree with me on here, but I'm just voicing my concern

Nice post .......................and meaning well, but a few years too late. Coastal is not the only one, it is just the only one that counts in Canada.

The industry is under attack for too long to change the consumers mind. When money is scarce the consumer looks for the best deal. And so far these companies are now selling millions of pairs per year. One of the largest one in the USA is now 100% owned by Essilor as well as the largest one in India. Most opticians still love Essilors products and support them.

Opticians have to change their selling system and adapt to the new competition before they are totally run over by these steam rollers.

[MakeOptics]

Hi, I'm new to the optiBoard! I've read a lot of interesting discussions and learn't a lot of useful tips to better ourselves in our practice from this site. I do have one concern though: What is the future of our industry going to be 5-10 years from now?

Ever since Clearly Contacts heavily attacked our industry with their aggressive advertisement's, it brought our industry down to a whole new standard. Clearly's contacts likes to brainwash our consumers with low budget frames & no name lenses creating a false impression that all eyewear should cost the same; otherwise, the public now feel ripped off or they think they're paying for our "overhead costs".

We need to bring our standard's back by engaging our consumers with why quality matters. Why would people purchase a $500 dollar iPad over a $200 blackberry playbook? Or a $80.00 pair of Nike shoes over $20.00 no name pair? The same theory should be applied to progressive lenses, coatings and our frames. Lets face it, we can all match Clearly's pricing on lenses...but who has to take time to explain to our paitents why they're not seeing as clear? Then they will ask, "What brand was I fitted with?". Soon enough, they think they were fitted poorly, making our practice look low quality, yet that thinking never applies to the online. Our industry was built to protect our consumers ensuring they are fitted properly and maintained for years down the road. Online players are trying to destroy that.

Safilo discontinued the whole Armani collection, then gets dumped on clearly's website that introduces it as "brand new inventory & latest styles". It tries to line it up with our own frame selections that we have to sweat for to stock in our practices. I'm sick of reading articles online that our practices and optometrist's will be come extinct or shut down. Service is no longer considered valuable.

"Take your own PD", what a joke that is! I have clients who complain their eye is pulling if the pd is slightly off. Clearly Contacts makes that measurements look as it means nothing. Congrats to Clearly Contacts for being the first company to breakthorugh successfully selling the lowest quality crap in our industry. Sure they'll have a d&g frame here or a ray-ban there to look as if they carry "brands".

I hope we can all come up with strategies & ideas to make our consumers and paitents become more aware. I'm still optimistic about our industry's future and wish everyone to continue to do well, even the chain stores. It's a healthy economy for our practice. Some people may disagree with me on here, but I'm just voicing my concern :)

If your customers are voicing a concern about high prices start purchasing smarter or differentiating. No name lenses is really a funny statement since their all no-name lenses from the patients perspective. Only a few manufacturers that I know are heavily marketing to the consumer direct, but the rest rely on the offices to market direct to the consumer and the marketing cost is bundled in with the price of the lens. If that model works for you then go for it, but a "no name lens" that I stand behind may be of more value to the patient if I can consistently ensure it's quality and no one in my area can offer my designs. This is my current approach, I've said to much already since honestly I would like to see a landscape devoid of the number of opticals currently present. I have a more optimistic doomsday approach to this industry, I see a lot of the shops going belly up in the near future, 5-10 years seems about right. I am trying to encourage that personally as I feel the level of practice I have seen is abysmal at best, I feel as though even those that portray themselves as excellent are *sometimes* just barely above par. When these *excellent* offices disappear I will have a better hold of locations consumers and their attention.

[optimensch]

'I see a lot of the shops going belly up in the near future, 5-10 years seems about right.'

maybe , but for now are there more or fewer opticals in your city than 10 or 20 years ago? where i am there are more than ever. i dont see that weve come to the tipping point.....yet. must be something to do with margins being what they are, mainly from 'unbranded' lenses. opticals appear to have good staying power. one thing thats popped up increasingly around here is groupon-type deals at some independents..'buy $250 of eyewear for $25' . now that is not applicable towards acuvue 1 days.....it is obviously a sign, for anyone who can think a bit, that there is some fat margin in this field. it is being excised though...

[Chris Ryser]

I have a more optimistic doomsday approach to this industry, I see a lot of the shops going belly up in the near future, 5-10 years seems about right. I am trying to encourage that personally as I feel the level of practice I have seen is abysmal at best, I feel as though even those that portray themselves as excellent are *sometimes* just barely above par. When these *excellent* offices disappear I will have a better hold of locations consumers and their attention.

Interesting post............and you could be right

[optical24/7]

I agree with Phi. There will be locations closing. There is already a glut of optical providers, particularly OD's. And they've just opened another school in San Antonio to add to the glut of OD's put out by the U of H in Houston and all the other optometry schools across the country.

Just in my little 5 mi. radius we have over 20 providers. This is suburbia, not a dense city area. You have to offer something the others don't to attract business.

Gone are the days of hanging out your shingle, do a good job and building your clientele. OD's come out today and expect to make a good profit their 1st year. ( But I got student debt to pay! I need income now! This is the attitude.)

Many of us did it the old fashioned way, paid our dues one patient at a time, and today we get to reap the profit of all those years of service. It's a shame those entering the field don't have those same attitudes or expectations. My advice: Get out of optics unless it's your passion. If it is, you'll do well, just don't expect overnight success.

[MakeOptics]

'I see a lot of the shops going belly up in the near future, 5-10 years seems about right.'

maybe , but for now are there more or fewer opticals in your city than 10 or 20 years ago? where i am there are more than ever. i dont see that weve come to the tipping point.....yet. must be something to do with margins being what they are, mainly from 'unbranded' lenses. opticals appear to have good staying power. one thing thats popped up increasingly around here is groupon-type deals at some independents..'buy $250 of eyewear for $25' . now that is not applicable towards acuvue 1 days.....it is obviously a sign, for anyone who can think a bit, that there is some fat margin in this field. it is being excised though...

Groupon was great when it first came out, everyone knew these weren't loyal customers going in so you left just enough meat on the bone to make it worth while. I stopped recommending it probably when most opticals started to take advantage of it.

That's part of a trend that many opticals seem to be going through, ZERO innovation or risk. Everyone just wants to copy the other guys successes, without the other guys failures. Most offices I have seen have become paralyzed and only make the obvious moves.

[mervinek]

I'm still banking on quality to save me. I have several patients that went to vision world for their glasses only to find they can't see because the lenses were not made correctly. Those same patients are now coming back and ordering from me. What are they ordering? Good quality products. I also have patients who are choosing to not go through their insurance because it requires that we use their lab (which has horrible quality). We give them a discount and they submit for reimbursement. Win win.

[Johns]

I agree with Phi. There will be locations closing. There is already a glut of optical providers, particularly OD's. And they've just opened another school in San Antonio to add to the glut of OD's put out by the U of H in Houston and all the other optometry schools across the country.

I also agree. Everything goes through cycles, and nothing last forever. When I first came to the town I am in now, there were 4 opticals, all independent ODs & opticians, and no chains . I opened up and slowly built up the practice. Today, there are two, us,and Walmart.

When I first came to town, there were also 3 dry cleaners, and 3 florists. Today there is one dry cleaner, and no florists. No one is immune to change, and change is not always good for each person's business

[beejay]

All we can do is rant. Their coffers are too huge and they can literally buy anyone off. And just saying QUALITY does not work magic with the customers these days.

To top it, now the online scenario in India is rapidly catching on and people are experimenting the same. End of the day it is bad for business. This is a primary reason why I have now opted to have a mobile eye testing unit. This way I am able to drive in more traffic to my stores as well as advertise myself more prominently Nobody wants to do business with a loser. Keep innovating, burn your fingers and make more friends. Business will grow. Age old mantra.

[golfnut]

The fact that everyone is still giving away services such as adjustments, repairs and such is not helping in the battle with online optical. I realize some of the people on this forum are starting to charge but it will only work if everyone gets in board!

[Chris Ryser]

The fact that everyone is still giving away services such as adjustments, repairs and such is not helping in the battle with online optical. I realize some of the people on this forum are starting to charge but it will only work if everyone gets in board!

golfnut you are right....................charge a basic price plus services and you can compete with everybody

[fjpod]

This 'problem" involves more than just optical. Today's 20 and 30 somethings order EVERYTHING online. Sometimes it is cheaper. It is always more convenient. Heck, I order tons of supplies, equipment, even services and the like for the operation of my office, online, for those exact same reasons. I don't have to stop what I am doing, or pay somebody, to go to the store.

At a recent gathering, I was with a group of young 20 somethings. Those who wore glasses all had purchased them online...admittedly from a "cheap chinese manufacturer because that's all I can afford". And for SV lenses, it probably works 9 out of 10 times.

Today's culture is to get things done by avoiding human contact. People don't want to drive to the store to buy things they could get online with a few clicks, and often for less than half the price.

I used to think when these folks needed progressives, they would come around. But in 20 years, there will be better online measuring apps, and even a refracting app that will aid the public in "getting away" without making a trip to an optical retailer.

Yet in my area, there seems to be a fair number of optician owned small optical shops opening...Most, if not all, trying to feature high end-boutique eyewear. The ones not taking insurance usually close within a year. I often wonder how these small shops are able to hire an OD and stay in business. Fact is at least half of them don't have an OD, and the ones that do, only hire one a few days per week.

The world is changing. We have to adapt. As an OD, I feel at least we have the medical eyecare end of the business (but it does take at least eight years to get there). Medical is not quite yet transferred over to online yet. When someone has a red painful eye, or is losing vision from diabetes, they come running in. I think the opticals that will remain most successful will either be associated with a medically oriented insurance basedpractice, or a very deeply entrenched high volume "value" practice. And there will always be an occasional high end store in the right neighborhood.

Maybe I am wrong. Maybe my thoughts are "clouded" by being an OD.

[HindSight2020]

Nice post .......................and meaning well, but a few years too late. Coastal is not the only one, it is just the only one that counts in Canada.

The industry is under attack for too long to change the consumers mind. When money is scarce the consumer looks for the best deal. And so far these companies are now selling millions of pairs per year. One of the largest one in the USA is now 100% owned by Essilor as well as the largest one in India. Most opticians still love Essilors products and support them.

Opticians have to change their selling system and adapt to the new competition before they are totally run over by these steam rollers.

+1...The 'BIG EVIL E' is doing more harm to independent ECP's than Coastal. They desperately want your hard earned dollar, yet they continue to compete with ECP's on multiple levels while also supplying most of Coastal's lenses. Great job people - keep sending them your money and please don't complain when you're no longer in business.

[HindSight2020]

The fact that everyone is still giving away services such as adjustments, repairs and such is not helping in the battle with online optical. I realize some of the people on this forum are starting to charge but it will only work if everyone gets in board!

Absolutely! For example, there are 2 new progressively thinking Optometric groups growing fast up here in Canada that are thriving. They focus on quality and service and are getting top dollar from patients. Never give away anything - one only caves and looks desperate when doing so.

Coastal will never make a dollar with bottom feeder consumers as their main stay, or they would have made a boat load by now. Market share means nothing when you are not profitable.

[idispense]

+1...The 'BIG EVIL E' is doing more harm to independent ECP's than Coastal. They desperately want your hard earned dollar, yet they continue to compete with ECP's on multiple levels while also supplying most of Coastal's lenses. Great job people - keep sending them your money and please don't complain when you're no longer in business.

+10

You would think membership organizations would figure that out.

[HindSight2020]

+10

You would think membership organizations would figure that out.

There are 2 outstanding organizations that have, both optometric based. And guess what, they are performing with excellence and Evil is not a part of their supply chain. There is life without them.

[MakeOptics]

End of the day it is bad for business. This is a primary reason why I have now opted to have a mobile eye testing unit. This way I am able to drive in more traffic to my stores as well as advertise myself more prominently Nobody wants to do business with a loser. Keep innovating, burn your fingers and make more friends. Business will grow. Age old mantra.

That's a great mantra. I liked your post. The majority will moan and groan about how things were better.

What is not realized is:
1) Online opticals were created by OD's and Opticians.
2) OD's and Opticians are the ones looking for ways to lower the cost of eyewear to the masses.
3) Some of these young 20 years olds can pick up more about optics in 30 minutes than the seasoned veterans and within months create a totally different model that serves the public well if not better then the model currently in place.

I am trying to constantly innovate because it's harder to hit a moving target.

[idispense]

There are 2 outstanding organizations that have, both optometric based. And guess what, they are performing with excellence and Evil is not a part of their supply chain. There is life without them.

Why do other membership organizations hop in bed with the onliners ?

[idispense]

Some things that would smarten up our industry are:

1. Make it a regulation that Opticians Licensing fees can not be paid or reimbursed by their employers if they are not self employed, nor can the CE expenses or membership organization expenses be reimbursed.

2. Make it a regulation that membership organizations can not be subsidized by suppliers.

3. Televise and record all meetings and disallow all in camera sessions, post all operational financials on line for membership to view with secure login right down to the check books, we are a self governing profession so lets be 100 percent transparent and accountable to each other .

[HindSight2020]

Why do other membership organizations hop in bed with the onliners ?

Because they are the business version of a greedy self serving tramp with no business ethics, smarts or loyalty.

[HindSight2020]

Some things that would smarten up our industry are:

1. Make it a regulation that Opticians Licensing fees can not be paid or reimbursed by their employers if they are not self employed, nor can the CE expenses or membership organization expenses be reimbursed.

2. Make it a regulation that membership organizations can not be subsidized by suppliers.

3. Televise and record all meetings and disallow all in camera sessions, post all operational financials on line for membership to view with secure login right down to the check books, we are a self governing profession so lets be 100 percent transparent and accountable to each other .

Although not for profit by its members, there is no transparency or accountability by both the organizations and associations. One must wonder why, and when one does inqiure, they are shunned, tarred and feathered for asking.

And then the circle of redundancy starts all over again.

[Hx04]

Does anyone have any updates about Clearly Contacts new store opening in Vancouver?

1) The Association needs to put material out about the dangers of online ordering. I read somewhere, Clearly advertised "Our contacts is lower by 40% than your local optometrists" then got sued for false advertisements. The Association takes our licensing fees and doesn't put out any advertisements to fight back. Only providing during meetings "how to explain your patients..blah blah blah..." Were suppose to depend on the association, if the industry is starting to flip over.

2) As the online reputation grows stronger, the perception of value of goes down. What is Clearly's goal by opening brick stores around the country? To take Pd or seg height measurements? They're purposely trying to attack or wipe out every independent along their path; starting with Vancouver. That's getting too cocky. I'm not sure how it is in the United States, but I hope the independent's are doing well.

[Johns]

Why do other membership organizations hop in bed with the onliners ?

Because they are the business version of a greedy self serving tramp with no business ethics, smarts or loyalty.

Come on! Business is business. Greed? Tramp? Ethics? Loyalty? Smarts-yes! How many of you (upstanding, highly ethical, loyal, independent business owners)would not sell your business to Coastal Contacts, Lux, Essilor, or Joe's Drive-By Stick It To 'Em Optical, if they offered you enough to pay off your house, get rid of all your debt, and have enough left over to never have to work again? Nobody... Really?

They are going after business wherever they can get it. If you offer to buy more from them than the onliners, guess where they'll be. But you don't, so they'll get it where they can.

[wmcdonald]

Johns is correct. What many do not even comment on here is that we have done this to ourselves. We have dumbed down this field for years, continuing the outmoded and inefficient "apprenticeship" training program all other eliminated years ago, and continue to fight expanded education and scope hoping the world will not change. Pharmacists now work in chain organizations and other forms of business, but have continued to expand their education and scope. So has Nursing, Dental Hygeine and others. We still take PDs and measure seg heights and wonder why we are being replaced. A different view of this "profession" is needed if it is to continue to exist as a stand-alone entity much longer. Opticians must make more of themeselves, not less.