Success?

**Sterling** · 05-26-2013, 06:07 PM

Has anyone had success selling used frame displays here? Or has anyone ever purchased used frame displays here? My husband want to put mine in the garbage!! It breaks my heart!!

**Johns** · 05-26-2013, 06:50 PM

I have both sold, and purchased displays here.

I have found that sellers of displays place much more value on them than they could ever hope to get in a sale. Also, there is a glut of displays on the market right now. The next time you see optical displays for sale on Ebay, put them on your "watch" list, and you will see that more than 90% of them never receive one bid.

Case in point: In July of 2011, I called on some displays that were located in Wisconsin. The OD had spent $56k on the displays in 2002. They were from Fashion Optical, an ironic name for a company which hasn't changed the basic style of their displays in the last 25 years. They were listed on Ebay for $12,500. I respectfully told the OD to keep my contact information in case he couldn't sell them. He called 3 weeks later, and told me I could have them for $3500. I offered him $500, and eventually we settled on $700. It cost me about $900 for a truck and fuel to pick them up, as the lot included dispensing tables, chairs,the reception desk, and the displays.

Last month, I bought 2 complete offices, off Optiboard, for $1500. They included brand new (still on the pallets, unopened) Ray Ban displays, Oakley light displays, Maui Jim, Coach, and many other branded displays, along with chairs, dispensing tables,and enough displays to remodel 2 stores. What was left over I tossed into a dumpster. The displays were the style that used to be featured on the front cover of the Fashion Optical catalog. (A bit cheesy...you know the one - it had an inverted triangular glass showcase...).

Unlike frames, equipment, and other optical items, you can't just drop a room full of displays off at the UPS store to be shipped. They are bulky, heavy, and awkward to deal with.

Do you have displays for sale, and you really want to make sure they DON'T sell? Simply add this word to the description: Custom. Custom means they were made just for you/your office, and to your specific tastes and room configuration. People think it adds value, but in reality, it devalues them.

When I sell displays, unless they are branded sunglass displays, (I recently sold a lighted SMITH display to a guy that has an sunglass store on the beach for $275, and freight was $158.00) I am usually happy enough to just have someone take them for a minimal, or even no charge. I have offered free displays and dispensing tables on Optiboard and have had no takers.

If you want to get rid of them, but not throw them away, take them to a local auction house, and you might get a few dollar for them. I recently took 2 trailer loads of filing cabinets, waiting room chairs, and other office furniture, along with some displays to an auction house, and received $73.00. The auctioneer was apologetic, but I was under no illusions. (Actually, I was ecstatic.) Scrap metal around here goes for $.09 per pound, and the scrap yard is 6 miles farther from me than the auction house.

**Judy Canty** · 05-26-2013, 09:01 PM

Quite true. Lost a friend over perceived value vs. reality.

**Sterling** · 05-27-2013, 07:09 PM

Thanks for the info! I reduced them to free! I wish I knew about this site before I spent $40,000 with Fashion Optical! Although my store looks great now! And Lori at Fashion Optical was a huge help in designing and layout!

**Johns** · 05-27-2013, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Sterling

Thanks for the info! I reduced them to free! I wish I knew about this site before I spent $40,000 with Fashion Optical! Although my store looks great now! And Lori at Fashion Optical was a huge help in designing and layout!

Hey, as long as you got what you want, and you can afford it, why not? I'm sure your place looks fabulous!

**Bill West** · 06-01-2013, 09:55 AM

Just a little tip if you are thinking of opening a retail optical,contact Johns, he will save you money and the savy info he gives is priceless. Four and one half years ago he drove down from Ohio and brought an Omish man to install my displays which still work good today. The price was low and I also picked up quite a few frames at low,low prices. Since I only work it 3.5 days a week I did not want to spend a lot of money to open but I never spent a lot opening a store. This is #12 and the last two have been 3.5 day operations and very sucessful part time businesses. Still having lots of fun. Thanks John.