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Thread: Displaying product by price

  1. #1
    What's up? drk's Avatar
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    Displaying product by price

    We divide our optical this way:

    1. sunwear (in it's own display area)
    2. kids (in it's own display area)
    3. collection A (on the main collection boards)
    4. collection B (on the main collection boards)
    5. collection C (on the main collection boards)
    etc.

    What we do not have is a "budget" collection, per se. We do have various price points within all our collections, but we don't have a special "budget" area.

    (We do have a miniscule rotator labeled "clearance" which interestingly does seem to attract a lot of attention.)

    Does your optical have a special budget frame collection? If so, do you display it separately? If so, do you use any signage, or is it quietly sitting there for those "special cases"?

  2. #2
    Compulsive Truthteller OptiBoard Gold Supporter Uncle Fester's Avatar
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    We mix it up too with the more expensive frames positioned closer to mirrors and a separate "boutique" room for Silhouette and women's pricier designer collections.

    I always felt Wally's and others way of displaying by price was a bean counters way of simplifying for all the wrong reasons.

  3. #3
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
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    Redhot Jumper The old rules in selling still apply in today's world ..............................

    The old rules in selling still apply in today's world, people are still always proud to get a bargain and are attracted by it. People are always happy to get the best for what they can afford.

    If you are successful get them to be attracted by your bargains and you have the training and knowledge of sales techniques, you can successfully start your up selling techniques, to buy better than they originally wanted, but never push for more than they can afford.

    Start reading up on sales psychology, it is worth spending some time on it.

  4. #4
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    Define "BUDGET".

  5. #5
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    Redhot Jumper the available cash planned to make a certain purchase ..............................

    Budget for a commercial goods buyer, is the available cash planned to make a certain purchase.

  6. #6
    Master OptiBoarder
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    budget would depend on the area you practice as well as who and what are around your optical: Dollars stores and Wal-Marts versus Nordstrom's and Whole Foods

  7. #7
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Jubilee's Avatar
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    The only budget frames we keep separated from the rest of the stock is our medicaid selection. We will sell non medicaid frames to patients as well, but typically we try not to.

    In my private practice days, I have never grouped my product by price point. By collection/brand yes. Price no.

    If you have the budget lines in / near similarly styled but better quality product, you might see more patients willing to pay the difference when they compare something from Ideal or Modern to Eyewear Designs or even L'Amy.

    I also think its good for the patients who may have been drawn to a name, and then discouraged by the price to see there is other product in lower price point.

    Of course any luxury product should be partnered with luxury..
    "Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland

  8. #8
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    There was a time, not long ago, that I keep discontinued and lesser priced merchandise in the back. I felt it was in direct competition with my other product, which tends to run toward the mid to higher end. With the success of the likes WP I have had to reevaluate the way we do business. I bought a nice looking credenza and keep my value priced frames inside it, it is our private label and I sell it at a starting price of 199.00 for frame and lenses, no insurance. It doesn't compete with our higher end sales it just allows me to offer those patients who are thinking about buying on line another option.
    I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it. Mark Twain

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    The old rules in selling still apply in today's world, people are still always proud to get a bargain and are attracted by it. People are always happy to get the best for what they can afford.

    If you are successful get them to be attracted by your bargains and you have the training and knowledge of sales techniques, you can successfully start your up selling techniques, to buy better than they originally wanted, but never push for more than they can afford.

    Start reading up on sales psychology, it is worth spending some time on it.
    Instead of attracting people with your bargains why not attract them with your unique product and personal service instead?

    Regards,
    Golfnorth

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    Quote Originally Posted by Golfnorth View Post
    Instead of attracting people with your bargains why not attract them with your unique product and personal service instead?

    Regards,
    Golfnorth
    We're with you, the idea of upselling to us is simply abhorrent. Equally we do not present our lenses as a "good/better/best" proposition. We group our frames by collection and have a single price point per collection per manufacture - eg acetates, titanium, double block titanium, etc.

    I guess each to their own, though.

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    Generally our frames are sub-divided into Womens/Mens/Kids, then displayed by brand within those categories. I think they look better when grouped by brand. I suspect I'm on the autistic spectrum somewhere.

    We've only recently got a proper budget range, due to a change in Govt policy that requires a particular range for pts requiring government support for buying glasses. We're using it as a budget range for private pts as well. This is kind of tucked away on the other side of the Kid's frames, ie it has it's own area away from our regular stock. We certainly don't signpost it, and I'd rather not sell them if possible, but I guess it has given us a go-to option for pts that may not otherwise have purchased from us.

  12. #12
    Master OptiBoarder mshimp's Avatar
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    We have a board dedicated for multiple uses. It is our board where we sale our computer or reading glasses.. It's also used for package priced frames ,distance or multifocal use. Any frame that may be discontinued or not in the current trend style that we want to dump. It is used for parts for repairs. It's the get rid of "gravy board".

  13. #13
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    Men's, women's, kids, and older kids, never quiet sure how to set up for a older kids or what to call them. Within those sections all by lines, higher priced frames at eye level. Budget stuff is off the boards and available if requested.

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    Quote Originally Posted by drk View Post
    What we do not have is a "budget" collection, per se...

    (We do have a miniscule rotator labeled "clearance" which interestingly does seem to attract a lot of attention.)
    This should be telling you something, and should be a constant thought in your head when pts are asking for their PD to walk. This indicates to me, at least, that you have a not insignificant portion of pts for whom your price points are too high.

  15. #15
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    Blue Jumper There are some interesting times ahead for this profession ..........................

    Quote Originally Posted by Golfnorth View Post

    Instead of attracting people with your bargains why not attract them with your unique product and personal service instead?

    On my other thread I was advocating inexpensive pricing without any service included, and then charge for the needed services to arrive at a good working pair of glasses.

    The world is changing in every way and very fast on top of it. The Mom and Pop shop, or in other words the B&M store is most probably going for extinction to the benefit of the chains that are fighting the on-line optical s at this very moment. These chains will also loose out in the end to the on liners.

    Technology is also advancing very fast and opticians are tempted to sell newly developed expensive coatings they can not apply anymore by themselves because the equipment to do so is highly expensive, and not affordable by the small guy. So he sells and orders everything finished by the lab which makes everything more expensive.

    If you would follow the trend in Europe you would learn that there are only very few optical labs left in every country, but they now are all huge with 400 to 600 employees each, and its coming this way too. Very few of them are independent. One you can check out is http://www.optovision.com, in Germany. Their website can be set to different languages. If the website does not come up just copy the link paste it on address lineand it will.

    So the supply chain is getting smaller as time goes by, but the left over suppliers are getting larger and larger as they eliminate the smaller ones.
    It is actually interesting to see and trying to figure out what and when the end results will show in reality.

    The independent optical retail business has to change its approach to the retail buyer and start to promote their service capability and also charge for it. The consumer only sees a selling price and does not care how you arrive to it.

    There are some interesting times ahead for this profession and its survival or demise.
    Last edited by Chris Ryser; 08-30-2014 at 01:52 PM.

  16. #16
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    Id rather sell higher end lenses than frames, if a patient has to choose one or the other. Since now a days, one can sell a 'value' frame that still has a warrenty that doesn't look like state frames, I personally would simply arrange by designer or label. If your store is selling name brands at a higher price, let's face it, there isn't much difference in the quality vs a no name china made line. However if you have a little bit of range from budget to some higher end stuff that is really quality, then you can go into an explanation of why a frame is more expensive than another. Of course if luxury is your niche, you probably shouldn't have any thing too low end. Just my opinion.

  17. #17
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    "On my other thread I was advocating inexpensive pricing without any service included, and then charge for the needed services to arrive at a good working pair of glasses.

    The world is changing in every way and very fast on top of it. The Mom and Pop shop, or in other words the B&M store is most probably going for extinction to the benefit of the chains that are fighting the on-line optical s at this very moment. These chains will also loose out in the end to the on liners."

    The idea of selling eyewear at cost or near cost and adding a separate line item for "services" is not that novel. In the province of Ontario this is how optometrists were legally required to dispense. I don't think this will catch on, and don't see how the economics of this can work. We'll see.

    As for mom and pop shops dying off and only the big chains remaining.....I don't see this applying generally to optical. In fact I believe independent ECPs are in a relative position of strength - owner operated locations can and do thrive. The chains are saddled with expenses, including paying the "hired guns", the ODs, the opticians, to run often very expensive-rent locations. It is hard for chains to "turn on a dime" and react to market changes in real time. Wise independents can do so easily.

    Many types of retail are in fact dying off. While unfortunate, this also puts pressure on landlords with increased retail rental inventory. In our town there are more and more prime retail locations available and increasingly it is a buyer's market.

    Consumers are more thrifty and savvy. Smart phones mean pricing transparency has never been greater. We as ECPs are able to source products today which are of excellent quality and at lower prices than what the behemoths peddle us. Quality matters but so does price. If you can't figure out how to deliver quality at the right price (which is NOT hard to do) then maybe your days are numbered. We can easily compete with online.B
    undling services, add ons and making the shopping experience simpler is the way of the future IMHO. The bargain is that independent ECPs can deliver a complete package, including eye exams, PDs and adjustments - the full service, in a manner and price that no online or big chain should be able to match.

    I say display by brand but also have an upfront, attractive dedicated section to the bundle offer. Not a dusty shoe box with 10 frames in the back of the store under the frame warmer or in the drawer where you keep the spare lensmeter bulb.


  18. #18
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    Thanks optimensch ....................that was an excellent post.

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    We don`t have much of a display in our store, it is kept quite minimalistic. The frames we have on display are only an impression of our complete collection. The same goes with our budget frames.
    When a customer wants to try something we have a seat, offer a cup of coffee and present a selection of frames based on the customer`s wishes and our own judgement. It works quite well for us. We used to have hundreds of frames on display.

  20. #20
    Master OptiBoarder mdeimler's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dirk View Post
    When a customer wants to try something we have a seat, offer a cup of coffee and present a selection of frames based on the customer`s wishes and our own judgement. It works quite well for us.
    Wow, to have that kind of time would be amazing...

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    Quote Originally Posted by EyeManDan View Post
    Men's, women's, kids, and older kids, never quiet sure how to set up for a older kids or what to call them. Within those sections all by lines, higher priced frames at eye level. Budget stuff is off the boards and available if requested.
    Tweens - that awkward stage between 10 and 14. The lacost frames are great for the tweens, lots of colors and a medium size which is just to small for adults and a little to big for kids. Its kind of a goldilox frame.

    We have our frames set up by collection so every patient that looks can ask us where the mens and womens frames are. Every.......Patient......sigh....I can only guess its set up like that so we can open the discussion about what differentiates a mens frame from a womens frame. By this logic were taking every opportunity to educate our patient about their eyewear choices **Confetti**

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    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Silver Supporter Barry Santini's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Chris Ryser View Post
    There are some interesting times ahead for this profession and its survival or demise.
    The "profession", as we've known it, reached its expiration date quite a while ago.

    B

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    Hello, mdeimler!

    Fortunately we have plenty of time to advise our customers. We sell highend frames and lenses so we force ourselves to take that time. And it is more efficient, a large display with hundreds of frames tends to confuse the customer, making him/her afraid to make a choice. Also we select only those frames we know that will fit. This method requires a lot of trust from our clients in our judgement.
    We even have specially made trays to present the frames on. Very chic!
    Last edited by Dirk; 09-05-2014 at 11:12 AM.

  24. #24
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    [QUOTE=chaoticneutral;492023]Tweens - that awkward stage between 10 and 14. The lacost frames are great for the tweens, lots of colors and a medium size which is just to small for adults and a little to big for kids. Its kind of a goldilox frame.

    IT hard to figure what to call it too. Just to make that age bracket feel less embarrassed or comfortable. to embarrassed to be in a kids section, to small to be in adult.

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    Blue Jumper we select only those frames we know that will fit ..................................

    Quote Originally Posted by Dirk View Post

    Fortunately we have plenty of time to advise our customers. We sell highend frames and lenses so we force ourselves to take that time. And it is more efficient, a large display with hundreds of frames tends to confuse the customer, making him/her afraid to make a choice. Also we select only those frames we know that will fit. This method requires a lot of trust from our clients in our judgement.
    That is how I learned the optical retail end in my younger days, and it work beautiful, if you know your details. But that is in Europe.

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