Ray-Ban/Luxottica "Policy Change" question.

**dave.fant.lab** · 01-29-2015, 12:51 PM

So yes, due to high demand we do have a few Luxottica lines, I know most frown upon this, but let's leave that for a different discussion haha.

Our Ray-Ban rep comes in and tells us that due to a change in policy, Luxottica is now requiring that all companies with Ray-Ban are required to have a ophthalmic account and a suns account open and that we are required to have a 20 piece buy in on suns to keep our ophthalmic line active. Here's the predicament. We've had Ray-Ban suns previously and didn't do well with them, we closed the account down. We do much better with Oakley and Maui Jim. On the flipside, Ray-Ban is our best selling frame from 2014.

Has anyone else with a current Ray-Ban account ran into this issue? Our doctor spoke with other OD friends of his and none of them have heard anything about this alleged sun account requirement. He has 2 other OD friends from school who have ophthalmic accounts only and do not sell suns. When attempting to call Luxottica for verification of this, they stated they are in the dark on potential requirements to maintain frame lines. Which is kind of crazy to me. I definitely don't like the feeling of being strong armed to re-obtain a struggling line for us in order to keep a stellar one. A very frustrating situation.

I'd love some feedback on thoughts/experiences in this matter with any other opticals out there. Thanks in advance.

**CME4SPECS** · 01-29-2015, 01:21 PM

At least your sales rep had the decency to tell you...my rep still has not told me! I found out when I tried to order a sunglass and was locked out of the rayban ordering site. So they can kiss my a@@!

**Craig** · 01-29-2015, 01:26 PM

It is up to your rep to decide what they do with your account. We carry the sun and no optical nor will we.

**The Optical Giant** · 01-29-2015, 02:38 PM

Same here. Our rep was in last week and told us that if we wanted to keep the sun line we are going to have to carry the Ophthalmics which i really don't want to do.

**ThatOneGuy** · 01-29-2015, 02:42 PM

We had a rep visit recently who said the 20 pieces is a yearly requirement, not a frame board level that must be maintained. In other words, we need to buy in at 20 frames if we want to carry them, but if we sold 10, we don't have to replace them since we already bought 20 for the year. That doesn't help your situation, but I can confirm that I was told the same thing about carrying suns and ophthalmic.

**CME4SPECS** · 01-29-2015, 03:05 PM

I have never not carried rayban...since 1980. Such an icon...gonna miss ya! But not gonna miss Luxottica!

**nawsman** · 01-29-2015, 05:29 PM

so far we haven't had any problems, we have had Ray Bans since long before I started in the business (8yrs)

**ak47** · 01-29-2015, 08:16 PM

We were told the same thing a couple of years back and went ahead with it...have done quite well with both the past couple of years...if you are concerned about the buy in, be aware that mauijim will be knocking on your door requiring 54 pieces (including new ophthalmics) any week

iD · 01-30-2015, 04:59 PM

I just had the Michael Kors rep and decided to ask him if he knew anything about this. He said yeah its something new they were doing. However, our Ray Ban rep hasn't said anything to us about splitting Suns and Ophthalmic. Maybe next time I see him he might.

**David_Garza** · 01-30-2015, 05:22 PM

We had both RB Suns and Ophthalmics about 5 yrs ago but dropped both for about 3 yrs. Too many of our optical customers were asking for the RB frames so I bought in 20 frames last year (Oph. only) and ordered another 20+ last month.

We order directly through the website so the rep hasn't been by in over a year. She did e-mail me last week asking to come in so perhaps this is what she will suggest. I'll let you know.

**David_Garza** · 03-04-2015, 06:58 PM

So they did in fact let me know that they want Ray ban accounts to carry both lines by end of year. Instead of putting in an order for any ophthalmic frames I simply ordered the buy in for the Suns.

Bummer

**HindSight2020** · 03-06-2015, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by dave.fant.lab

So yes, due to high demand we do have a few Luxottica lines, I know most frown upon this, but let's leave that for a different discussion haha.

Our Ray-Ban rep comes in and tells us that due to a change in policy, Luxottica is now requiring that all companies with Ray-Ban are required to have a ophthalmic account and a suns account open and that we are required to have a 20 piece buy in on suns to keep our ophthalmic line active. Here's the predicament. We've had Ray-Ban suns previously and didn't do well with them, we closed the account down. We do much better with Oakley and Maui Jim. On the flipside, Ray-Ban is our best selling frame from 2014.

Has anyone else with a current Ray-Ban account ran into this issue? Our doctor spoke with other OD friends of his and none of them have heard anything about this alleged sun account requirement. He has 2 other OD friends from school who have ophthalmic accounts only and do not sell suns. When attempting to call Luxottica for verification of this, they stated they are in the dark on potential requirements to maintain frame lines. Which is kind of crazy to me. I definitely don't like the feeling of being strong armed to re-obtain a struggling line for us in order to keep a stellar one. A very frustrating situation.

I'd love some feedback on thoughts/experiences in this matter with any other opticals out there. Thanks in advance.

Hasn't yet happened in Canada. Either way, although rather pushy, it's a great line that does well up here and is very common with other companies (Safilo being one) doing it. I'm actually ok with it; besides protecting the brand power, it costs a company a ton of dough to employ a sales rep and cover travelling costs to see a client that purchases a few pieces per year.

Ante up and pay for 20 or don't carry them, pretty simple solution.