Can anyone tell me about this Ray Ban buy-in?

[SailorEd]

We have Ray ban ophthalmic frames. Ray ban rep just told us that we had to buy at least 20 Ray Ban sunglass frames before the end of the year or else we could not go with ray ban any longer.

Anybody hear anything about this?

[CME4SPECS]

http://www.optiboard.com/forums/show...627#post500627

[ziggy]

Ed, it doesn’t surprise me. A lot of luxury brands have done that for years, although I would not consider Ray Ban a luxury brand. We ran into the same issue a few years ago with Gucci. I dropped them like a hot potato. I would say it is a round-a-bout way of sending more patients to their retail locations. That being said the rep will tell you it’s the company’s way of keeping the brand exclusive.

[harry888]

Coach did the same to me many years back. I did great with the ophthalmic, they required a 10 frame sun buy-in.

Sold 5 of the 10 in one week.

With Rayban, I probably sell 15 a month ophthalmic, only 2 sun. But summer is starting.

So If they require the 20 sun, buy them now.


Harry

[EyeCare Rich]

Unless you have the space for that many extra frames/suns and want them, I would pack the inventory up for the next rep visit and say have a nice day, you have lost my business. See where that leads, cause I think the rep will cave. I am the manager of the frame boards, not my manufacturers, and have that clearly understood at the very first buy. If you move a lot of their products, it's in the reps best interest to leave you as you are and continue to collect a nice commision rather than loose you as a client and loose the sales. Stand Firm!

[ziggy]

Unless you have the space for that many extra frames/suns and want them, I would pack the inventory up for the next rep visit and say have a nice day, you have lost my business. See where that leads, cause I think the rep will cave. I am the manager of the frame boards, not my manufacturers, and have that clearly understood at the very first buy. If you move a lot of their products, it's in the reps best interest to leave you as you are and continue to collect a nice commision rather than loose you as a client and loose the sales. Stand Firm!

ditto

[acesrwylde]

We had the opposite Problem. We carry the sunglasses and had to pick up the eyewear line. We are using it for more kid and teen frames, and generally staying away from the adult sizes. As for sunglasses, I like the ray ban line for sunglasses because they are reasonably cheap and you can utilize insurance with them, unlike Maui and Oakley, which you cannot.

[iD]

We had the opposite Problem. We carry the sunglasses and had to pick up the eyewear line. We are using it for more kid and teen frames, and generally staying away from the adult sizes. As for sunglasses, I like the ray ban line for sunglasses because they are reasonably cheap and you can utilize insurance with them, unlike Maui and Oakley, which you cannot.

you can't utilize Oakley and Maui Jim with what insurance?

[Paul Smith LDO]

Curious, if you carry Ray Ban ophthalmic why wouldn't you carry the suns. I used to carry their sun line until they wanted me to carry their ophthalmic(CR%P) in my opinion. I was also a Lux Sun Center for years, which was to preclude me from what I ran into and what are now experiencing. No matter how attractive they seem on the surface, one day they are going to bring crackers into bed and you are going to have to decide if you are willing to put up with the crumbs, it's your bed.

[acesrwylde]

you can't utilize Oakley and Maui Jim with what insurance?

You cannot utilize a patient's full VSP benifits with oakley sun or Maui Jim. You also cannot use Eyemed at all now with Maui Jim or Oakley Sun.

[Jubilee]

20 sun over the course of a year, that is 1-2 a month. I would carry the few styles the teeners are all asking for, and offer a deal on them with a complete years supply of contacts.

That's if the ophthalmic do perform for you. If the ophthalmic doesn't.. you should be getting rid of them anyway.