I don't see a single unreasonable or impolitic point in this letter.
I work best with vendors when we view each others as partners in profit rather than my viewing them as a mere wholesale source and their viewing me as a cash cow. There are plenty of good reps out there willing to work in collaboration with you.
I'm Andrew Hamm and I approve this message.
Spectacle frames these days are sold to wholesalers, ex factory in the far east at prices that are equivalent to what they were in the early 1970s. However they are sold to the retailer by today's wholesale trade at prices that are higher than what they were in the 1990s.
This is a reaction of the wholesale sellers to counter the fact that retailers think that he/she has the right to return anything bought can be returned at their pleasure at any time.
Opticians and Optometrists overpay and are charged much higher margins that they ever were: because they want:
1) warranties, the longer the better,
2) consignments, pay only what you sold
3) freedom to exchange at any time they feel like it,
4) returns, whenever you want
There were days before this circus ever started when retailers actually purchased even quantities of certain models, got an extra discount and everybody was happy.
The warranty was, that it was a 100% guaranteed against manufacturing defaults and frames were exchanged without any discussion when that was the case.
All these item above have to be carried by the optical wholesaler, who could financially not support such a system if it would not be included in the selling prices.
This system looks like an insurance who has to charge ahead before they make a payout.
Yes, the retailer overpays the frames these days, but it is all due to the demand for protection of being responsible when something happens to the product.
I think the letter is coming from the wrong perspective. Sales reps are representing their company. Typically, companies I've encountered want to be considered business partners. In order to be a partner, you sink and swim with us.
The bit about emotionally charged buying, I certainly would counter that with the rep should be speaking logic at the emotions and say that it is not a good idea, if they are indeed a partner. If you only have one frame that will move in my location, sell me twelve of them if they will move well.
Because frame vendors are flooding the market, and then discounting sales off to online retailers, etc., Mom and Pop have to increase their frame numbers to compete.
That letter certainly wasn't penned by a company pr department. That letter was penned by a rep with a very big ego and little concern for the accounts.
Dear Sales rep,
Please do not get upset with me because I don't buy from you when you jump ship from one frame company and go to another. I bought the frames from the company that you represented, I can't follow every rep that decides they need to move on. Last year I had at least 2 reps move on and came in with new lines expecting me to buy, both were upset that I didn't. One gal says to me, "you've been buying from me for a long time" very true I did. I was also buying from that company before you joined them, and chances are when your replacement comes along I will buy from them as well. Unless of course they do not meet my expectations.
I do not know what the life expectancy of a sales yep these days but it's not for long.
All. the . time.
We buy a lot of small indie stuff. I have multiple reps that have done this with multiple companies. I get it. People change jobs for a variety of reasons. But.... it does stick in my gut a little bit when I know that Rep A wants to sell me their new lines while their old stuff is still on my boards. I can also count on their replacement, Rep B, to passive aggressively sigh when it comes time to write a return for those older frames.
Don't hate the payer, hate the game.
If you ever want wholesale prices to drop big time, buy frames outright and sell them at whatever price you want and can get away with. If you want to get rid of some, instead of returning them, sell them at a reduced pricing.
Every time you return something to the Rep, it will be a deduction of the commission from his pay cheque.
Last edited by Chris Ryser; 11-03-2015 at 09:40 AM.
Yes Chris, we get it.
However as optical 24/7 posted, right now most companies will not reduce our price for an all sales final except true defects price. When 3rd party payers are mandating that all their "lives" are getting current frames, it reduces the desire to work with disco's even more.
A few companies are starting to offer rebates for keeping your returns low. 1-5% depending upon company. That is a least a step in the right direction. However, I can't blame too many for wanting to exchange to keep things current, especially when some companies seem to keep a short shelf life on many styles. I have had instances of purchasing a frame, and the very next rep cycle find out it is discontinued!
"Some believe in destiny, and some believe in fate. But I believe that happiness is something we create."-Something More by Sugarland
As a former rep, I had to laugh when I read this! Too funny.
Since I'm no longer a rep, and am now in retail, maybe I'll hang a note in my dispensary for my patients:
1. Please take your shoes off whenn you come in, so you don't scuff up our hardwood floors.
2. Please pay in cash, preferably large bills.
3. It would really help my business out if you would buy a minimum of 3 pairs of glasses per visit. I don't care where you get the money to buy them - it's not my problem.
4. Research the frame you want before you come in, so you can select it without us having to leave our cardgame going on in the "lab".
5. If you need an adjustment, go to a big box store down the street, that will keep our staff available for customers who are buying.
6. Keep in mind that while you will probably like your frames, and you new lenses may even help you see better, at the end of the day, it's all about us, the optical retailers who you should be concerned about.
I'm still confused about the letter from the rep. Why did they send in near Halloween, and not April Fool's Day??
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
Jubilee I understand.
10 to 15 % is something, however if you make a quick search on the web and go on the largest site were glasses of most makes are offered you will find that a wholesaler could go much lower than that for final sales.
When I owned my frame company for 20 years in the old days our markup was 42% from the selling price. That included sales reps commission and company profit.
Manufacturers selling prices are still way lower than they ever were. It is still all open for anybody to see on the web.
2840 Selected Supplier(s) can give quotations.
see at: ======>
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?fsb=y&IndexArea=product_en&CatId=&SearchText=eyeglass +frames
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