long post, love some feed back tho

[obxeyeguy]

This is an interesting discussion I like where its going. I have another set of theoretical questions to pose. A customer walks in the door and needs a pair of bifocals. He is wearing a frame that is clearly broken, repaired, broken, repaired, and still broken. The cost for a pair of lined bifocals in your store including a budget frame is $150 (made up number prices vary). This customer has 115$ cash to put toward a pair of new glasses. Would you allow your employee's autonomy enough to decide to accept that as a transaction. Would you require managemental intervention to make that decision. Would you turn that offer away altogether?

Yes, they could take it, no okay from me needed, as they know my philosophy on this.

[Dr. Bill Stacy]

I would let him choose a frame from my discontinued selection and make him a pair of clear cr39 ft-28 for that price rather than let him go to stanton or costco. I understand if I do that, I can write off the difference between that price and my UCR as a charitable donation. If that's true, I've missed a lot of charitable deductions over the years.

[rbaker]

I would let him choose a frame from my discontinued selection and make him a pair of clear cr39 ft-28 for that price rather than let him go to stanton or costco. I understand if I do that, I can write off the difference between that price and my UCR as a charitable donation. If that's true, I've missed a lot of charitable deductions over the years.

The boys at the IRS do not consider selling at a discount a charitable deduction. Your neglect to take this "deduction" over the years has kept you out of a long vacation at Pelican Bay where you could have had the distinction being Charlie Manson's Optometrist.

[jefe]

Bend the rules?? I bend them, twist them, dip them in chocolate, drive over them with my truck, slide them under the door, and run them up the flagpole! Are you kidding???!! I'm here to make money, not rules!

+1

[Jubilee]

I am torn on this subject...

I have been more of the wheeling and dealing type. We offer a similar promotion, and even choose to offer it to Davis Vision patients, knowing we may end up losing money since there is no lab discount since it is only 1 pair. However, our margins are high enough that usually we still make something.

The issue I have seen come up is lack of consistency. Company policy is 50% off a second pair. I had an associate that only offered 30% to a patient. He was friends with someone who received the 50%. They talked. I got a phone call questioning our ethics/morals. While I could say this was a misunderstanding by the associate, since some lines (Maui Jim) could not be discounted as much and still meet pricing guidelines.. it was a rather uncomfortable conversation.

In a new office now, and we have one associate that is always dealing. Its great that she is doing what it takes to get the extra sales, however if the other optician is working with someone else, and then they are asking about these discounts. Wondering why two different sets of pricing is going on, etc. I *hate* having to explain to a patient why Mr Smith got something free or greatly reduced when the other patient is not. Our optical is not big enough for these conversations not to be overheard.

I believe in some flexibility, and definitely believe some money is better than no money. However in small towns that chatter and compare.. lack of consistency can bite you in the butt.

[Bill West]

People are getting very upset with all the "hustle" in optical. Everyday great prices works for me.

[Craig]

Flea markets and garage sales are for "car sales" approach to glasses in my opinion; I do not want the best price just a fair deal that is not worse than the person after me who was more insistent on saving money!

Why do you all feel the need to negotiate your prices? Where else do you do this in your daily life?

[Tallboy]

My prices are fair and because of that I can't give a big discount on them. A little wiggle room for seniors/military. If what I'm offering is too expensive, I have plenty of cheaper lens options available for them. They will not get high end for low end prices though.

For me its 30% for the 2nd complete pair and 15% for lens only 2nd pair. Now if we get into 3 complete pairs, I will be able to offer substantial discounts

[Dr. Bill Stacy]

The boys at the IRS do not consider selling at a discount a charitable deduction. Your neglect to take this "deduction" over the years has kept you out of a long vacation at Pelican Bay where you could have had the distinction being Charlie Manson's Optometrist.

I thought it sounded too good to be true. Maybe they were talking about real donations where you say "keep the $115, I'll do it for free this time". Then you could write it off? Would it be the UCR or the lab cost that would be the deductible amount? There is likely an amount below which it would be more profitable to give it away. Anyway I heard this from a dental person who claims bad debts as charitable contributions when he writes them off. He's still a free man, for now.