Glasses sales/discounts

[btomford92]

Our office usually participates in trunk shows semi-annually, however we have recently been trying to add in some sort of inventory sales to just move some frames and be able to see more people in the door. Does anybody have any advice on a good way to get patients to feel like they got a really good deal and us still make money? We do have an in house lab, so lens pricing we don't have any issues with...but frame prices is where I'm mostly curious about. Do you find BOGO, BOGO 50%, or just a discount off first pair gets people excited about getting a good deal on their glasses?...or something completely different

[PartTimer]

BOGO is always great for running up interest. BOGO 50% is almost as good, and you can actually make money. A straight BOGO has too many asterisks if you are going to maintain anything like profitability. Straight BOGO also kills the perception of your value if you can afford to disco so much. 50% off frame or lens does fine, too. Any percent less than 50 has always been given a hearty yawn in my experience.

Loyalty from these sales has always seemed pretty dodgy.

Good luck!

[EliaBa]

yes. BOGO 50% is good. people always like something straight

[AngeHamm]

I've tried a lot of promos over the years, and by far the most successful one I've done has been Buy two complete pairs, get the second frame free. Both pairs must have either A/R or polarization, and it is the less expensive frame that is free. Patients may even use their insurance benefit on the first pair, then they pay full price on the second pair of lenses.

It is my experience that patients get more enthusiastic about a free product than about a percentage discount. Free second frame usually ends up averaging out to the equivalent of 20-25% off the second pair, but it's more fun.

Make sure your lab is giving you a multiple pair discount!

[optilady1]

You can also do a "package" deal. Straight up prices for the total pair. For example: One row that is all XXX amount for your 'best' PAL, AR, and trivex, and the frame/ Second row is XXXX amount for 'best' pal, polarized, backside ar. Or, with the purchase of a years contacts, get a pair of distance glasses for 100, bifocals 150, progressives 200.

[harry888]

free lenses when buy second frame

[tomases]

My scrolling sign reads "buy one, get one." When people ask me "get one free?" I say no, when you buy one you actually get one, that's called reality kids! Do you really think these multi-gazillion dollar companies got that big GIVING anything away? But if you want I can charge you double for the first pair...

[Quince]

My scrolling sign reads "buy one, get one." When people ask me "get one free?" I say no, when you buy one you actually get one, that's called reality kids! Do you really think these multi-gazillion dollar companies got that big GIVING anything away? But if you want I can charge you double for the first pair...

I feel like that would cause a lot of walk-outs. Maybe it works in your area, but I would get chewed out if I tried something like that!

Even the high end digital labs usually offer 2nd pair 50% off for lenses... maybe you aren't charging enough??

[mdeimler]

My scrolling sign reads "buy one, get one." When people ask me "get one free?" I say no, when you buy one you actually get one, that's called reality kids! Do you really think these multi-gazillion dollar companies got that big GIVING anything away? But if you want I can charge you double for the first pair...

Some would call you a smarta$$, some a realist. If it works, good for you. Personally, I love that idea.

[Slim]

I've tried a lot of promos over the years, and by far the most successful one I've done has been Buy two complete pairs, get the second frame free. Both pairs must have either A/R or polarization, and it is the less expensive frame that is free. Patients may even use their insurance benefit on the first pair, then they pay full price on the second pair of lenses.

It is my experience that patients get more enthusiastic about a free product than about a percentage discount. Free second frame usually ends up averaging out to the equivalent of 20-25% off the second pair, but it's more fun.

Make sure your lab is giving you a multiple pair discount!

I do exactly this ^^^^^^^^

[tsdelphous]

Does this offer exclude managed vision care plans? (Vsp, eyemed, spectera.)

[newguyaroundhere]

Does this offer exclude managed vision care plans? (Vsp, eyemed, spectera.)

I do not know of many places that will give a sale discount on top of an insurance discount. I would use a sale promotion to help build multiple pair sales. For example, use their insurance benefits to cover their primary pair of glasses & use whatever promo your office/store/business is offering to get them into a back up pair, reading pair, Rx sunglasses, etc

[AngeHamm]

Does this offer exclude managed vision care plans? (Vsp, eyemed, spectera.)

No. Insurance benefit on pair one, free frame on pair two.

[Hayde]

I think "sales" are a slippery slope. I am aware of private practices that have tried to compete with the volume movers--and the results are not pretty. Quality providers do not need to try.

Do you actually generate more gross profit with that 'sale' than without it? How about after factoring in any advertising costs for the sale? Did you actually have better luck generate a loyal customer than PT did after the 'sale' ends?

...and the aftermath: the patient who bought glasses the day before the sale and storms in after finding out. What are you going to do for him/her so they know they're just as appreciated?

...and now you've trained your patients to wait and watch for the sale. Why should they feel bad about that...since you "can really afford" to sell your specs more cheaply...you make a point of proving it to them every now and then.

imo:

Compete with your every-day price schedule and standard promotions. "Sales" are a lot of useless work at best and dangerous flirtation with bad business modeling at worst. To my eyes, it's an advertisement of a practice that forgot its own value to its real target market.

[lensmanmd]

I think "sales" are a slippery slope. I am aware of private practices that have tried to compete with the volume movers--and the results are not pretty. Quality providers do not need to try.

Do you actually generate more gross profit with that 'sale' than without it? How about after factoring in any advertising costs for the sale? Did you actually have better luck generate a loyal customer than PT did after the 'sale' ends?

...and the aftermath: the patient who bought glasses the day before the sale and storms in after finding out. What are you going to do for him/her so they know they're just as appreciated?

...and now you've trained your patients to wait and watch for the sale. Why should they feel bad about that...since you "can really afford" to sell your specs more cheaply...you make a point of proving it to them every now and then.

imo:

Compete with your every-day price schedule and standard promotions. "Sales" are a lot of useless work at best and dangerous flirtation with bad business modeling at worst. To my eyes, it's an advertisement of a practice that forgot its own value to its real target market.

+1

More work, less profit. Everyday pricing and service trumps short term "sales" The only time to run any type of promotion is during Q4 to compete with the Toys R Us and other retailers for the holiday dollars, or back to school, to compete with, well, the competition.

A strong promo idea is, parents buy one, kids get one free. C'mon. Kids frames with Poly is a no brainer for COGs. Parents will tend to buy up...FF Pals in designer frames with AR, and they will perceive an added value by getting something free for their kid!

[Quince]

+1

More work, less profit. Everyday pricing and service trumps short term "sales" The only time to run any type of promotion is during Q4 to compete with the Toys R Us and other retailers for the holiday dollars, or back to school, to compete with, well, the competition.

A strong promo idea is, parents buy one, kids get one free. C'mon. Kids frames with Poly is a no brainer for COGs. Parents will tend to buy up...FF Pals in designer frames with AR, and they will perceive an added value by getting something free for their kid!

That's a great formula for back to school. Genius, some might say!

[tsdelphous]

Well vsp states right in the patient benefit (with most plans )the patient can get 30%off second pair same day, or 20% off within 12 months. With those second pairs, they are not billed to vsp obviously. So my question still applies, so they use vsp for first pair, (which doesn't pay ****) would they still qualify for go to frame offer then? I wasn't implying the sale discount of the first pair. My question was regarding billing the first pair through these managed vision care plans, would the patient then qualify for the BOGO frame offer, even if the second order was self pay. Usually when I have had promos, I'd use the disclaimer, not valid with Managed Vision care plans, etc.

[GrahamEye]

Well vsp states right in the patient benefit (with most plans )the patient can get 30%off second pair same day, or 20% off within 12 months. With those second pairs, they are not billed to vsp obviously. So my question still applies, so they use vsp for first pair, (which doesn't pay ****) would they still qualify for go to frame offer then? I wasn't implying the sale discount of the first pair. My question was regarding billing the first pair through these managed vision care plans, would the patient then qualify for the BOGO frame offer, even if the second order was self pay. Usually when I have had promos, I'd use the disclaimer, not valid with Managed Vision care plans, etc.

If I am understanding you correctly on your question, the answer would be a simple "maybe, that is up to the office".
I have worked with offices that treated the first pair (the most expensive) to be under the vision plan, and any additional pair would be at the discount being offered (specialty suns like Costa and Maui excluded from any discount). This type of promo is made more affordable to the office if both pairs are sent to the same lab and the lab offers the office a multiple pair discount on the lenses for the same patient. I have not worked with a BOGO in which the second pair had any part free. Considering the minimal reimbursement from many MVC plans, I would make that an exclusion to the offer. Both pairs self pay in order to receive the discount if there is "free" involved.
However, you do have to ask yourself, is it worth coming up with correct and clear wording that states the limitations clearly enough for patients to understand so you don't come across as shady or limiting the condition of the sale once they are in the store? Or having to repeat the limitations/conditions everytime you offer that promo to a patient when they come in or call?

We know that all of us, not just simply patients, forget to read the fine print on offers and deals or mishear what is being clearly stated.
Keep the offer straightforward and simple and stick to your plan. Don't try to make a deal that is outside of the terms of a promo in order to get a sale. That is always more likely to come back and bite you later on.