Contact solutions

**Johns** · 11-06-2003, 09:50 AM

Does anyone sell contact lens solutions in their office ?

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**Jana Lewis** · 11-06-2003, 12:54 PM

Mr. Johns,

Our practice sells the larger boxes of Boston and AO sept. It's sometimes more convienent when patients come to pick up their contacts to just sell them some solution! :bbg:

**Jedi** · 11-06-2003, 01:21 PM

We sell all our contact lens in a bundle with solution. 80%-90% of patients go this route. Marketing and selling solutions and drops on their own is a hassle.

**paw** · 11-06-2003, 01:51 PM

No. We can't give them a better price than they can get at the discount store.

**Johns** · 11-06-2003, 07:35 PM

Lana & Jedi,

Do you get better pricing because you're buying a significantly higher quantity ? What kind of pkg pricing do you do ?

**chip anderson** · 11-06-2003, 08:06 PM

Boston we sell in the office , we actually undercut Wal-Mart (we get $ 6.50) for box of Origional (Which My patient's prefer), Advance or whatever the combo junk is. Wal-Mart is about $9.00 per individual bottle. We sell about 3 cases a month and we mantain contact with our patients. We also sell other solutions but don't get or give an bargains on many of them.

Chip

**Johns** · 11-06-2003, 09:12 PM

Is there a company that private labels solutions that we could use? Does B&L make all the solutions for W*M and Dollar General? Why can't we (or some of the buying groups) get together and use something like that ?

**chip anderson** · 11-06-2003, 09:20 PM

Johns:

Try Danker Labs, in Sarasota, FL.

**Johns** · 11-07-2003, 08:13 AM

Chip,

Thanks for the info.

I checked their Web site and only saw re-wetting drops and spc cleaners...I'll try to call them when they open.

**Jana Lewis** · 11-07-2003, 10:16 AM

We buy from a local lab here in Austin that gives us bulk pricing, so I can sell my Boston for $6.00 and my AO sept for $7.00, I run out so quickly that I actually have patients buy several boxes at a time.

Just a quick point of reference here, I find a really good customer service issue to be able to provide my patients with solutions, not only do I know that they are using "quality" cleaners and taking care of their lenses,but we are also providing a "service" for them. I don't make a heck of alot of profit off the solutions, but to me it's better to make a patient connection and have them coming back! :)

**Jedi** · 11-07-2003, 02:11 PM

Johns,
We tend not to buy too much solution, only a one Dr office, but we have good relationships with our reps so we usually get a rebate cheque back quarterly of approx a dollar a box. I agree with Jana, having solutions on hand or bundling is good customer service, it doesn't make you a ton of money, but the whole C/L dept is a necessary evil. Without it you would have patients going everywhere buying who knows what. This way you can keep better tabs on patients and how they care for their eyes, preventing a problem, instead of treating a problem.

Another "bundling" idea we use is offering discounts on non-rx sunglasses, when patients purchase 1 year of contacts, It's an easy way to encourage sun protection.

**Jedi** · 11-07-2003, 02:22 PM

On more thought here,
Sometimes we get too caught up in looking at margins, mark-ups and prices, when we neglect the "oppurtunity cost" of things. When you have a patient in the store there a number of oppurtunities during the time they are there to provide (sell) a product or service. If you do not offer that product or service you have already lost potential revenue from that patient, by offering a number of products and services that patients can use you increase your potential revenue while essentially keeping your fixed expenses (staffing, rent etc.) with the exception of cost of products (you have more), the same. To sum up, ONE STOP SHOPPING. Costs a little more initially but the gains can be high.

**Jedi** · 11-07-2003, 02:28 PM

Johns,
Regarding private label solution, I was at a CE course last year regarding Big Box stores private label solution and apparently according to the speaker, contracts are made yearly to the solution suppliers and the change depending on who bids the lowest. So one year walmart solution could be made by Alcon, the next could be by B&L, so the consumer thinks it's Walmarts brand but it could be anyones guess.

**Jana Lewis** · 11-07-2003, 03:34 PM

Jedi,

Wonderful post!! ( I just had to comment )
:D

**Johns** · 11-07-2003, 07:19 PM

All,

Thanks for all the great comments.

Profit (this time only!!) is not my motivation here (well, not directly).

I'm looking for solutions I can bundle the contacts with to keep them out of the shopping mode altogether. I'd like to give them a great deal on a years supply when they buy the cls, even if I lose a bit on the solutions.