Why do we deal with this s.....?!

**Cowboy** · 03-05-2004, 08:06 PM

Ok, I posted a little while ago about 800 contacts, but now I am getting requests from Vision Direct. I checked out the site and discovered that they are selling boxes of cl's for 5 cents above MY cost! How many more of these rediculous discount houses are we going to have to deal with? Maybe they will start competing with one another and end up putting each other outta business. I know its a matter of slight competition, but honostly WHY do we deal with this s...?! Voicing my frustration, thats all this is about. Say it loud, Say it proud, if you have something to voice.

:D

:cheers:

Cowboy

**chip anderson** · 03-05-2004, 08:30 PM

Get used to it, Cowboy. Sam's club is selling them for quite a bit below your cost. 1-800-Contacts is giving an $80.00 rebate with a year's supply of AV's. Unless you want to custom fit rigid lenses there is nothing in the CL business worth having anymore.

Chip:hammer:

**paw** · 03-06-2004, 07:28 AM

We've been getting calls from Vision Direct too. Amazing how news travels fast. I don't see any advertising from Vision Direct, but somehow the patients find out about it. The only good news is maybe they'll put 1-800 out of business.

**Joann Raytar** · 03-06-2004, 08:00 AM

We had a few Vision Direct calls this week too. They were actually more expensive than us for Zero 4's once you added the shipping and handling on.

**slate83** · 03-06-2004, 11:00 AM

My opinion is that we shouldn't fight it. Just let your customers know that they can either buy the cl's from you, or give them their Rx and let them get them where they want to. Make sure you are charging fitting fees.

The state of Georgia has a pretty cool law in that it does not recognize a cl Rx as being valid until the patient has worn the lens successfully for a period of time (6 months, I think). In that case, the patient has to buy the first supply from the practitioner.

The other people to blame in this battle are the cl companies. I just recently filled out paper work to be able to acquire AV lenses through my distributor. They made it seem like I had to meet all of these requirements to be able to obtain their lenses. Yet we all know that Vistakon is one of the biggest you know whats in the industry.

Oh well, what goes around comes around.