AR Coating

**Henry** · 03-08-2004, 05:58 PM

I am trying to assess the market dynamics for AR coating if all large chainstores offers AR coatings in one hour instead of days. What will happen to wholesales lab, indenpent retail ?

**paw** · 03-08-2004, 08:46 PM

Henry,
I don't think it's possible to do lenses with AR coating in an hour.

Even if it's possible, I imagine the quality is suspect.

**bbla** · 03-08-2004, 08:58 PM

Single vision finished with AR are available from a number of manufactures
Bill

**paw** · 03-08-2004, 10:16 PM

Henry, is the demand that great for 1 hour service on such a large scale that it would impact wholesale labs and independent retail? I don't think so.

LensCrafters has been there, done that with one-hour service with no great impact on wholesale labs and independent retail, and I believe I was told that they are now de-emphasizing one-hour service. Adding AR to the equation won't change anything.

**Cowboy** · 03-08-2004, 11:53 PM

Another factor to think about are the specialty products only available to independants, i.e.; Crizal (Alize) and such. It is one thing for one hour shops to have that market, but when the consumer realizes the lack of quality of the custom AR coats arising from said location(s), they usaully turn to a private and realize that costs are better with higher grades of quality standards. Not to say that Lescrafters or others generate poor quality, but other products produced for privates direct from wholesale labs can have higher Quality Control. Therefore, the market will always be revolving.

:cheers:

Cowboy

**For-Life** · 03-09-2004, 12:42 AM

I get in people who are shocked that my AR price is twice the price of the two chains (Walmart and Shorney's). I tell them what coating I use and why I use the superior coating (Crizal and Alize). I say that I can sell you a coating for the price that they are offering, but I would lose them as a client because they would be unsatisfied with the product.

Works every time.

**sjthielen** · 03-09-2004, 04:57 PM

I stock AR in cr-39, poly and high-index single vision so i can do them in an hour. This raises our AR sales to those who need them in a hurry. By the way I dont stock High-Index without AR.