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    Wm

    Since we have been bandying about the merits or not of WM, are
    they now a monopoly in the Optical field?

    Because we are not just talking of WM, you must also include there Sam's club Opticals, which in there own right are very large optical departments. Some are wholly owned by Sam's while others are leased departments.

    But the question is still there, is WM a monopoly? What are Sears
    and Lenscrafters going to do? Will they be like feas on a dogs back terrified that the next scratch will do them in or will they fight untill the end? Because if you have seen WM's trademark, that is to go into area and basically wipe out all competition, then you need to be afraid.

    What is you opinion?

    Remember opinions are like armpits everybody has two of them.

    "It was the best of times and the worst of times"
    Charles Dickens "Tale Of two Cities"
    :bbg: :D

    #2
    Check the definition

    Jediron
    You might what to check the definition of a monopoly.

    Monopoly
    Exclusive control by one group of the means of producing or selling a commodity or service.

    With that said, WM is not a monopoly, and I don't even think all the chains combined have 30% of the marketplace.
    "It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home."

    Comment


      #3
      Latest, or one of the latest issues of Vision Monday has a report on the size of the chain segment, and of specific chains. Higher than 30% for all chains, closer to 50% if memory serves.

      Comment


        #4
        And here it is ...............................

        Largest U.S. Optical Retail Chains Grab More Market Share in ’02



        NEW YORK—How did optical’s largest retailers stack up in eyewear/eyecare sales last year? Their ups and downs in revenues and store counts are revealed in The VM Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers report, an exclusive survey of the industry’s top performers.


        The VM Top 50 are strong retail players, getting stronger. In 2002, these 50 chains had combined sales of just under $5.9 billion, capturing 36.5 percent of the $16.15-billion U.S. retail optical market, as estimated by Jobson Optical Research.

        And the biggest of the big continue to build clout. Last year the Top 10 optical retailers picked up nearly two market-share points, representing 29.1 percent of that total retail market.

        VM has compiled the VM Top 50 U.S. Optical Retailers ranked by domestic net sales for calendar year 2002 into a unified company-by-company chart. Click here to see the PDF file (you will need free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to look at this chart).

        Editor-in-chief Cathy Ciccolella gives you a bird's-eye-view of optical's top retailers in 2002, and explains differences between this year's and last year's compilations in a special Editor's Note. Click here to read the article.

        For a look at VM's Top Ten U.S. Optical Retailers, click here for details on all ten of the companies' snapshots.


        Mass Merchants Gain Share in Optical: Click here to see how mass merchants and warehouse clubs grew despite an uncertain economy last year.

        For a look at the methodology used to create this year's survey, click here.


        Vol. No: 17:09Issue: 5/12/03

        Look it up at Vision Monday's Website


        Comment


          #5
          Thanks Chris,
          Do you have any idea about the breakdown of the marketplace in Canada, as well as provincially?

          Just a side note, I've never considered any of the chains competition, even the independant office a block away , I don't consider competition. The reason is, in our office we provide product that those other offices cannot carry, provide outstanding service by the Doc and the other staff and we rely on word of mouth and referrals, by a loyal customer base.
          "It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home."

          Comment


            #6
            Jedi said:
            Just a side note, I've never considered any of the chains competition, even the independant office a block away , I don't consider competition. The reason is, in our office we provide product that those other offices cannot carry, provide outstanding service by the Doc and the other staff and we rely on word of mouth and referrals, by a loyal customer base.
            Jedi,
            Since I work in a Wal-Mart (NVI) I appreciate your comment above. As long as you do what you do well and people are happy they won't leave!

            Inevitably there are the ones that aren't happy or feel something is lacking and try it out, but some of them won't find it the same and will be back. There are many of us, myself included, who don't care about the cost as long as we feel good about the experience! There are a lot of places I go that are pricier, but I am catered to and continue to go.

            Do what you do, do it the best and the end result is inevitable!
            :D :D No matter what chain is in your backyard!
            ~Cindy

            "If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning." -Catherine Aird-

            Comment


              #7
              Sorry Jedi if I mislead you.
              But in economics a monopoly has different meanings. First you can have a classic monopoly where one person or company controls the flow of goods.

              Second you can have a complex monopoly where a number of persons or companies together control the supply or acquisition of goods or services of a particular desciption. There are other
              monopolies for which a lot of the antitrust laws are set up for.
              For this forum I kept the discussion of a monopoly in economics
              simple. For that reason I did not include a discussion of micro or macro economics so we would not get sidetracked.

              As you so eloquently put in your reply with the VM article, you will notice WM and Sam's Clubs are growing quite rapidly. In fact they
              are at Number 3 and climbing. So my question was not out context. But I ask where will WM and Sam's be in 5 years?


              :bbg: :D

              Comment


                #8
                If you spend all your time looking in the rear-view mirror, you're going to crash. Focus on the road ahead, and what you do best. You don't want to compete on their level. Besides, you don't have room for a garden center.

                Jedi's on the right track.
                Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

                Comment


                  #9
                  Jediron
                  I don't believe that you mislead me, I too have dabbled in economics during my college years. If we look at the stats posted in VM again, whether one firm or multiple firms have 36.5% of the marketplace, they are still a long way off from being any sort of monopoly.

                  I do feel that they will pick up more market share in the upcoming years but I can forsee them going back to a simpler form of retailing. Something I remember from grade school K.I.S.S.
                  keep it simple stupid. It's a complex business running an optical, automotive, photlab, massage parlor and roller coaster under one roof and still sell regular old goods to people too. In my own experience I managed a major video store, our store was a franchise that eventually was purchased by the coporation. Upon purchase the coporate office started sending us liscensed toys, music, ice cream, and lot's of **** irrelevant to a video store. Fast forward 5 years later, all that garbage is gone. People were to overwhelmed by the store and just left. Apply this example to Walmart and who ever else and I think a long future for those opticals will not happen. Just my Swammi coming out, I did in fact predict Ruben to win.;)
                  "It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-16 back home."

                  Comment


                    #10
                    In Canada .................................

                    Jedi said:
                    Thanks Chris,
                    Do you have any idea about the breakdown of the marketplace in Canada, as well as provincially?
                    Jedi,

                    You should know that we, in Canada are a little handicapped when it comes to an industry that is not considered important by our Federal and Provincial Governments. I have spent a lot of times going to government statistics to find anything touching the word optics. Result ......................ZIP

                    In the USA you can go to statistical websites in the government and find just about everything.
                    In 1998 I found the information that frame sales were down 28% and lenses 19%.

                    In Canada this profession does not make any official statistic.

                    No wonder that the old saying..............." when the USA gets a cold, Canada catched pneumonia"............ must have some truth in it.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Johns I never said Jedi was wrong. I just wanted to give the reasons I used monolopy in reference to WM. Now if I m looking in the mirror so be it. Frankly I don't see it but thats your opinion
                      and your entitled to it. But Johns I thing you have been spending to much time in your garden, you've smelled to many roses and it's clouded your mind and vision.:bbg: :D

                      Comment


                        #12
                        It's true that the number of WM stores are increasing at a fast pace, and therefore their optical market share will increase with it. However, I feel that the market share increases will be at a slower and slower pace, because the more WMs they build, the more they will be stealing customers from themselves.

                        For example, a WM is due to be built in our small town in 2 years. I'm sure they will take some of our local market share from our practice -- which will increase their overall market share, but I'm also sure they will be taking some market share away from the WM 40 miles away that everyone drives to now.

                        Lenscrafters is in first place, Cole Vision is in second place, and WM is in third place. No, I wouldn't call WM a monopoly, but it is amazing that a third place chain is the one everyone worries about.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Worry about it .......................

                          paw said:
                          No, I wouldn't call WM a monopoly, but it is amazing that a third place chain is the one everyone worries about.

                          As you said, the open or have another one 40 miles away.

                          After a year or two and AFTER having killed all Ma + PA businesses in a diameter of 40 miles they realize that the store does not produce as much as calculated and expected, they close it again. That is a fact and has been reported numerous times.

                          Something to worry about!
                          Last edited by Chris Ryser; 05-25-2003, 09:02 AM.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Jediron said:
                            Because if you have seen WM's trademark, that is to go into area and basically wipe out all competition, then you need to be afraid.

                            So Paw and Chris I agree with you. WM will go in an basically wipe all competition until it's only there store left.

                            The reason I chose WM to watch out for (Paw) is quoted above. They don't care if they have to go against Lenscrafters or Cole. Look what happened to K-Mart when they tried to take on WM head first. K-Mart was no small entity with gross revenues in the neighborhood of 28 to 35 billion between 1990 and 1995. I understand K-Mart had other problems but they did try to lock horns with WM and lost.
                            :bbg: :D
                            Last edited by jediron; 05-25-2003, 08:08 AM.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Chris said, "After a year or two and AFTER having killed all Ma + PA businesses in a diameter of 40 miles they realize that the store does not produce as much as calculated and expected they close it again."

                              I believe this is WM's game plan. A company that big and successful doesn't miscalculate. They know that they kill Ma & Pa business, that's the point. If they have to open a store and then close it later, that's just a business expense -- that's what it takes for them to grow.

                              That is precisely WHY I don't shop there. I don't want to have anything to do with the Saddam of merchandising.

                              I will admit we are apprehensive about WM coming in. I'm sure we will take a hit, but how big, who knows. But we are a different animal than WM optical, so hopefully that will be what saves us. Time will tell.
                              Last edited by paw; 05-25-2003, 08:47 AM.

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